Cotswold Morris Cheat Sheet

Version 50 (70 dances, 9 aliases, 13 traditions, started 1998, last updated 2017/4/10)

Jump to Help (About, Abbreviations etc.).

Adderbury Tradition

VsS = Walk [unless special footwork] Round | Double Foot Up | Ch | Half Gyp | Ch | Processional Down | Ch | Processional Up | Ch | Back to Back | Ch | Half Hands Round | Ch |Adderbury Hey | Ch. If Ch varies, omit (Back to Back | Ch). Basic = triple-step x 2 F, slipback x 2 turning in heel, FTJ. Start Rft. In triple-steps: Rh infront stick vertical going F & hankies trace out ‘db’ shape. Going B, arms out sideways. In sidesteps: leading hanky gathers. In Adderbury Heys: start tops passing Rsh.

Anniversary Jig [Adderbury]

= Bethlehem but in Basic, replace Capers with step-hops B.

Banks of the Dee [Fieldtown]

Hankies. Corner dance. Ch = (Partners in turn do {Flourish, Galley, Beetle Crusher, Long Caper}, Half Hey) x 2.

Balance the Straw [Fieldtown]

Long stick. Ch = (Clash ground: butts behind R, pause, tips infront L, pause. Clash partner: uft, pause, ubt, pause. Repeat ground. Clash partner: uft, ubt, uft, pause. Half Hey.) x 2. [Throwing variation exists; clashing ends: throw, catch, ubt, pause.]

Bampton Tradition

VsS = Foot Up | Ch | Half Gyp | Ch | Whole Gyp | Ch | Rounds | Ch [omit if corner dance]. Basic = hop-steps x 7, FTJ. Hankies: up, chest, up, (infront & behind, vice versa) x 2, chest. Start Lft. In Foot Up: turn in. End = All Up in one Caper, Show with Rft raised. [Basic in Hey starts with Sidesteps.]

Banbury Bill [Bampton]

= The Rose Tree but sidesteps done by everyone.

Bean Setting [Headington]

Short stick. Ch = (dib x 2, clash partner dft, dib x 2, clash round set [1 to 3, 3 to 5, ... 2 to1] bent low, clash partner dft) x 2. VsS = extra Ch on end. Basic = step-shake with stick crossed low with partner otherwise arms down vertically.

Beaux of London City [Adderbury]

= Shooting.

Bethlehem [Adderbury]

Hankies. Ch = triple-step x 2 facing partner, sidestep R & L, [half Double] Foot Up. Basic = triple-step F, triple step in place, step-hop x 2 B, Caper x 2.

Black Joke [Adderbury]

Hankies. Ch = Long sidestep down [step x 7, hop], ditto up, triple step x 4 facing up, Caper x 4 turning to face partner. VsS replace Half Gyp with Whole Round [Rh star with partner, ditto Lh]. Basic = triple-step x 4, Caper x 4.

Black Joker [Bleddington]

Long stick. Ch = ((Clash: partner uft, R of partner ubt, L of partner uft, partner ubt), ditto mirrored, Half Hey) x 2. Basic = normal + (Caper with clash partner dbb, ditto uft) x 2. Omit half Vs end clashes. [Remember clashing Capers at end.]

Bleddington Tradition

VsS = Foot Up | Ch | Half Gyp | Ch | Whole Gyp | Ch | Rounds | Ch | Whole Hey [omit if not corner dance]. Basic = triple-step x 2, step, hook, hop, hook, Caper x 2. Start outside ft but [Half] Gyp Lft & [Half] Heys outside ft of initial turn. In triple-steps: hankies rotate infront of face [Rh cw] & stick [& free hand] swings [down 1st step, up 3rd]. Start = if sticks, clash in jump. Clash [or mime] uft at half Vs end. End = Caper x 4 to All Up & sticks in arch. RTB = (pure RTB, RC, Caper x 2).

Bluebells of Scotland [Adderbury]

= Highland Laddie.

