Standardized Lists of Adderbury Common Figures (a la Seabright)
First of all, it needs to be pointed out that traditionally the ordering
of figures was not fixed. Sharp wrote that there were 8 figures "which
recur more or less regularly" and that the Adderbury dancers would
"select from them those movements they prefer." Bacon says "selection
optional." There seem to have been differences between what Janet Blunt
and Cecil Sharp (C#) collected even though everything was obtained from
William Walton. In any case, it's traditional to do whatever the caller
says.
Secondly, the names of the figures always present problems because
everyone tends to use different names for the same things. I will use
the classical Seabright nomenclature (mostly names derived from Radford)
along with abbreviations derived from Bacon and Radford in such a way
that I hope keeps me out of trouble. These names also seem
to be most nearly consistent with SF Bay Area team usage.
Abbr. Common Figure (CF) Name Traditional? notes
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
OY Once to Yourself yes begins every dance
WhR [Whole] (Dancing) Rounds yes
WkR Walking Rounds (Singing) yes
FU Foot Up yes
HG Half Gip yes Half Hands (HHnds)
PD Process[ional] Down yes
PU Process[ional] Up yes
HA Hands Around yes Dance Round (DR)
BB Back to Back yes interchange with HG (HA?)
FD Foot Down yes
WH [Whole] Hey yes
*4 Star for 4 probably Princess Royal, sets of 4
*T Star Top probably interchange with PD
*B Star Bottom probably interchange with PU
XT Cross Tops no interchange with PD
XB Cross Bottoms no interchange with PU
CH Cutler's Hey no from ECD "Knives & Forks"
In most cases a WkR counts as the OY. Otherwise for most hankie
dances OY is PCs, and in the case of stick dances OY is ftj/clash.
The traditional sources often indicate that there should be more CF/DF
pairs than Seabright typically bothers to do. In some cases (like
Black Joke) this is because we are being merciful to ourselves because
our stamina is not up to doing the full set. In other cases this is
because we are being merciful to the audience. The traditional order
is roughly OY or WkR; WhR or FU; HG or BB; PU; PD; HA; WH. The
"classical"
Seabright order is roughly OY/WkR; WhR/FU; HG; HA; PU; PD; WH.
Note that "classical Seabright" ordering of figures tends to
place the HG and HA before the processionals whereas the indications
are that the traditional Adderbury order put HG before the
processionals and HA after them. Malaika points out that "classical
Seabright" thus breaks a nice temporal symmetry of the dances as
recorded. Julia indicates that the midwest teams have maintained this
symmetry, so maybe we should also. "Classical Seabright" has also
tended to neglect the BB, whereas C# indicated it could be switched at
will with HG.
Sharp and Bacon really are serious about picking and choosing from the
list. The caller needs to be sensitive to the amount of enjoyment of
both dancers and audience and adjust accordingly. Note that those
dances which have particularly long DFs (choruses) tend to have fewer
CFs (verses) and vice versa.
Note that if the order of figures is always the same then all
Adderbury dances look alike. Ways to avoid this are to choose
different figure orderings, or to organize the performance so that we
switch between dances that have exceptionally distinctive DFs, or to
alternate between various different traditions other than Adderbury.
Another rule is that we usually omit any CF which is included in the
Distinctive Figure (DF, chorus). E.g., the DF for Black Joke, Young
Collins, and Constant Billy includes a FU, so we omit FU from the list
of CFs; the DF for Three Musketeers and Cuckoo's Nest includes HG; etc.
And finally, the DFs for some dances want a certain number of
instances for the sake of symmetry or completeness. E.g.,
Lads a Bunchum wants a sequence something like OY; CF; Doubles; CF; Singles; CF; Highs; CF; Doubles; CF; Singles+Doubletime.
Cobb's Horse, Stourton Wake, Syracuse Trunkles, Bluebells, Princess
Royal,
Shepherd's Hey, and others also want a certain number of CF/DF
sequences.
Constant Billy WkR;HG;DF;HA;DF;PD;DF;PU;DF;WH;DF
DF contains FU
The DF in this dance is particularly tiring because of all the ftjs. We
tend to forget the rule on this one and include FU as a CF. Starting
with a FU seems like a very natural thing to do, but unless something
else is omitted it makes the dance too long.
Lads-A-Bunchum WkR;FU;DF;HA;DF;PD;DF;PU;DF;WH;DF
For the "classical Seabright" style DF wants to be done 5x: doubles,
singles, high, doubles, singles+double_time
In practice HG is often substituted for HA.
