The Morris Book, Part 1: A History of Morris Dancing, With a Description of Eleven Dances as Performed by the Morris-Men of EnglandSharp, Cecil J. (Cecil James)
History
The Morris Book, Part 1: A History of Morris Dancing, With a Description of Eleven Dances as Performed by the Morris-Men of England
Sharp, Cecil J. (Cecil James)
Morris dance
The side stands in Column, and starts by advancing for the first two
bars, and retiring for the second two bars. Each file advances and
retires its own length; that is, Nos. 1 and 2 will move ahead, the others
following, until Nos. 3 and 6 have come to the places of Nos. 1 and 2; in
the next two bars all get back to position.
The two bars' advance is made always according to the time of the music,
either at 4/3 or 6/3 step: the two bars' retiring is always made at 4/2
or 6/2 step (_see_ p. 48).
The whole movement is made in eight bars. In one dance, the second four
bars are danced the same way as the first four; but in all the others the
Column is reversed at the end of the first four bars. The two ways of
executing the movement will be marked in the Notation as follows:
When the side is to advance and retire twice, without reversing at end of
fourth bar, and is to form Front at the end of bar 8, this will be marked
in the Notation, so:
MUSIC. | MOVEMENTS. | FORMATION.
| |
A. | Down-and-back twice, then j. | Col. to Fr.
| (Forming Fr.) |
When the side is to advance and retire, reversing position at beginning
of fifth bar, and in bars 5 to 8 facing the opposite way, then at end of
bar 8 forming Front, this will be found marked in the Notation, so:
MUSIC. | MOVEMENTS. | FORMATION.
| |
A. | Down-and-back, Ju. | Column.
| Up-and-back, j. (forming Fr.) | Col. to Fr.
THE CHAIN.
This movement is also completed in eight bars.
In the following diagram (Figs. 1, 2, and 3) the movements of the leading
three, Nos. 1, 3, and 5, are shown separately to avoid confusion.
To begin the Chain the side stands in Column (_see_ p. 48). No. 1 turns
_outward_, that is, to the left, and goes forward in an S-shaped double
curve as shown, passing in the middle of the curve the place of No. 3,
and finishing in the place of No. 5.
No. 3 starts out to rightward, and goes in a circle, in the second half
of which he is following the first half of No. 1's track.
No. 5 starts to leftward, making a double curve as No. 1, but opposite,
passing in the middle of it the place of No. 3, and finishing in the
place of No. 1.
[Illustration: Fig. 1.]
[Illustration: Fig. 2.]
[Illustration: Fig. 3.]
Therefore, No. 8 follows No. 1, and No. 5 follows No. 3 round the track
of an imaginary figure 8, or double circle, for that is the shape of the
completed movement. Thus:
[Illustration: Fig. 4.]
[Illustration: Fig. 5.]
[NOTE.--At middle and completion of Chain, all turn inward, as shown in
Fig. 5, and face partners as they jump (_see_ p. 48).]
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