Bampton

The Bampton dances DDMM do

Bonny Green Garters
Banbury Bill
Riggs O Doom
Shepherd’s Hey
Sidestep
Step and Fetch Her
Trunkles
Webley Twizzle

Not done nowadays: Bobbing around, Maid of the Mill.
Page last revised 4 11 20

General stuff about Bampton dances

First, a word of warning, with three ‘official’ sides of morris men in Bampton, plus the usual variation of interpretation, Bampton dances can be done in a variety of ways. The DDMM way is not the only one! For instance, some sides’ OY is step backs, some dance Bampton double step, dances finishing in rounds can end differently etc. And to cap it all, the note on which the hands go up differs from side to side – stick to the DDMM way and beware learning from other sides’ videos! DDMM style came from Cambridge Morris Men, but isn't quite the same as the way any of the Bampton sides do it.

Usual stepping sequence:. Single step, usually start right foot, usually after a forey (see below). Move forwards in bars 1 and 2 (how far depends on the figure), then back the same amount in bars 3 and 4. Stepping then usually ends on a forey, ready for the next movement
Usual common figures (cf): Half gyp (HG), Whole Gyp (WG), Rounds (R).
Other general info:

In general Bampton dances are bouncy, with a good spring to the step
Hands In single step, for the first two bars the hands go from being together at about the level of the solar plexus up and out energetically to the side and slightly in front of the body, forming a Y with your body. For the final two bars hands swing across your body at hip level, left in front and right behind, then right in front and left behind. The hand movements are 'across' the beat, so if the beat is '1 and 2 and, 1 and 2 and' etc (where beat 1 is emphasised in the music), the hand movements are OUTward on the and then RETURN to your chest on beat 1 at the start of the next bar. Hands return to chest at solar plexus level.
Forey is ‘spring right, left, left’. Rt foot down, leap off it, land on left, then do a little hop on that left foot (timing: right…..left, left). If the next step is normal single step, use the second left hop to propel yourself forward as your hands go out and up. But forey may also be followed by another forey. Forey is primarily an upwards movement.
Bampton sidesteps (ss) this is a double-step movement - '1,2,3 hop, 1,2,3 hop'. The music before you start the sidestep will have finished with an and (see 'Hands' above). On that 'and'' the right leg goes across towards left side (ie it is a 'closed' sidestep), turning body 45° or so. At the same time, rt hand shoots up high so it reaches its peak ready to come down on beat 1 of the sidestep at the same time as the foot comes down. Keep turned to the left on beats 2, 3, with the hand coming gently down to your side. Then use the 'hop' as you did with the 'and', this time turning your body to the right, left hand shooting up, so that it is ready to come down as your left foot lands on the '1'. Other times, ss may start left across, then go rt.
Sidestep with show (ssws) go sideways towards the right, with rt foot leading (ie ‘open’ sidestep), rt hand goes out sideways, in line with body, about breastbone high, palm upwards and open (‘bird in hand), with forearm horizontal throughout (don't lower the hand or convert the movement into a flourish). Try not to lean towards the hand (but you can look admiringly at it). Then repeat left.
OY is a single forey
FU 4 single steps, hands flick out first 2, swing low second 2, then forey to the right (both sides of set), putting rt foot down at 90° to set line, hop onto left (still at 90° to set line), then use second left hop to turn down for FD. In doing this don't move sideways across the set, or else the whole set moves to the right a bit.
HG no special features
WG go round oppo back to place, facing him as you go. Second half ‘screw in’, ie two-thirds way round, you both come towards centre (even as close as bumping chests), then back out to place.
R Easy way in, clockwise, then 2 bars single step. On bar 3 turn round to face back the way you came, but now dancing backwards, so you are still moving round the circle. On bar 4 forey, and use the forey to launch yourself anti-clockwise, back the way you came. Use bars 1 and 2 to get back to where you started, then bar 3 and the forey to get into position for whatever figure comes next. In dances ending on R, use that final forey for 'all up'.
Hey is part of the df in many dances. Dances with a hey end on the final half hey. Hey pattern is: ss starting leading foot (which will depend on your position in the set) – could be left (nos 1,3,6) or right (nos 2,4,5. 2nd half of hey is reverse of first half. The path of movement you take in a hey is 'normal' pattern.

About how DDMM do specific Bampton dances

Bonny green

OY, FU, FD, HG, WG, R (normal), clock-wise R on ss without changing direction. Unlike the 'normal' ss described earlier, in this ss wave handkerchief right (that's clockwise, looking upwards), then left (counter-clockwise), then foreys with normal hand movements. Repeat rounds as often as called, all in or all out or dance off to end (as called). May involve audience!
23 minute video taken at Wandlebury may morning 2016. Bonny Green Garters from 19.40. https://youtu.be/oZC1yMsj94Q

Banbury Bill (aka Rose Tree)

OY, FU, FD, df, HG, df, WG, df, R

Df=corners (sidestep half way across and back to place, all do 4 capers at end of each corner), HG, df (ss whole way across + capers), WG, df (ss whole way across + capers), R, all up. Middle pair may agree to go round each other one or more times on df. You have 6 ss (2 lots of 3, starting ssr then ssl). When ss the whole way across, use 5 ss to get across to opposite corner, use 6th ss to turn and face across the corner, then use the capers to turn to face across the set
Video
https://youtu.be/Fd8AAt5Mxzs

Riggs O Doom

A majestic and bouncy dance created by Utrecht Morris Men. Aim for height and don't get ahead of the music. Pattern: OY, FU, FD, df, HG, df, WG, df, R, df (dance ends all up at hey end).
Df = 1st couple travel across set with hand waves, then 2nd couple, then 3rd (earlier couples keep stepping with waves in position. Then all do 2 foreys, first 90° rt to face up / down set, then another 90° rt to face across before the hey starts. In doing this accurately, each member of a pair travels across the set to the position of the other side, lining up either with those who have not yet moved or who have already moved. Travel most of the way across on first note, moving RIGHT wards, using rest of bar to line up properly, dance second bar in line moving back to the LEFT. As you step, wave with handkerchief. Wave should begin by bringing the right hand up and across the body so that the hand is level with left ear, then a sweeping across to the right to the side. Repeat to left.

