Ascot-under-Wychwood

Oxfordshire. 3 stick dances , 5 handkerchief dances, and 3 jigs.

Sources

George Felton (Sharp's MSS), The Travelling Morrice (Dr. Russell Wortley), and Roy Dommett. Roy Dommett's sources were (i) Sharp's MSS (ii) Oxford University Morris Men (iii) Mary Neal's MSS (iv) members of Tiddy's youths team (v) MSS of Williams (Oxford, ca.1920). Sharp collected from William Pratley and the brothers Moss; Neal from Moss. There was an English Folk Dance Society revival team under Tiddy pre-1914 side which included Arthur Longshaw and Honeybone. The Travelling Morrice collected from Longshaw, Roy Dommett from Honeybone, and Oxford University Morris Men from a Mrs. Jackson who knew the revival team. The information from these varied sources is not wholly consistent.

Figures

Foot-up, Half-gip, Whole-gip, Back-to-back and Half-rounds. Half-heys in Chorus.

Once to yourselves is Foot together jump.

Foot up is 6 bars 4-Step facing up, 3 Cross back and Jump to face front.

Half gip, Whole gip, Back to back, and Half hey

1^st half 2 bars 4-Step, Cross back, Galley,

2^nd half 2 bars 4-Step, 3 Cross back, Jump.

Half rounds 3 bars 4-Step, Foot together jump, in both halves.

Steps

4-Step, Cross back, Plain caper, Half caper, Fore caper, Side step, and Galley.

4-Step and Cross back as in Headington.

Half caper are forries | RIGHT - left right | LEFT - right left |.

Fore caper is

| RIGHT - LEFT - | Right toe back - Jump - | LEFT - RIGHT - | Left toe back Jump - |

Side step is open.

Galley as it occurs in Half gip is on left foot occupies only one bar, and is not followed by Foot together jump. Right foot lead for jigs, outside foot for set-dances.

Arm-movements

Down and up and circles, the former as in Headington, used for 4-Step, Plain caper, Half caper and Fore caper ( the arms come down on beat 1 in all these movements) . The circles are 'sharp jerks' with Side step ( leading arm only) and Cross back (both).

Once to yourselves, Foot up, Chorus, Half gip, Chorus, Whole gip, Chorus, Back to back, Chorus, Half rounds, Chorus

Stick Dances

BALANCY STRAY

Sticks 'held in the middle like a pen’ for Sticking, Partners strike at ends of figures, and half-way through 'where possible' .

Chorus is Sticking and Half hey, repeat.

Sticking is even strike odds on butts and tips

| Dib Dib Dib - | Butt Butt Butt - | Dib Dib Dib - | Tip Tip Tip - |

The dance finishes on final Half hey with 4 Plain caper. On last caper partners face, evens hold sticks by both ends horizontally and odds strike them with tips.

BANKS OF THE DEE

'A stick dance as, Bobby and Joan' at Field Town' ( rD)

Chorus is Sticking and Half hey, repeat.

| - - Odd - | - - Even - | Butt - Tip - | Butt - - - |.

Strike is overhead, odds turning counter clockwise, evens clockwise (both turn upwards). Receiving stick is held by both ends. Butts and tips with 4 Plain caper.

THE BLACK JOKE

Sticks held 2 handed for tapping (as in Adderbury). Figures have no galleys, last 2 bars no stepping.

| - - Odd - | - - Even - | . Odd is odds tips on evens butts, Even is evens tips on odds butts.

Chorus is Sticking and Half hey, repeat.

Sticking is

| Odd Odd Odd - | Even Even Even - | Butt - Tip - | Butt - Tip - |

No stepping in bars 1 and 2, caper in 3 and 4. Striking in bars 3 and 4 is from right to Left.

Handkerchief Dances

HIGHLAND MARY

Chorus is Side step and Half hey repeat.

MRS CASEY

Chorus is dance in column and half-hey.

1^st and 2^nd time, all facing up, 1^st couple dance 4 Plain caper, then 2^nd couple, then 3^rd, then all together. Half hey, Repeat, again facing up,

3^rd and 4^th times as above, but Fore caper instead of the 4 Plain caper.

VALENTINE

Chorus is corners cross

| Side step( left ) | Side step( right ) | Side step( left ) | Foot together jump |

| Side step( left ) | Side step( right ) | Galley( left ) | Foot together jump |.

Meet and face in first 4 bars, pass in bar 5.

Jigs

BACCA PIPES

As at Bampton.

JOCKIE TO THE FAIR

1, 2 or 4 dancers, Source of 4-man version was Jackson! 4 men in a square, one diagonal pair alternating with the other diagonal pair.

Once to yourselves, Foot up, Side step, Fore caper, Side step.

If two dancers, they alternate but join together on the last Side step

Foot up is

| 4 bars 4-Step | Side step( right ) | Side step( left ) | Cross back Jump |.

Side step is

| Side step( right ) | 4-step | Side step( left ) | 4-step | Side step( right ) | Side step( left ) |

| Half caper( right ) | Half caper( left ) | 11 Plain caper | Jump |.

Fore caper is

| 4 Fore caper | Side step( right ) | Side step( left ) | Cross back Jump |.

SHEPHERDS' HEY

Once to yourselves, Foot up, Chorus, Foot up, Chorus, Foot up, Chorus, Foot up, Chorus, Foot up

Foot up is

| 4-step | 4-step | Cross back Jump |, repeat.

Chorus is clapping

| Front Right( ankle) Front - | Front Left( ankle) Front - |

| Front Right( ankle) Front Left( ankle) | Front Back Front - | repeat.

Right( ankle) and Left( ankle) are touch with right or left hand in successive times of the Chorus ankle, thigh, breast, head.