Tune: Off to California (traditional) as A(AAB)4B (A=sticking, B=figures).
Variants: The Hounds have practiced a double-long-stick version of this dance. The right hand stays the same. The left hand clashes in the same sense (forehand or backhand), but has the opposite stick position (up vs down). Both hands remain at about the same level.
Sequence: Once to Yourself, Chorus, Out and Swing, Chorus, There and Hey and Back, Chorus, Hey in Line, Chorus, D into Ring.
Chorus:
F=Forehand high: hold the stick near its bottom, clash forehand, then drop the
stick down.
B=Backhand low: hold the stick near its top, clash backhand, then raise the
stick up.
The rhythm is "clash-drop-step-hop-clash-raise-step-hop".
Pair up in the line. While stepping, strike F B F B with your partner, then
turn over your right shoulder to face a new partner and repeat. Those on the
ends of the line cast off to their right and dance to the middle of the line in
time to do the second F B (perpendicular to the line for the first two pairs
and in the line for the last pair). Repeat the sticking a total of four times
to get back to place.
Out and Swing: Dance out to your left, and turn over your right shoulder to face back into the set. Approach your partner at the centerline of the set, transferring your stick into your left hand. At the beginning of the phrase, reach around your partner's waist with your right arm and swing, ending back in place.
There and Hey and Back: All face the center of the set. Each group of three moves as a unit, passing the other group by right shoulders. At the middle of the phrase, the "lead dancer" turns back to the right to start a whole hey for three. At the end of this hey (in the middle of the next phrase), everyone faces the direction from which they came and as a unit (with a new "lead dancer") passes the other group by right shoulders.
Hey in a Line: Do a hey for 6 in your line, beginning by passing right shoulders.
D into Ring: Everyone faces the music, then the dancer closest to the musician leads the line around to the right to form a ring. Dance in a circle for a while, then lead off.
This page was written by Mike Miller of the Bassett Street Hounds and
was last edited on 10/23/97.