Hello!

As a keen morris dancer I thought I would share some of the dances that I know, love and have written.

Today I shall share with you a creation of my own, this is dance called Gingerbread. The dance come from Grantham, referencing the tradtional Grantham Gingerbread, and is a simple dance good for new dancers. The dance was originally written for the team Bourne Borderers, but as I have moved it has moved to Poacher Morris.

Hopefully I can write more about this topic in the future. (In the image I am the 3rd from the left!)

Sally.

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Bourne Borderers Morris

Gingerbread

From Bourne Borderers

Tune: William Taylor’s Tabletop Hornpipe

The dance is split between what the end 4 people do and what the middle two do. It would be a good idea for the dancers to know their numbers (especially for the dance off).

Dancers Numbers:

2 4 6

Band

1 3 5

Ends (nos. 1,2,5&6)

Middles (nos. 3&4)

Sticking: 16 beats

Start with two strikes in the air (forehand and

backhand). Then two strikes on the floor. 4beats Next the pair will change places. To do this they will take four steps around to their partners place, while sticking (up/down/up/down). We call this windmills, like the figure from Cuckoo’s

Nest. 4beats

All of this is then repeated, so in the new place they do the two strikes air, two floor and windmill back to place.

First the pair will change places. To do this they will take four steps around to their partners place, while sticking (up/down/up/down). We call this windmills, like the figure from Cuckoo’s

Nest. 4beats

Then they will do two strikes in the air (forehand and backhand). Then two strikes on the floor. 4beats

All of this is then repeated, so in they windmill back to place and do the two strikes air, two floor.

Boxed Up: 16 Beats

Clash and cross, turning to face the next person you will clash with, so 1 will be

Start with a left arm waist swing. 6steps

Let go and fall back to line and swap the stick to the

	facing 5 and 2 will be facing 6. 4steps Clash and cross to get to the other end of the set, turning to face your partner. 4steps. Finally do a Right shoulder back to back, quickly followed by a Left shoulder back to back. They will have to be very small back to backs as there are only 8steps to use. Welcome to your new place! 6 3 2 Band 5 4 1	other shoulder, this should be about the same time the ends get back, so for about a step everybody is in line! 2steps Do a right arm waist swing 6steps 2steps to get back into place for the sticking.
Sticking: 16beats	See above.	See above.
Magic Stars: 16beats	Go into a stick star for 3. Spin the star around twice quickly. Turn out, moving the stick to the left hand. Return to the star and spin it around twice (quickly)	Go into a stick star for 3, go to the star to the left. Spin the star around twice quickly. As the ends turn out, you are to jump across to the other star, changing your stick to the other hand. Spin the new star around twice again (quickly)
Sticking: 16beats	See above	See above
8 Around: 16beats	Start with a left arm waist swing. 6steps	Cross right shoulder, with a clash.
	Let go and fall back to line and swap the stick to the other shoulder, this should be about the same time the ends get back, so for about a step everybody is in line! 2steps Do a right arm waist swing 6steps 2steps to get back into place for the sticking.	Then move around the end couples in a figure of 8. Starting with the couple to your left, this means the middles will go in separate directions (this is made obvious by the clash to start.) When you meet your partner in the middle clash again. Then continue the figure of 8. 16 steps.
Sticking 16beats	See above	See above
Boxed Up 16beats	See above Should be back in their starting positions!	See above
Sticking 16beats	See above	See above