Bobbin’ Around [Bampton]

Hankies. Ch = (Cross in Bampton Caper x 2, turn 360 cw in Caper x 4, Half Hey) x 2.

Bonny Green Garters [Bampton]

Hankies. Any number of pairs. Ch = nothing. End = (8 sidesteps, 8 Bampton Capers) x 2 in big circle into centre.

Brackley Tradition

VsS = Foot Up | Ch | Foot Down | Ch | Into Line | Ch | Face to Face Back to Back |Ch.  Basic = (step hop x 14, ft apart, ft together), repeat but last step hop x 2 become heels R, heels L. Hankies low by sides & circle (Rh cw, Lh acw) small in step hops. Foot up done on spot. In Into Line, all face as odds 1st half & as evens 2nd. F’t’F’B’t’B = (sideways Back to Back in 2 triple steps, rest of Basic in place) both ways. Triangle quarter folded hankies.

Bucknell Tradition

VsS = Foot Up | Ch | Hey Down | Ch | Face to Face | Ch | Hey Down | Ch |Back to Back into Line| Ch | Hey Down | Ch. Triple-step = step-hop-step-step. Basic = triple-step x 2 F, step-hop x 2 B, FTJ. Start Rft. In triple-steps: hands down fast on hop, up on last step. In step-hops: hands whipped out to sides. End = Up, Down, Out & In.

Buxhall Tradition

VsS = Double Foot Up | Ch | Heading Up | Ch | Whole Gyp | Ch | Heading Down | Ch | Double Foot Down |Ch.  Basic = triple step F x 2, [plain] step-hop B x 2, FTJ. Heading Up = 2nd couple to outside 1st & 3rd to 2nd place, return, 3rd to outside 2nd, return. Whole Gyp done with sticks held together as vertical cross. Sidestep Hey = Hey on Sides [tops inside] in sidestep x 3, step-hop x 2 in place, FTJ. [Invented by Bury Fair.]

Castle Ring [Lichfield]

Hankies. Ch = Form circle. End 4 together do (F in {stamp x 2, Florey Caper, RTB + Star Jump, stamp x 2} x 2, Galley Over Capers to place turning 360 deg [towards set other end], Caper x 2). Ditto middle 4. Ditto everyone on spot. In stamps: flicking arms to crossed. VsS = omit 1st Ch, Back to Back is into line. Basic = triple-step. Galley Over Capers instead of Huckle Back & Capers at Vs ends. Starting ft: Ch D1, 3, 6 & 8 R others L, Back to Back Rft, otherwise outside ft. End = face out & Show.

Constant Billy [Adderbury]

Long stick. Ch = ((Pause x 2, Clash uft in jump, pause: partners, tops on sides, partners, bottoms on sides). Single Foot up.) x 2. End = All Up with sticks in arch.

Constant Billy [Headington]

Short sticks. Ch = (Clash with pause after each: own, Rh to partner, own, Lh, own, Rh, Lh, Rh. Half Hey.) x 2. End = Show with own crossed sticks up, down, up. Clash own at half Vs & Ch end.

Country Gardens [Bampton]

Hankies. Ch = Odds face up, evens down. D1 sidesteps across. D1 & D2 sidestep across. Likewise until all doing it. Only to centre line last time. Back to place in 2nd half of a Basic. Hey. End = All In.

Country Gardens [Fieldtown]

Long stick. Ch = (Caper onto Lft, R heel to ground infront with evens ttm clash, pause. Ditto other ft & odds. (Caper x 2 with clash bfd, tfu) x 2. Half Hey.) x 2. [NB: Evens hit first.]

Cuckoo’s Nest [Bleddington]

= William & Nancy but with partners not corners. [Face up 1st time, down 2nd.]

