Written by Chris, with a chorus taken from an old Bittersweet Morris dance. The dance is double-stepped throughout, and begins in a line across the set, with the dancers in the middle facing the out towards the dancer at their nearest end.

 

Overview

AB - Reels

C - Chorus

AB - Blades

C - Chorus

AB - Millstones

C - Final Chorus

 

Chorus

No stepping, just a standard walking step throughout, unless otherwise stated.

1-4: Each pair starts to rotate around each other half-way clockwise. As they are moving, they clash on each beat: forehand high, backhand high, forehand low, forehand high. Everyone turns sharply right 180 degrees between beats 4 and 5. 

5-8: The people at the ends of the line continue their turn at extra 90 degrees and dance using a double-step clockwise around the outside of the set. They will rejoin on the other end of the line by beat 9. Meanwhile, those in the centre of the line begin to rotate around each other half-way anti-clockwise. As they are moving, they clash on each beat: backhand high, forehand high, backhand low, backhand high. This pair turns sharply to their left between beats 8 and 9.

9-12: As beats 1-4.

13-16: As beats 5-8, but the pair in the centre do not need to turn after beat 16, they remain facing each other.

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Figures

Reels

This figure starts with ends facing middles in two pairs along a straight line.

1-16: Everybody passes their partner by the right shoulder to dance a standard reel for 4. There is plenty of time, so emphasise the perpendicular movement, with the shape alternating between a rectangle and a diamond. This high contrast will help provide variety with the second half of the figure.

17-32: A Celtic Reel. Everyone takes one double-step to pass your partner by the right shoulder, this time keeping the set small. If this takes you to the end of a line, you take your second double-step to dance a quarter of the way around the outside of the set. If you are in the middle of the line, you take your second double-step to dance a three-quarter turn left shoulder to left shoulder around the other person in the middle. This will rotate the set 90 degrees. Repeat these two steps until back in place.

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Blades

Everybody starts this figure facing the centre.

1-2: Take a small double step backwards.

3-4: Surge forwards and slightly to your left to form a square set.

5-8: Two double-steps to move two places around this set. End the second step turning slightly left to face out.

9-10: Small double-step backwards towards the centre of the set.

11-12: Surge outwards and turn right to form a large square.

11-16: Two double-steps to move one place around this large set.

17-20: Two double-steps to move one place around this large set. End these steps turning right to face the centre of the set.

21-22: Small double-step backwards.

23-24: Surge forwards and turn left to reform the smaller square.

25-28: Two double-steps to move two places around this set.

29-30: One more double-step to move around the set.

31-32: Return to home position, middles facing ends. This will either require backing up slightly (if a middle), or dancing forward whilst turning right 180 degrees (if an end).

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Millstones

The key part of this figure is emphasising the counter-rotation of the pair dancing in the centre of the dance and the pair dancing around the edge. Make sure the set doesn't get too large. For the purposes of this figure, those that start the figure on the ends will be labelled As, those that start in the centre will be labelled Bs.

1-4: As take two double-steps to dance anti-clockwise around the set to the other end of the line. The first double-step arcs forwards and to the right to leave them facing out, then the second double-step goes backwards and to the left to reach their place. This move shall hereafter be known as the Outside Move. Meanwhile, the Bs dance towards each other, and meet right shoulder to right shoulder for a quarter turn on the first double-step, then turning left shoulder back as they come out of this turn to end up facing in and forming a diamond with the other two dancers. Don't back out too far. This move shall hereafter be known as the Inside Move. The Inside Move has two slightly different modes, depending on whether the dancers are going from close together to further apart (from a line to a diamond) or further apart to closer together (from a diamond to a line).

5-8: Bs perform the Outside Move, while the As perform the Inside Move, ending up as the middle couple in a line up and down the set. Keep this nice and small.

9-12: Bs perform the Outside Move, while the As perform the Inside Move, ending up in a diamond formation (not too big!)

13-16: As perform the Outside Move, while the Bs perform the Inside Move, ending up as the middle couple in a line across the set.

17-32: Repeat 1-16 to return to place.

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Final Chorus

1-12: As the standard Chorus, except people don't perform their final 180 degree right turn.

13-16: Instead of the usual strike, everybody drop your stick and stride off towards the crowd. Cool guys don't look at dropped sticks, so don't look back, just strut off with purpose. Someone else will come on to collect the sticks.