This is at least the third incarnation of this dance with Red Stags: it started life as a Roy Dommett variation of a dance by Paradise Islanders. Although Paradise Islanders, a fine bunch of people, prefer that their notation is not taught or published, this version is so different from the original that I feel safe in using it with Stags.
Formation
The formation is a "standard" morris set for six.
Stepping
We use the standard Red Stags low single-step which is described in the Weobley notations.
Sticking
The dance uses short sticks and all the sticking is straight forehand clashes of the tips. We step whilst sticking: there's so much sticking that there wouldn't be much stepping otherwise.
Chorus
The first half of the chorus is eight bars of sticking on each strong beat (sixteen clashes). The second half actually involves some movement. Everyone clashes sticks, after which the couple at the top take four steps to dance to the bottom of the set whilst the other two couples cast out and up one place. This repeats a further twice to places and is followed by another four stick clashes.
Figures
The two figures alternate with the chorus and can be repeated ad infinitum. Under normal circumstances this means two repeats followed by the final figure.Half Casts
Led by the top couple, the set dances u, casts out and dances to inverted places, using eight steps. This is followed by eight clashes of sticking. In the second half of the figure, the top couple, who are now at the bottom of the set, lead the set dancing dow, casting out and up to places. This is followed by another eight clashes of sticking (and then by the sixteen clashes of the first half of the chorus and the one for the start of the movement in the chorus).Half rounds.
Everyone clashes, then turns out over their right shoulders into rounds, which take them halfway round the set, clockwise, into the opposite positions. By this time it will presumably come as no surprise that this is followed by eight stick clashes. For the second half, everyone turns out right again and proceeds clockwise to their original positions (and then completes a further eight stick clashes, followed by chorus sticking).Finishing
These two figures can be repeated until the entire audience has been given an opportunity to make a donation. The dance ends with a dance up - even file swap their sticks to the other hand and put arms round each other's waists. The set then dances a double cast to the left, the back up to the top finishing with a caper which brings the top couple's feet as close as is wise to the musician's groin without actually making contact.
Music
Red Stags use Morisco, or "The King's Morisco" loosely based on the version in Arbeau.name.