Dearest Dickie [Long Fieldtown]

Hankies. Corner dance. Ch = Closed sidestep L, (RC, LC) x 2 with hands up & down, closed sidestep R, FTJ, cross Rsh [start Rft] in {Swagger Step x 4, Down-Up x 4, (Beetle Crusher, Caper x 3) x 2, Long Capers x 2}, Galley Round cw to face, {FTJ, ditto, (slow stamp Rft, Lft, Show), ditto}. End = (push LFww x 2), ditto Rft, slow stamps & [wait for music] Show. Corners waiting to dance do {slip backs & FTJ as in Start, ditto, Lft & Rft pushes as in End, ditto}.

Default Cotswold

3 couple longways set. Preparatory hop before starting footwork from stationary. Triple-step = step x 3, hop. Hey done on sides & starts by top couple passing outside. Start = swing hands in, out, in, jump. When turning from up to down or vice versa, turn out. End = All Up & Show. In sidesteps: leading hanky salutes [Rh acw]. In FTJ: hankies to chest. In Galleys: hooks & RTBs, arms out sideways.

Dorset Four Hand Reel

No sticks or hankies. Four people in a line. Ch = middles face & Rant x 4 [starting RFA], middles face ends & everyone Rant x 4. VsS = (Reel | Ch) x 6. Reel in {Walking, ditto, Step-Hopping, ditto, Ranting, ditto} with {not taking, taking} hands.

Doubles Singles Overheads [Adderbury]

= Lads A’ Buncham.

Fieldtown Tradition

VsS = Foot Up with Galley | Ch | Half Gyp | Ch | Back to Back | Ch | Rounds | Ch. Basic = triple-step x 2 F, step-hop x 2 B turning in heel, FTJ. Start Rft. Hankies down up in triple steps. Arms (out, in) x 2 in (step-hops, FTJ). In Foot Up with Galley: step-hops become Galley {out 180, in 90} deg. In Rounds: spiral in, 270 deg acw in FTJ & back out. Clash at end of every half verse. In Half Hey: Outer arm up bar 1 beat 1 & bar 2 beat 3. Long Caper = toe to ground BA, gentle jump landing feet together, big jump with hands out up, raise other ft F lowering hands. If using sticks, clash at end of every half verse & final All Up.

Fires of August [Buxhall]

Ch = ((turn 90 deg [start turn up] x 4) with clashes (overhead, butts floor, overhead, uft partner), ditto but reverse turn [clash same order], Sidestep Hey), ditto [but start turn down]. Overhead clash = 2nd couple hold stick 2h over head & are hit ttm from behind whilst others tip to floor. Clash uft at every Vs end. Start = jump [no clash]. End = into centre with sticks forming ‘bonfire’ cone.

Flowers of Edinburgh [Bampton]

Hankies. Ch = (RTB, RC with stamp, LI, RI, Caper x 4, ditto L, Half Hey) x 2.

Flowing Bowl [Adderbury]

Long stick. Ch = Clash: (odds ttm x 2, evens ttm x 2) x 3.75, pause, repeat clashing but x 3.5, pause x 2.

Getting Upstairs [Headington]

Hankies. Ch = ((Caper x 2, triple-step with hankies up down up) x 2, Half Hey) x 2.

Glorishears [Bleddington]

= Leapfrog.

Hanky Dance [Upton-upon-Severn]

Hankies. Omit last Ch. Ch = Basic x 4 on spot with dancers at 1 & 6 coming in to face & other adjusting [so positions change & set turns], acw solo circle. End = All In & Show by 360 deg acw in Caper x 4.

Haste to the Wedding [Headington]

Hankies. Ch = ((Sidestep R & L with hankies as in Basic) x 2, Half Hey with Caper x 2 instead of 1st triple-step) x 2.

Headington Tradition

VsS = Double Foot Up | Ch | Face to Face | Ch | Back to Back | Ch | Whole Hey. Basic = triple-step x 2 F, step-hop x 2 B turning in heels, FTJ. Start Rft. Parachute hankies. In triple step: hands raised & poked F. In step-hop: sticks at hips out sideways, hankies rotated infront forehead [Rh cw]. End = Caper x 3 to All Up & Show.

