Esperance Morris Book vol 2 - online book
A Manual Of Morris Dances Folk-songs And Singing Games With Sheet Music And Instructions
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THE ESPERANCE MORRIS BOOK—II. |
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In the first version two dancers, A and B, stand at the points of the sticks facing into centre ; the other two stand by the- ether two points, but C faces the direction of A, D faces the direction of B, so that the tapis are made across the sticks, instead of to left and right of the sticks alternately in the manner of A and B. |
Bars 1 to 4a.—All turn round to the right, hopping twice on the right and twice on the left alternately. But this time the dancers only proceed to the next point, jumping on the final beat of the strain, so that at the end A is in D's place, D in B's, B in C's, and C in A's. |
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Bars 5 to 8.—All dance across sticks at points, with left shoulders turned in to centre, hL tR, hR tL, seven times ; hL tR, and j on last beat. |
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Music, once to yourself.
Bars i to 4. Dance hi tR, hR tL, seven times
hl. tR. and j on hi -1 beat.
Bars 1 to 4a- All walk round, starting with L foot,
one step to each beat. A and B walk to the left, keeping a circle outside (' and I), who walk to their left (that is, in the opposite direction to A and B, as they are facing differently), keeping an inner circle. |
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Bars 9 to 12.—A and C link R arms, and B and D link R arms, and turn round, hopping as before, keeping in between their own points. This time A and C change places at the end of the strain, and B and D do the same, and all j on last beat in new places, which will be— |
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Each dancer walks only three-quarters of the way round, so that A is at the end of the strain in D's place, B is in C's, C in A's, and D in B's. The dancers make a stamp in these places on the last beat of the strain. |
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Bars 1 to 4.—Dance at points, as before.
Bars 1 to 4a.—Hop round as before, each separately.
Bars 5 to 8.—Dance across points, L shoulders to centre.
Bars 9 to 12.—Hop round, A linked with D, B with C, changing places at the end of strain. All the dancers are now in their original positions, C and D having worked round the circle. |
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Bars 5 to 8.—Dance at points, D and C tapping left and right of sticks, B and A across sticks—hL tR, hR tL, seven times ; hL tR, and j on last beat.
Bars 9 to 12.—All walk round to their left, D and C keeping outside, B and A keeping inside. Three-quarters round will bring them to their original positions. The |
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17.—SWORD DANCE.
There are eight performers in this dance, and the step is a simple skip from one foot to the other, with a slight roll of the body.
The dancers form a ring. Each one carries a sword in the left hand, lying over the left shoulder, and with the right hand grasps the point of the sword of the dancer in front of him.
Play first strain of music, to get the rhythm clear. Then dance round to the left in a circle, twice round (16 steps).
Stop, and making a close circle, form a frame with the swords ; the rule for interlocking the swords is right hand over, left hand under—that is, over and under the swords of the dancers on either side. This will give the following pattern. |
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dance can then be continued as ending, of course, on this strain. |
long as wanted, always |
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In the other version all the dancers stand at the points and face into centre— |
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Music, once to yourself.
Bars 1 to 4.—Dance hL tR, hR tL, seven times ; hL tR, and j on last beat. |
Fig. I.
{See Photograph, page x.) |
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