STAVE DANCES ( A)
(earlier material from Roy Dommett's notes on Stave Dancing)
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Implement: pole 4 to 6 ft long, decorated at the top with an emblem or a garland of flowers and ribbon streamers. The wood is stained or painted. Normally carried sloped over right shoulder

Sources: stave is particularly a symbol of the various Friendly Societies who had an annual Club walk with banners and band. There were a number of Women's Societies - at least one still exists (Nether Stowey) and prints show them in procession with staves.

Dances: where dancing was done it was derived directly from contemporary social or country dance. Existing country dances are for participation not exhibition, so existing elements need some amalgamation as is normally done for display sequences. Some of the commonest elements in collected and published contemporary dances can be used as the structure of the dances.

STANDARD FIGURES FOR 8

  1. Cross Over - as in Speed the Plough, with opposite, pass left shoulders and turn right each half.
  2. Arches in 4's - pair coming up make arch with poles, pair going down shoulder to shoulder in middle - do it twice through.
  3. Single Change Sides - into line in pairs using voles to make arches. Repeat to other side
    path arches
  4. Lead Down - first pairs down the middle and back to place, second pairs then up the middle and back to place.
  5. Figure Eight - first pair cast to second place then figure eight across the set and back to place. Second pair follow the first.
    first move second move

STANDARD FIGURES FOR 6

  1. as 1. above
  2. as 3. above but on the diagonal
    first diagonal second diagonal
  3. 1st & 2nd pair down middle and back 2nd pair making arch for 1st to go under on the return so that places reversed. 1st & 3rd pair up the middle and back ditto. also changing places.
    Continue alternating till back to place
    sequence
  4. as 5.above but with 3 pairs following.

SUITABLE CHORUSES FOR 8

  1. all form facing front do large loop to left with hop steps and approach, turning opposite by left (arm, elbow or waist)
  2. down middle 4 in a line, lets between 2nds,then half a reel along the line of 4 to change sides, line of 4 up the set and half reel along the line of 4 to place.
  3. Circle clockwise in 4's half way round and cross diagonals back to place and repeat other way.