Highland Laddie [Adderbury]

Long stick. Ch = (Clash: (odds ttm x 2, evens ttm x 2) x 2, (odds ttm, evens ttm) x 2.5, pause, uft.) x 2.

Highland Mary [Bampton]

Hankies. Ch = (Gathering Up, Gathering Down, Half Hey on the Sides.) x 2.

Hunt the Squirrel [Headington]

Short stick. Ch = ((odds clash tip down on evens horizontal butt [palm up], pause, evens ditto, pause) x 2, walk B & F slowly with bending ending clash uft, Half Hey) x 2.

Idlebury Hill [Bleddington]

Hankies. Ch = (((RFA, LI) x 3, RC, Rhop, LFA, RI, LC, Lhop) with salutes, Hook into Half Hey) x 2.

Jenny Lind [Bampton]

= Highland Mary.

Jenny Lind [Bleddington]

Short [Rh] & long sticks. Ch = Jenny Lind (Lichfield).

Jenny Lind [Lichfield]

Short [Rh] & long sticks. Step-hop. Ch = (Clash: Lh ground x 2, Lh partner dft x 2, (Rh to Lh horizontal x 2, Rh to partner uft x 2 ) x 3. Repeat 1st half. (Rh to Lh tip, butt) x 2, Rh to partner uft, ubt, uft.) x 2. End = double speed half Ch, Rh sticks arch.

Jockey to the Fair [Brackley]

Hankies. Corner Dance. Ch = Cross Rsh & face in triple step x 4, meet in step hop x 4, caper x 4, reverse to new place in last quarter of a Basic. Hankies in triple steps = lead one rotates opposite to in Basic, trailing stationary. Ending = All In & shout title + “Oi!”.

Lads A' Buncham [Adderbury]

Long stick. Ch = (Clash: odds ttm {normal, one handed, overhead} x 3, pause, evens likewise x 3, pause, (odds ttm, evens ttm) x 3, uft, pause.) x 2.

Landlord [Adderbury]

Long stick. Ch = (Clash: (odds ttm, pause) x 2, ditto evens, ditto odds, pause x 2, loud uft, pause) x 4.

Leapfrog [Bleddington]

Hankies. Ch = ((RFA, LI) x 4, RC, LFA, RI, LFA, step-hook-hop-hook into Half Hey). VsS = Bows | Ch | RTBs | Ch | Split Capers | Ch | Leap Frog | Ch. In Vs: walk in circle, each when at top do named item, turn in a 2nd half Basic, repeat all the other way.

Lichfield Tradition

4 couples. VsS = [Swagger if triple-step] Round | Ch | Heading Up | Ch | Heading Down | Ch | Back to Back | Ch | Lichfield Hey | Ch. Basic = Step-hop or triple-step for F, Huckle Back for reversing, end with Caper x 3 & Show [exc. in Back to Back]. Start = the [Swagger] Round.

Lollipop Man [Adderbury]

Hankies. Ch = Couples in turn do (sidestep R & L, Caper x 4, cast to bottom in triple-step x 2, all move up in Caper x 4).

Lollipop Man [Bampton]

Hankies. Corner dance. Ch = Corners sidestep R & L, cross in (Caper x 4?, sidestep x 2), everyone Caper x 4?.

Longborough Tradition

[Only one dance in this list so tradition section blank.]

Long Fieldtown Tradition

= Fieldtown but Basic is: triple-step x 2 F, step-hop x 4 B, triple-step x 2 in place facing partner, Galley Round 360 deg. Foot Up: Galley {down 90, up 360} deg. Rounds middle: Galley Round 360 deg cw, FTJ 270 deg cw.

Maid of the Mill [Bampton]

Hankies. Ch = (Sidestep R & L, Bampton Caper x 2, Half Hey) x 2.

