The Tattered Crow
A border morris dance for four, inspired by the traditional dance Ragged Crow. Each of the figures is a homage to the equivalent traditional figure.
Overview
A - Spades
B - Chorus
A - Diamonds
B - Chorus
A - Clubs
B - Chorus
A - Hearts
B - Chorus - hold the final clash
Chorus
No stepping. Clashes take place either low (stick pointing down), high (raised above head) or medium (standard chest high clash). Style point: keep the high clashes high and the medium clashes low to distinguish them
1-2: Everybody clashes across the set, forehand high, backhand low
3-and-4: 1st corners clash backhand low on the diagonal, all stick forehand medium across, 2nd corners stick forehand high on the diagonal while 1st corners spin out.
5-6: Everybody clashes up and down, forehand high, backhand low
7-and-8: "Mark of Zorro" Everybody clashes up and down, forehand low, backhand medium, forehand high
9-16: repeat, starting up and down and switching roles
Figures
Spades
1-2: Everyone chases one place ACW, 1st corners back turning on 2
3-4: Everyone passes right shoulder up and down, 1st corners back turning on 4
5-6: Everyone chases one place ACW, 2nd corners back turning on 6
7-8: Everyone passes right shoulder across the set, 2nd corners back turning on 8
9-16: Repeat back to place
Diamonds
For ease of description and learning:
1st Corners
1-2: Petronella along the sides
3-4: Pass a 2nd corner right shoulder to meet in the middle of the set and back turn
5-6: Petronella out to the corner you just came from (passing the same 2nd corner right shoulder again)
7-8: Dance across the side, passing a 2nd corner by the left shoulder (turn the short way at the end of the turn)
9-16: Repeat, from other 1st corner
2nd Corners
1-8: Dance a slow right shoulder diamond around each other, moving on the odd steps and turning on the even steps.
9-16: Repeat
Clubs
1-2: Everyone cross by the right shoulder, clashing on 1. 1st corners turn sharply right on 2
3-4: 1st corners change places right shoulder, 2nd corners loop left back through their same position
5-16: Repeat 3 more times back to place
Hearts
1-2: Everyone cross across the set by the right shoulder, making the set as small as possible. 1st corners turn left
3-4: Everyone dance backwards CW one quarter, keeping the set as small as possible
5-8: Surge forward to open out and chase half way ACW. Keep the contrast with the previous backwards moving circle as high as possible
9-10: Everyone cross up and down by the left shoulder, making the set as small as possible. 1st corners turn right
11-12: Everyone dance backwards ACW one quarter, keeping the set as small as possible
13-16: Surge forward to open out and chase half way CW. Keep the contrast with the previous backwards moving circle as high as possible