PERSHORE "NOT FOR JOES"

There were several dances, to different tunes, with a stick, sometimes a stick and a handkerchief, and very occasionally two handkerchiefs. Neither the form of sticking or the choice of figures was fixed.

Source

:

Dave Jones book "The Roots of Welsh Border Morris".

Steps

:

Hop step with free foot swung across to be in front of other.

Stick

:

18 inch long by 1 1/2 inch diameter.

Music

:

For BLACK BOY used "Not For Joe", for MONKEY COCKED HIS TAIL UP used "Keel Row" also used "John Peel" and two others.

Set

:

8 dancers in two rows of 4. Dances start with sticking.

 

STICKING

 

Strike Sticks : First one line then the other hits, one handed, right to left and left to right (two or four bars each turn).

Double Batting : Hit tips right to left and butts left to right one handed.

Clapping : One side hits while other side hold stick still in both hands. Always dance and sing at the same time as sticking.

FIGURES

1.

"Circles" : half rounds either way, sticking at half way and at end.

2.

Set rotates as a whole while sticking.

3.

One side dance across set and circle partner 3 times and retire to place.

4.

"Longing Shank" No 7 goes up outside his side of set, turns in at the top and goes down the centre to No 5's original place. The rest have moved into the centre to meet (Suggest half gip - right shoulders) and retire backwards to be one place round clockwise (Suggest Nos 1&8 do a 180 degree turn when in line). (Suggest repeat four times to reverse set)

5.

"Hands Round" in 2's or 3's (Suggest add ninth person such as musician at top to make 3 stars of 3).

6.

"Cross Diagonals" 8 goes to be in front of 1, 2 in front of 7, 6 in front of 3, 4 in front of 5. Path is in front of the others, in that order. It is not a hey. Repeat or other side do it. (Suggest the latter to get set back to starting place after fig 4)

7.

"Long Cross Over".

8.

"Bicycle Chain" progressive reel from top.

9.

"Dance Across" shunt like movement 1 to 4, 4 to 5, 5 to 8, 8 to 7 etc

10.

"Whole rounds" at the end of the dance.

Other figures remembered, (but not recommended).

A.

In fours, diagonals change and back in turn.

B.

"Back to Back".

There were other figures not remembered, but they all appear to be simple.

© 1991 R L Dommett