Millie’s Bequest [Lichfield]

Two long sticks. Ch = ((Clash: (R butt floor, pause), ditto L, (R uft, pause), ditto L) x 2, sidestep R & L, Galley Over Capers cw) x 2. VsS = Step in Line | Ch | Fast Back to Back | Ch | Cross Over | Ch | Round in Four | Ch | Back to Back on the Sides. Basic = triple-step. Galley Over Capers instead of Huckle back in Cross Over [start top ft] & Step in Line [start halves outside ft]. Start = Huckle Back x 3, Caper.

Monk’s March [Sherbourne]

Empty fists. Corner Dance. Ch = (Corners {Salute, Galley, Brush Caper, Split Caper}, everyone Half Hey) x 2. VsS = Foot Up | Ch | Set | Ch |Back to Back | Ch | Face to Face | Ch | Hey. Basic = ((pause, low leap landing LI with RFww heel and forearms down, RI, LI), ditto other ft but arms up) x 3, (stamp, pause) x 3, pause x 2 with Show. Start Basic on inside ft.

Ones & Sixes [Upton-upon-Severn]

= Hanky Dance.

Orange in Bloom [Sherbourne]

Hankies. Corner Dance. Ch = Corners ({Salute, Galley, Brush Caper, Split Caper} x 4, cross RSh in Rft Basic). VsS = Foot Up (| Ch | Rounds ) x 3 | Whole Hey. Basic = Triple Step x 2, Galley Round 180 deg, caper, leap onto both feet, jump. Triple Step = step, hop hankies down, step, step hankies up. Start = Slipback x 3, FTJ. Corners waiting to dance do Triple Step in place.

Postman’s Knock [Adderbury]

Long stick. Ch = (Clash: ((odds ttm x 2, pause), ditto evens) x 2, (odds ttm, pause, evens ttm) x 3 pause, uft, pause x 2), slowly firmly (clash uft x 2, pause) to extra music. VsS omit Walk Round, Half Hey & Ch 1, 3 & 5. End = Double Speed Ch.

Queen's Delight [Bucknell]

Hankies. Corner dance. Ch = Corners sidestep R & L, (cross Rsh turn cw & meet in centre) in {‘stepping’ x 4, ditto, Up-2-3 x 4, small Caper x 4, ((RTB, RF, LC, Star Jump), ditto L, ‘stepping’ x 2), ditto with shout in jump}, Up-2-3, Caper x 2. ‘Stepping’ = step-hop-step-step.

Rigs of Marlow [Headington]

Short stick [hold middle]. Ch = clash (pause x 2, (odds down on evens [palm up] ttb) x 2) whilst (L x 4), ditto evens other ft , ditto original, clash (evens ttb x 2, odds ttb, evens ttb) whilst (R, R, L, R).  Basic = ((L, L, R, R) x 3.5, R clashing uft, ditto L), ditto other ft. Every step is leap or hop onto named ft kick other heel F. Start = double clash.

Ring O'Bells [Lichfield]

Two long sticks. Step-hop. Ch = (Clash Rh R of partner, Lh partner, Rh L of partner, Lh partner.) x 2. 4 Capers turning 360 deg [odds acw, evens cw]. Rh clash next Lh horizontal stick x 3. VsS omit Heading Up/Down. End = Heading Up & Out.

Saturday night [Bucknell]

Hankies. Progressive line dance. VsS = Ch x many. Ch = Facing next line, Double Foot Up, Closed Sidesteps L & R, Caper x 2, Closed Sidesteps L & R, (Caper-Rhop-hook, ditto L) x 2 progressing through next line in 1st. Start = middle lines only, others when met. End = lines stop eventually at edges, form big circle, Ch in.

Shave the Donkey [Bampton]

Hankies. Corner dance. Ch = Corners {cross, loop to place, cross} Rsh in 4 Bampton Capers.

Shepherd’s Hey [Bampton]

= The Rose Tree but Foot Up become Double Foot Up for each couple in turn reversing set, ditto down.

Shepherd’s Hey [Fieldtown]

= Signposts.

