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 

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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

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9-16: repeat, starting up and down and switching roles

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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

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ALTERNATIVELY

1-4: 1s do a loop on the side, turning half way to their right on 2 and 4, 2s dance two places around the set anticlockwise, turning left one quarter on 2 and 4

5-8: 2s do a loop on the ends, turning half way to their right on 6 and 8, 1s dance two places around the set anticlockwise, turning left one quarter on 6 and 8

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9-16: Repeat back to place

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(These are functionaly identical, but different people picture the figure in different ways, and we've found both to be useful descriptions for the instructions.)

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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, backturning right on 8 to face in (or, alternatively, just turn one quarter left).

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9-16: Repeat, from other 1st corner

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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

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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

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5-16: Repeat 3 more times back to place

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Hearts

1-2: Everyone cross across the set by the right shoulder, making the set as small as possible (1st corners should dance straight forward, 2nd corners tuck in between them). 1st corners turn left and drop back behind the second corner they just passed.

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 large as possible

9-10: Everyone cross up and down by the left shoulder, making the set as small as possible. 1st corners turn right and drop in.

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 large as possible