1’s And 2’s, Horsham ( 8 Dancers)
1 and 2 Pass right shoulders, then 3 and 4 do the same and all cross. Repeat back to place.
1’s And 4’s, Horsham ( 8 Dancers)
1 And 4 Pass Right shoulders, the 2 and 3 do the same and all cross Repeat back to place.
2-Step
This is also known as single stepping.
left, hop, right, hop, left, hop, right, hop.
The main step at Bampton, but also used in other traditions as hop back, wide backs etc..
4-Hand Star
Dance rounds in four, grasping first right then left hands.
4-Step
This is also known as double step or Morris step.
right, left, right, hop, left, right, left, hop.
Advance
See Lichfield
Advance Meet Retire
See Eynsham
All-In
Finish the dance by forming a ring and dancing into the middle with a shout of “hey”.
All-Up
Finish the dance by facing up, usually with four Plain capers.
Anacrusis
A small step at the beginning of each phrase, a feature of Field Town.
Apart
Jump into feet apart in line with shoulders. Hands out to the sides.
Back Step
This is like 2-step, but the feet are usually more tricky. There is a slight twist to the side which is easier to demonstrate, than to describe.
Back steps usually end with a little jump or caper at the end of the phrase of music.
Back To Back
Facing partner, dance one bar pass right shoulders, one bar past partner’s back facing the same way and two bars back to where you started. Often ends with jump.
Backwards
Direction of travel. Lean slightly backwards and let your weigh carry you.
Bars
In most music tunes one bar is the same as one 4-step or 2-step. There are exceptions.
Beetle Crushers
A fore caper, see Field Town.
Blocks Left
See Horsham.
Blocks Right
See Horsham.
Bottoms
The couple furthest away from the music. Can also apply to bottom four in eight Dancer dances.
Bow
A form of salute. Common in How do you do types dances.
Butts
The end of a stick closet to the ground when held vertically in the hand.
Chorus
The repeating common part of a dance.
Circles On Capers
Either low circles as in Bledington or high circle as in Headington.
Clap
May be in front, behind or under either knee. Also with partner; left, right or both hands.
Closed Side Step
Side step with the feet crossed. Usually this means turning the body so that a right closed side step involves right foot crosses over left, but the body turns to the left.
Column
Facing up (as at the beginning of a dance) or down. A chorus may be danced in column.
Corners
In six Dancer sets numbers 1 with 6, 2 with 5 and 3 with 4 (numbered from the front).
Corners Cross
Each corner pair dance in turn, pass each other to the opposite place.
Corners Salute
Each corner pair in turn, dance a salute (depends on dance) and stay in place.
Counter Twists
See Bledington
Cross
Usually to cross the set, either with partner or corner.
Cross And Turn
Usually with partners cross the set and turn into partners place.
Cross Back
Variation on Back steps involving feet doing Apart, cross, apart, cross etc.
Cross Over
Usually with partners cross the set and turn back out into partners place.
Dance Position
Dance a phrase without turning or moving from starting place.
Dib
To hit the ground with a stick. May be tips or butts.
Double Caper
See Bucknell
Double Whole Hey
See Wheatley
Doubling Up
See Lichfield.
Down
In travel the direction away from the music. In arm movements towards the ground.
Down and out
In travel away from the music and out from the set.
Evens
The right hand file when facing up in column.
Face Front
Facing into the set.
Face To Face
Dance round facing partner all the way round.
Figures
Parts of the dance that are common to a tradition.
File
The three (or four) dancers in either side when in column. Odd file or even file.
Finish
How a dance is ended. This should be definite and eye catching.
Foot Down
Dance facing down the set. Often the second part of a Foot up and down
Foot Together Jump
Place the feet together and jump off them.
Foot Up
Dance facing up the set. This may be following by Foot down or may be repeated up.
Fore Caper
In most traditions the third type of caper. Beetle crushers at Field Town, Right toe back at Bledington etc..
Forries
A fore caper, see Bledington.
Forward
Travel in the direction you are facing.
Front
Looking into the set.
Galley
Step usually taking one bar. Step onto left or right foot bring the other foot up until the thigh is parallel to the ground and rotate the foot three times. May be done facing forward or turning.
Galley Over
See Lichfield
Galley and Hook Leg
‘Double De-Clutch’, see Oddington
Grimstock Hey
Hey where tops face down and travel inside of middles and outside bottoms.
Half Caper
The second type of caper. Forries at Bledington, Field Town etc.
Half Gip
Dance across the set and return to place facing forward throughout.
Half Heys
Dance up and down the set doing half a figure eight in each file.