Shepherd's Hey [Headington]

Audience participation circle dance. No sticks or hankies. VsS = Ch | Foot | Ch | Knee | Ch | Hip | Ch | Breast | Ch | Blow Kiss | Ch | Top of Head | Ch. Ch = (F & B [hands as if hankies]) x 2. Verse = ((Clap infront x 2, Rh to R side named part R side, Rh out.) Repeat but L. Clap infront, under L leg, infront, under R leg, infront, behind back, infront, pause.) x 2

Sheriff's Ride [Lichfield]

Hankies. Triple-step. Ch = ((Raise heels, flick hankies at partner, lower heels, lower hands.) x 2. Florey Caper. ) x 2. [Florey Caper Rft 1st time.]

Sherbourne Tradition

No preparatory hop. Face to Face = Whole Gyp but reverse to place as in Back to Back. [The figure called] Set = Half Gyp but only into line. Slipback = (RB, LC) not (RB, LB).

Shooting [Adderbury]

Long stick. Corner dance. Ch = (Corners clash butt & tip to ground then {clash corner, shoot corner, shoot up}, ditto everyone with partners.) x 2. Basic = Double Kick Steps. End = Shoot musician.

Sidesteps [Bampton]

Hankies. Ch = (Facing up (Lhop, RFA, LI, RC) with Rh up & down across, (Rhop, LI, RI, LI) with both hands up & down. Ditto down [turn acw]. Half Hey. ) x 2.

Sidesteps [Bleddington]

= Idlebury Hill.

Signposts [Fieldtown]

Hankies. Ch = Hey. Basic = normal but pause at end with feet together & arms out sideways. In Hey: hankies to chest early [in 2nd step-back]. In Rounds: turn at start of 2nd Basic not in jump. End omit Capers.

Skirmishes [Adderbury]

Long stick. Ch = Skirmishes [Bleddington] but last clash of each half is uft. Use Adderbury Basic.

Skirmishes [Bleddington]

Long stick. Ch = (Clash uft, dbt: 1st corners with others on sides, partners, 2nd corners with others on sides, partners. Half Hey) x 2.

Skirmishes [Fieldtown]

Long stick. Ch = Skirmishes [Bleddington] but clash order is partners, 1st corner,  2nd corner, partners. Use Fieldtown Basic.

Step & Fetch Her [Bampton]

Hankies. Ch = Partners cross Rsh in 4 Bampton Capers, cross back Rsh in 4 sidesteps [looping cw round partner], Hey.

Step Back [Long Fieldtown]

Hankies. Ch = Closed sidestep L, (RC, LC) x 2 with hands up & down, closed sidestep R, FTJ, Half Hey. Basic = normal but replace step-hops B with 4 stomping steps B with arms swinging infront & behind. VsS omit last Ch.

Stick Dance [Upton-upon-Severn]

Long stick. Ch = (Clash partner (up & down) x 4 as {staves, single sticking, double sticking}, clash uft, acw solo circle) x 2. Staves start Rh down. Push in 2nd staves Ch. End Vs with double stamp. End = sticks in arch.

Swaggering Boney [Longborough]

Hankies. Corner dance. Ch = corners ((RFA + LI) x 4 saluting, RC + LFA + RI saluting, in to meet [LF, leap to both feet], {punching R, kicking R}, ditto L, cross in Caper x 4). VsS = Foot Up | Ch | Rounds | Ch | Rounds | Ch | Rounds | Ch | Hey on Sides. Basic = Triple Step, step, leap to both feet, Galley Round. Hankies do big high circles [Lh cw, Rh acw] in Triple Step. Punching = pause x 2, fake head punch, pause. Kicking = leaping onto ft kicking out other x 3 [slow, quick, quick, pause]. Start outside ft except in Hey. Rounds = full round not reverse to place. End = Caper into All Up & Show.

