Mass Dances : Vandals

(These notes from the 2008 Midwest Morris Ale)

Sequence : Swagger round, Chorus, Heading up, Chorus, Heading down, Chorus, Back to back, Chorus, Hey, Chorus, ending with all up.

Swagger round : Nos.1 3 5 7 lead up & turn right at top of set, then lead down the other side, turn right and walk back to place in time for the caper-caper-clash. At the same time, 2 4 6 8 lead up and turn left, (passing the other line right shoulders), down the other side and back up (passing left at the bottom), back to their places for capers.

Chorus : Stick is held at one end by both hands. Clash on the right diagonal forehand, on the left diagonal forehand, then partner forehand, backhand, forehand; 2 sidesteps right, 2 sidesteps left, caper-caper-show.  Repeat replacing the show with a clash. For the very last chorus, all face up and replace the last clash with a show - everyone holds their stick above their heads in horizontal position.

Heading up : All face up. Nos. 3 & 4 take 1 double-step to stand outside 1 & 2 (respectively).

Simultaneously, 7 & 8 do the same with 5 & 6. There are now two lines of four facing up. The 4 double-steps are completed in this position, and everyone swingback steps to place for the capers.

Back to back : In 2 double-steps only, partners pass right then fall back left at least as far as the center of the set. Swingbacks from here back to place, then in another 2 double-steps, do the entirety of a back to back left with your partner, ending in place for capers.

Heading down: Like heading up but 1&2 and 5 & 6 go outside, all facing down.

Hey : Positions 1 4 5 8 are first corners. 2 3 6 7 are second corners.  1st corners pass right; then second corners do the same. All do 1 double-step in place; then if you are in an end position, you cross the end of the set passing left, while if you are on the side, you move up or down the side, also passing left.  This pattern is continued (places, not faces !) until all dancers are nearly home; after 14 double steps you are one place away from home spot, but instead of the pause and double-step to get there, you do 2 capers (passing left) and clash when you get there - as you land. The Hey uses twice as much A music as the other figures.