Half Rounds
Dance round the set (usually clockwise) to the opposite corner position and return. The circle may be maintained or a set may be formed.
Hands Rounds
Dance holding partners right hand first half, left hand second, round to place.
Heading Down
See Lichfield
Heading Out
See Lichfield
Heading Up
See Lichfield
Heel And Toe Dance
Dance were normal stepping is replaced by a Heel and Toe step.
High
Holding the arms up.
Hitch
A small arm movement to flick the handkerchiefs forward and back. See Ilmington.
Hockle Backs
Backward movement alternately raising the legs up and out. In Lichfield the foot should kick the high enough to touch his rear.
Hook Leg
See Bledington.
Hop Back
Back wards 2-step.
Horsham Rounds
Counter Clockwise rounds. See Horsham.
Inside 4 Dancers
In eight dancer sets the four dancers in the middle.
Into Line
Dance Back to back, but stop in a line of six in the middle of the set.
Jigs
Dance for one or more dancers, often dancing in turn.
Kneel Caper
Caper into a kneeing position. See Bampton
Leapfrog
Step usually done to upright capers, but the high caper is replaced by leapfrog over the other dancers (partner or corner).
left
Step on the left foot.
LEFT
Plain caper on the left foot.
Left Toe Back
See Bledington.
Lichfield Capers
See Lichfield.
Lichfield Hey
See Lichfield.
Line Across
See Horsham
Line Down
See Horsham
Line Up
See Horsham
Long Dances
Dance where the figure is twice as long as normal. See Field Town
Long Side Step
Side step in three bars. May be side step, 4-step and side step or a continuous step hopping after beat seven and eleven.
Man-Hole Capers
Fore caper, see Bampton
Middles
The couple numbered 3 and 4.
Odds
The left hand file in a column.
Once To Yourselves
Introductory phrase at the start of a dance. Number one will call this time.
Open Side Step
Side step where the feet are apart.
Out
Outwards from the set.
Outside 4 Dancers
In eight dancer sets the top and bottom couple.
Outside Foot
The foot away from your partner. In column this is out from the set.
Own
In two stick dances hit one stick on the other.
Partners
1 with 2, 3 with 4 and 5 with 6 (7 with 8) are partners.
Plain Capers
A spring from one foot to the other.
Processional
Traditionally a dance done when traveling between spots. Out of vogue in the motor age.
Processional Down
See Adderbury
Processional Up
See Adderbury
Rear Up
See Brackley
right
Step on the right foot.
RIGHT
Caper onto the right foot.
Right Toe Back
See Bledington.
Ring And Kick In
See Bucknell.
Rounds
Dance round the set to the corner position and continue on to return to place. Half rounds are usually called “Rounds”.
Rounds In 4
Dance round two places in 4 dancers. See Lichfield.
Salute
Step to partner, corner or in column and raise one or both arms.
Scissors caper
See Lichfield.
Set
Six or eight dancers in pairs.
Sherborne 4-Step
The Hop coming on second beat | Right Right Left Right |. See Sherborne.
Shoot
In stick dances shoot partner etc., as though holding a shotgun.
Shuffles
See Bledington.
Side By Side
Dance across set passing partner and return facing forward throughout.
Side Step
Short or long and open or closed. Short are done to 4-step, long are seven steps and a hop. Short may be followed by 4-step. In some traditions the hey is started with two side steps.
Single stepping
See 2-step.
Small Rounds
See Horsham.
Spin in hey
See Ilmington.
Splits
See Sherborne Upright capers.
Star Capers
See Bucknell
Step And Caper
A step followed by a caper. Used at the end of a phrase, see Bampton and Ducklington.
Step And Jump
A step followed by a Jump.
Step Back
See Field Town.
Strike
Swagger Round
See Lichfield.
Three Bottoms
See Upton-On-Severn.
Three Tops
See Upton-On-Severn.
Tips
The end of the stick furthest away from the ground when held vertically.
Top
The end of the set nearest the music.
Tradition
A collection of dances from one village. This may change over time.
Up
In the direction of the music.
Upright Caper
The fourth type of caper. Splits in Sherborne etc..
Walk Round
Walk round the set back to place. Often singing.
Waves With Plain Caper
See Bledington.
Whole Gip
Dance around your partner facing them back to place. Clockwise first time, counter-clockwise second.
Whole Hey
Dance a complete figure of eight in each file back to place. Often done as the last figure of a dance. See Bledington and Sherborne.
Whole Rounds
Dance round the set back to place. Whole rounds may include re-forming the set or spins etc..
Wide Back
See Field Town.