Sweet Jenny Jones [Adderbury]

Long stick. Ch = Clash: (odds ttm x 2, pause, evens ttm x 2, pause) x 2, (odds ttm, evens ttm) x 4, pause, uft, Double Foot Up. Basic = step F x 4, pause, step in place x 2, step F [or B] x 5. Lft start. In 2nd half of Processionals: spare couple processes up/down outside. End = Run up & off.

The Quaker [Bampton]

= Highland Mary.

The Rose Tree [Bampton]

Hankies. Corner dance. Ch = Corners {cross, loop to place, cross} Rsh in 4 sidesteps, sidestep R & L. Everyone caper x 4.

Three Drunken Maidens [Bampton]

Hankies. From 1st to last Ch, set forms double chevron shape [1 & 4 move in, 2 & 6 down, 3& 5 up]. Ch = ((1 & 4 (swap places round 2 &3 in sidestep L & R, step-hop x 2 facing away with Lh (up & down), ditto facing in with both hands), repeat swapping places, everyone progresses cw in Caper x 3, Show) x 2. VsS omit last Ch. Half Gyp in 3s to next place cw F then 180 deg & B to next cw, ditto to place. Whole Gyp in 3s cw around next place cw, ditto acw. End = 3 Capers [face out, move B, turn] & Show.

Trunkles [Bleddington]

Hankies. Ch = Corners (Lft triple-step to meet, (RF, Caper with hands up, Lhop) facing, return to place as in Half Gyp), corners (cross Rsh in {triple-step x 4, Up-2-3 x 4, RTB & LTB, Split Caper x 4}, turn back using a 2nd half Basic).

Trunkles [Fieldtown]

Hankies. Corner dance. Ch = Partners in turn do (cross RSh in 2 {Triple Step, Galley, Beetle Crusher, Long Caper}, Galley Round cw to face, FTJ), everyone repeats it together back to place. VsS = extra Whole Hey on the end. Partners waiting to dance do Galley & FTJ.

Upton-Upon-Severn Tradition

VsS = Rounds | Ch | Back to Back Rsh | Ch| Back to Back Lsh |Ch| Hey on Ends | Ch | Upton Hey | Ch | Rounds. Basic = Triple-step with heel raised across in hop. Start Lft. Hankies down, up. Upton Hey: start tops casting in.

Valentines [Fieldtown]

Hankies. Corner dance. Ch = Corners sidestep R & L, {Salute, Galley, Beetle Crusher, Long Caper} R & L, cross [reversing from centre to new place].

Vandals of Hammerwich [Lichfield]

Long stick. Triple step. Ch = (Clash R of partner, ditto L. Clash partner uft, ubt, uft. (hop, S, C, S) to R & L. Caper x 2. Clash.), ditto but Show not Clash. Show in 2nd half last Ch.

William and Nancy [Bleddington]

Hankies. Corner dance. Ch = Corners {Rh salute, Up-2-3, RTB, Split Caper}, everyone does Half Hey. Salute = hanky circle above head [Rh acw] & down.

Young Collins [Bleddington]

Long stick. Ch = (Clash butt to ground x 3, pause, clash partner dfb x 3, pause. Ditto but uft. Half Hey.) x 2. Hammer Bash [in 2nd half, last Ch if called] = replace uft x 3 with pause x 2, loud uft.

Young Collins [Fieldtown]

Long stick. Ch = Young Collins (Bleddington) but Half Hey in Fieldtown Basic.

Distribution & Disclaimers

These notes are downloadable from duramecho.com. It was compiled by Andrew Hardwick of Lagabag Morris. They are mostly from Lagabag’s repertoire or were learnt at Ales. The dances are believed to be public domain except where otherwise stated. No responsibility will accepted for errors, injuries etc.. These notes are distributable free of charge under the GNU Pubic Licence & Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike licence. Have fun!


About this Cotswold Morris Cheat Sheet

What is this?

A set of very quick notes for looking up a dance at, e.g. a Cotswold Ale, when told the name of it, that one will be dancing it & one has forgotten what the heck it was. It is prioritised so that the important bits [like stick or hankies] come first & details later. To keep instructions for so many dances & traditions pocket sized and small it has a lot of abbreviating.

