Mrs.Hepplewhite (Hepple) is danced in a circle, by any even number of dancers. It involves a somewhat novel stick movement, generally referred to as 'leaping over the broomstick', and is always danced early in our programme, while we still have the energy to do it. The tune is Kafoozlum.
Bag'orth is our most traditional stick dance, based on Brimfield, to the tune of the Gloucester Hornpipe. It's basically a 4 person dance. In winter, we sometimes do a less traditional version where sparklers are used at the end of the sticks.
Ceremonial Dance uses bright strips of fabric instead of sticks. The main instrument is the drum and the tune is Boggy Brays. Some resemblance to soft sword dancing may be seen.
Jiving Dance is probably the least traditional dance we do. Four people dance without sticks to a medley of tunes. We like the audience to sing along with the music - it keeps them on their toes as it switches tunes.
Peter's Panic is named after Peter Hope - one of our erstwhile musicians, who thought the tune would be good to dance to. The enthusiastic 4 person stick dance gives no time for rest - hence the panic!
Skiddaw is the 3rd highest mountain in the Lake District, with little to do with the Welsh Border, or Leicestershire. It was there that this 6 person stick dance was devised - with a bit of help from Red Stag, who invented the chorus. The tune is the Hertford College Hornpipe.
Windmills involves eight dancers in a set that keeps changing orientation. The reason for the name becomes apparent in the last verse. Danced to the Shipdham Hornpipe.
The Hathern Stick Dance has five dancers with eight sticks. The dance is regularly performed in Hathern, a small village just north of Loughborough.
Longbarrow can be danced by any even number of dancers with sticks, We learnt the dance at a workshop given by the side Longbarrow, immediately before their demise. We adapted the dance to our style, and the music to a hornpipe (The Cuckoo's Nest Hornpipe), and now regularly teach it at our workshops.
The Bourne Caper was very loosely based on ideas from a workshop in Bourne. It is not a caper, but a stick dance for 6, with movements imitating several other Morris styles. The tune is ?
Eternal Triangles involves just 3 brave dancers, each with 2 sticks, danced to the tune of ? It was written when we were low on numbers, but has remained popular as it's fun to dance, and lots of people get a rest.
Much Trent Lock brings the tradition of Much Wenlock, where dancers used a mixture of sticks and instruments such as the tambourine, to the East Midlands. The dance takes the traditional tune Not For Joe.
