Balance The Straw

Overview

Type: Cotswold
Style: Fieldtown
Tune: Balance the Straw
Dancers: 6
Equipment: sticks (32“)
Source: A Handbook of Morris Dances by Lionel Bacon

Sequence

  1. once to yourself
  2. foot up
  3. chorus
  4. half gyp
  5. chorus
  6. Back-to-back
  7. chorus
  8. rounds
  9. chorus & all up

Music & Stepping

The first line of text describes hand/stick motions.
The second line describes stepping.

X:10 T:Balance the Straw C:traditional O:Fieldtown M:6/8 L:1/8 P:A(AB)4 K:D major P:A % figure % bars 1-4 music |:A|d2f fef|g2e efg|afa geg|f2d d2:| % bars 1-4 hands w:* | stick~down* *** | stick~down* *** | out** in** | front* XTF | % bars 1-4 feet w:* | double* step**| double* step** | hop-* back hop- *back | FTJ* *| P:B % chorus % bars 5-8 music |:f/g/ |a2a a2d|g2f f2e|b2a a2d|f2e e2A| % bars 5-8 hands (sticking) w: ** | dib~beh. dib~frt. | XTF* XTB* | dib~beh.* dib~frt.** | XTF XTF XTF * | w: ** | stand in place | % half-hey % bars 9-12 music d2f fef|g2e efg|afa geg|f2d d2:|

Abbreviations

Abbreviations used on this page include:

Abbrev. Meaning
D beh. Dib (stick on ground) behind
D frt. Dib (stick on ground) in front
XTF Strike, Tip (of stick), Forehand
XTB Strike, Tip (of stick), Backhand
FTJ Foot-Together-Jump