Normally after a forey the right foot is in the air. However, the hey, which comes after 2 foreys, starts with the leading foot (which might be the left foot or the right depending on position in the set). Right foot lead is fine - forey as normal - but a left foot lead requires that the preceding forey is fudged (eg by going R,L,R rather than R,L,L) so that the left foot is in the air. The same will apply to the forey half way through the hey - in some positions the second half hey starts off left foot rather than right.
https://youtu.be/Pk4UHgp17Bg

Shepherd's Hey

We don’t do this often. It’s a 2 X 2 dance: first top couple, then middle, then bottom Pattern is 2 X 2 FU, finished couple walk down to new position (as though after a hey) while next pair do FU. Then 2 X 2 FD, stay in place at end then all dol 1 caper at end to face in set. Df, (= corners cross half way on ss, back to place w 1 caper by all at end of each corner), half gyp, Df (= corners as above but use ss to cross to oppo (middle 4 rh star if 8 men), whole gyp, DF (= corners ss all the way across (if 8 middle 4 lh star, if 10 then 2 tops with 2 bottoms, rpt, middle pair), R, all up
Video quality poor, but dance (DDMM at top right) accurate enough
https://youtu.be/mMOQB5G6rpY

Sidestep (aka Speed the Plough, Pram Pushing)

Another bouncy dance, done to a variety of tunes (eg Jenny Lind, Bluebell Polka) , so this dance is known by a variety of names. Pattern OY, FU, FD, df, HG, df, WG, df, R, df, all up. Df = (End previous figure facing across the set, then all turn smartly to face up as df commences. All ‘push’ up, then two high flicks with hankies & turn down as you do the second flick.Then ‘Push’ down, then 2X flicks still facing down the set, then half hey, ending facing across the set before 2nd half of the df, or the next common figure.) Then repeat the bit in ( ). This time the bottom pair are at the top of the set. Middles go down both times in hey . ‘Push’ = travel about a yard, with both hands close together in front of you at hip height (as though pushing a pram). Keep your back vertical, face forwards (not down). Your feet are doing one bar sidestep as you 'push' up, but it's not really a closed sidestep as described earlier: you're moving forward with the left foot going behind the right. Then another bar 1,2,3 hop as you turn right through 180 degrees to face the other way, doing the two high flicks with your hands. For full details see DDMM instructional videos on: the sidestep chorus. and on the sidestep hey
Speed the Plough Bampton. Video quality poor, but dance (DDMM at top right) accurate. https://youtu.be/KQ3mFhoec2U and DDMM in practice.

Step and fetch her (aka Fetch a stretcher)

OY, FU, FD, df, HG, df, WG, df, R, df, all up.
Df: 4 foreys across, 4 sidesteps back, whole hey. See diagramme. For No 1 (and similarly for the others, I'm sure you can work this out!), start at A. 1st forey to mid-line of set, shoulder to shoulder with your partner (B).2nd forey completes the move across the set (C). 3rd forey goes as far out again (D), and turn half right to face down (evens face up). 4th forey, turn half right on the spot to face your partner across the set. 1st sidestep gets you back to C. 2nd sidestep back to B, so the set should be in line. 3rd sidestep back to original position A and start turning up (evens down) towards set. On 4th sidestep, complete the turn and advance to meet and face partner (just short of B). Then pause for a moment before turning away, ready to go into hey shoulder-to-shoulder on the next bar. NB staying in line is vital, so look up and down the set all the time!

df in bampton step and fetch her
Ian Trouse 2015 video of our Suffolk Tour. Bampton Step and fetch her from c 1.05 min in
https://youtu.be/g8TCtWlzlgM

Trunkles

A corner dance similar to Banbury Bill. Same pattern of OY, FU, FD, df, HG, df, WG, df, R, but different df (corner crossing).

Df = Start corner ssws rt, coming into set on slight diagonal, then sswl coming in just a little more, then 2 smart back steps to return to place. Then forey and ‘cross’. Cross = 1st time ss to centre and retire to place, 2nd is ss across to opposite place, 3rd is foreys across. All caper after each corner crossing ends. Dance ends after rounds.
2019 video of DDMM doing a variety of dances at Peterborough Day of Dance: Bampton Trunkles starts at beginning.

Webley twizzle

A sprightly dance with speedy half heys. Pattern is OY, FU, FD, df, HG, df, WG, df, R, df, all up. Df = (ssws to the rt, ssws to left, forey with almost complete turn on spot and half hey v quickly to place, using just 2 single steps, with hands swinging. Then forey in place.), rpt(). Important for tops and bottoms to turn very fast or middles are stranded. However, middles can get away with using the forey at the end of the half hey to get back into place. For the forey into the hey to work properly, top and bottom couples must turn outwards, on the spot at the end of the ssws to the l, before planting foot for the right spring and using that right spring to turn to face the direction they are going in, and use the two left hops of the forey to move towards their destination, then the 2 single steps to get there.