*ALTERNATIVELY*
Lads-A-Bunchum WkR;FU;DF;HG;DF;PD;DF;PU;DF;HA;DF;WH;DF
This is closer to traditional and midwest practice. 6x thru with double,
singles, high twice each and end with double time doubles. Malaika says
this is too long.
Beaux of London City OY;FU;DF;HG;DF;HA;DF;PD;DF;PU;DF;WH;DF
DF wants to be done 6x:
clash, shoot, high, clash, shoot, high
Blue Bells of Scotland WkR;FU;DF;PD;DF;PU;DF;WH;DF
Blue Bells of Scotland WkR;FU;DF;HG;DF;HA;DF;WH;DF
Mercy for the audience dictates DF done only 4x: across, middles_up,
middles_down, across+double_time
We have no standard ordering of figures when doing 4 DFs. Expect almost
anything because most callers cannot predict what they'll do in this
one. WARNING: In the context of an ale, as listed in Radford, and as
originally taught to Seabright we may try to do the DF 7x thru:
WkR;FU;DF;HG;DF;HA;DF;PD;DF;PU;DF;BB;DF;WH;DF
Brighton Camp WkR;FU;DF;HG;DF;PD;DF;PU;DF;HA;DF;BB;DF;WH;DF
Note that this dance can be done much as Blue Bells is done. Radford has
all 7 figures; Ruth recalls it done with rotated sticking. She also
points out that we have a Brighton Camp in Santa Cruz. The mercy
clause may dictate that we try doing only 4 DFs with rotation.
Postman's Knock OY;FU+HG;DF;PD+PU;DF;HA+WH;DF
This sequence from the midWest. First pair of CF sung, second pair of CF
to music, last pair of CF sung.
The Black Joke OY;WhR;DF;HA;DF;PD;DF;PU;DF;WH;DF
DF contains FU
We usually don't have the stamina to add in the traditional HG, but
often we have done HG instead of HA.
Princess Royal OY;FU;DF1;PD;DF2;PU;DF1;FD;DF2
That's the way we did it for the show dance at 1993's PterodactAle Ptoo!
Shepherd's Hey WkR;FU;DF;HA;DF;PD;DF;PU;DF;WH;DF
DF wants to be done 5x: foot, knee, heart, kiss, jump
Again, HA has often been replaced by HG.
sic semper faciebamus, it's traditional, and this was Seabright's first
show dance at 1992's Lame Duck Ale after which the team was carried off.
Three Musketeers OY;FU;DF;HA;DF;PD;DF;PU;DF;WH;DF
DF contains HG
Rotating Musketeers OY;FU;DF;BB;DF;PD;DF;WH;DF;PU;DF;HA;DF
DF contains HG. Dance requires 6x thru the DF to rotate all the way
around. This sequence is a guess. This is a dance so difficult
that we've only performed it correctly through once or twice. It would
be a masterful feat to pull this off as a show dance, but a LOT of work
to do it right.
The Bell OY;FU;DF;PD;DF;PU;DF;WH;DF
As a corner crossing dance this can get long, so do only 4 figures.
Stourton Wake (for 4) OY;FU;DF;HA;DF;*4;DF;WhR;DF
Stourton Wake (for 6) OY;FU;DF;*T;DF;*B;DF;WH;DF
DF contains HG and BB
Malaika's sequence has 4x through. Radford has 5x through.
The Lollipop Man OY;FU;DF;HG;DF;HA;DF;WH;DF
These are Radford's figures; other possibilities are acceptable. Note
that 6 dancers make the DFs a "triple set jig" which is as long as a
corner crossing dance, only duller. Malaika says "only do this dance for
4 dancers!"
Cobb's Horse OY;FU;DF;PD;DF;PU;DF;WH;DF
DF contains HG
Cuckoo's Nest WkR;FU;DF;HA;DF;PD;DF;PU;DF;WH;DF
DF contains HG
sic semper faciebamus
Young Collins OY;WhR;DF;HG;DF;HA;DF;PD;DF;PU;DF;WH;DF
DF contains FU
sic semper faciebamus (note: this dance is called "A.N. Other" in
Radford)
A shorter alternative from Ruth is OY;WhR;DF;HG;DF;HA;DF;BB;DF;WH;DF
which works well in a dance that wants no FU.
South Australia WkR;FU;DF;PD;DF;PU;DF;FD;DF
South Australia WkR;FU;DF;PD;DF;PU;DF;WH;DF
There's universal agreement that this should be a symmetrical dance.
Trunkles of Syracuse OY;FU;DF;HG;DF;PD;DF;PU;DF;WH
From the Bassett Street Hounds. It needs exactly 4 corner-crossing DFs. |
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