Cotswold Notes: Headington: Rigs of Marlow

Props

One short stick held vertically in Rh by midpoint with R forearm horizontally forwards and upper arm vertically down.

Phrasing

(A+B)x3+A. A & B are each 8 bars.

Basic

(Lhop + Lhop + Rhop + Rhop) x 4 but replace the last Rhop with Lhop [total 4 bars]. On the hops, the raised foot moves in a small kicking motion down & forward, up & back with heel pointed down [like a small quick version of the Bleddington Hook] not just left hanging there.

Next Basic has R & L switched.

[All hops is how it feels from the style which emphasises the raised foot not the supporting foot and the abrupt changing of feet but, of course, one really uses small sharp leaps instead of hops to change feet so it is really (leapL + Lhop + leapR + Rhop) x 4 with a leapL at the end.]

Sticking

At the end of every half verse [i.e. end of every Basic] clash stick tips up forehand with partner twice [on those last two foot changing hops].

Start

No stepping but double clash as at the end of a half verse on the last two beats of the introduction before starting to dance.

Chorus

Lhop x 4 in the same style of hopping as the Basic with evens holding stick infront [stick horizontal & in line with the line of the set, palm up] and odds clashing the tips of their sticks twice downwards forehand onto the butts of their partner’s sticks during the last 2 hops. [1 bar total]

Repeat that but hopping on the Rft and with evens clashing odds. Repeat the original way [Lft hopping, odds clashing evens]. The fourth time do Rhop + Rhop + Lhop + Rhop with the evens two clashes of odds brought earlier into the first two hops leaving time for partners to raise sticks and clash down backhand butts on the Lhop and up forehand tips on the final Rhop.

Repeat all that.

Warning

Don’t do this dance without warming up first because there is a risk of Achilles tendon spraining.

There is also a higher than normal risk of getting knuckles hit with the stick because of the use of a short stick for two ended clashing.

Source of Information

Learnt as part of Lagabag Morris’s dance repertoire.

Further Information

This page only contains features specific to this dance. Where not specified, the features of this dance are in common with other dances in this tradition.


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