DECORATED STAVES OR BOUGHS
(from Roy Dommett's notes on Stave Dancing)
e-mail Andy

Set: 6 in usual column

Implement: decorated stave or bough over right shoulder throughout.

Step: Travelling - "hop-one-and-two".

Hop on last beat of bar, step forward on first beat, bring other foot up behind on second beat, step forward again on third and hop.

Stationary - "closed-side-step".

Starting in first position with feet turned out, bring a foot in front of other still turned out in same direction, step on rear foot, step on forward foot, hop on forward foot while sliding it back to the rear position.

foot positions
The body does not turn during the step, but swings forward and back.

Dance:

A1 First pair cast off into Second place, second pair moving up to first's place. First Pair cross over to opposite side, passing left shoulders and turn to face up.
First pair cast off again from Second place into Third place, third pair moving up into second' s place. First pair left band turn to own side and all face down.
A2 Starting from all facing down, the first pair etc repeat to original place, ending with all facing in.
Bl First pair go down the middle, while the second pair again move up into first's place, cast round the third pair into the second place, lead through the second pair at the top and cast off back to second place. Cross, passing right shoulders and end back-to-back along the diagonal facing first corners.
A3 "Foot contrary corner" - balance steps with hops (backsteps) and turn opposite once round with the left, end facing other corner. Turn can be "strut" walk.
A4 Repeat with other own side end all facing own side ready for next movement.
B2 Lines reel of 3 going, into it the easy way, an alternative is to face out, move out 2 bars turn left, move back & dance round opposite and end all facing down or up as required by next movement. [The 1st version is correct interpretation of what is written and the 2nd is what it would mean in current jargon].

During A1-Bl the in-active dancers step on the spot as described above, facing up during Al, turning to face down in bar 8, facing down during A2, turning to face front in bar 8, and facing front in Bl, turning to face across the set diagonals in bar 8.

The first repeat is lead by the third pair from the bottom and all starting by facing down. The second repeat is lead by the original second pair from the top. The final B2 can be a half hey to original or starting places.

sequence