How to Look up a Dance

Simply look it up by name [the tradition follows the name in brackets]. The instruction are split between that unique to the specific dance right there, the common instructions for the tradition that can be found under the name of the tradition & common instructions for Cotswold. In case of conflict the more specific instructions take precedent.

Usual Order of Instructions

The props needed [hankies, sticks etc.].

Form of dance [corners, 8 person etc.].

Chorus.

Sequence of verses & choruses.

The basic stepping used.

Detail of specific verses.

Dance start & end detail

Dance Structure Abbreviations

Ch = CHorus(es).

Vs = VerSe(s) [as distinct from Ch].

VsS = VerSes Sequence [the Ch & Vs in a dance].

Basic = the set of steps & hand movements used for general travelling in a dance.

Direction Abbreviations

L = Left.

R = Right.

F = Forwards.

B = Backwards.

up/down = towards top/bottom of set or vertical.

Footstep Abbreviations

Consist of the foot [L or R] and where it goes [F, B, S, C, I or A] and/or a method [hop, leap, jump, ww].

S = Side [away from other foot].

C = Close [to the other foot].

I = In-place.

A = Across [infront or behind other foot].

ww = Without Weight [just move not step onto].

Clashing

uft = Up Forehand Tips.

dft = Down Forehand Tips.

dbb = Down Backhand Butts.

etc.

ttm = Tip To Middle.

Other Abbreviations used with R & L

ft = FooT.

h = Hand.

sh = SHoulder [as in which to pass by].

Turns

cw = ClockWise.

acw = AntiClockWise.

Angles in degrees. cw & acw are with respect to clock on floor or [for limbs] facing towards oneself.

Other Abbreviations

FTJ = Foot-Together-Jump.

deg = DEGrees.

D1 = Dancer number 1 etc..

Square brackets '[…]' just contain extra  info.

Sequences

In most cases one thing following another is simply separated by a comma or 'then'. For clarity if having to call a dance, verse sequences are separated with '|' bars.

Repeats

Repeats may be explicit like 'repeat that', simply abbreviated to 'ditto' in a sequence list or specified by 'x' & a number after something which means "done  that number of times".

Round brackets '(…)' are used to group together several instructions so they can be referred to immediately afterwards as one chunk. E.g. "Rhop, clash x 2" means " Rhop, clash, clash" but "(Rhop, clash) x 2" means " Rhop, clash, Rhop, clash" because the whole enclosed chunk is repeated.

Curly brackets '{…}' denote instructions that change with each repeat of chorus or verse they are in. with comma-separated lists inside are. E.g. "Rhop, {clash, Rleap}" in chorus would mean "Rhop, clash" in the first chorus but "Rhop, Rleap" in the second. If a list runs out before the dance does, start reading the list from the beginning again.

[For fast reading I have compacted many instructions by using brackets within brackets with brackets and lots of "ditto but…" constructions. Sorry if this is confusing to non-mathematicians!]

Misc

Unless otherwise stated: Heys start with top couple casting up & out; Half Gyp, Whole Gyp, Back to Back etc. pass Rsh; and hankies are held by one corner. Often (but rarely mentioned) there is a preparatory hop before a step starts; those are not covered here.

That Notorious Foot Ambiguity

For some people, "Rft start" means "start by stepping onto Rft"; for others it means "start by standing on Rft & stepping onto Lft". In these notes, the starting ft means the ft first stepped onto [ignoring preparatory hops] not the supporting ft. Similarly Galley R etc. means step on Rft & rotate Lft not rotate Rft. Rleap is leap from Rft whereas leapR is leap onto Rft.

Is this Definitive?

Definitely not! If I knew what I was doing well then I would not need to have written myself a cheat sheet! Expect lots of mistakes (and, anyway, there are lots of variations in how groups perform the same dances). The notation is not standard either, just something I made up for my own use and later mangled into ASCII.