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Headington

The Headington dances DDMM do

  • Constant Billy
  • Laudnum Bunches

Not done nowadays: Bean Setting, Blue-eyed Stranger, Hunt the Squirrel, Rodney, Trunkles, Twenty-ninth of May.
Last updated 10.5.23

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General stuff about Headington dances

A tradition usually danced quite fast. We currently do Laudnum Bunches and have revived Constant Billy (two stick version) in 2023
Usual stepping sequence: Brisk double step with hankies held by all 4 corners. Usually 2 bars DS then cross back steps (XBS) (but see Laudnum Bunches). Start right foot with all figures.
Usual common figures (cf):  OY, Foot up (FU), Foot Down (FD), Cross-over (CO), Back to back (BB), Hey (H)
Other general info:

  • Stick dances use short sticks. In order to strike across comfortably the set has therefore to be fairly narrow. With shorter sticks there’s less to aim at when sticking so be extra careful not to hit your partner’s fingers.
  • Some figures differ quite a bit between the 2 dances we do, so are described separately for each. Most stick dances follow the general pattern of Constant Billy, but Laudnum Bunches differs significantly from other Headington handkerchief dances, which do have XBS.
  • XBS:  Properly there should be three of these: right across left, left across right, right across left finishing with a jump straight off the crossed feet. However, that can be difficult to do moving, especially after a half hey. Most sides (including DDMM) opt for the simpler alternative of two XBS, then feet together jump. Some sides just take the easiest option of single-steps throughout.  If doing XBS with sticks, hold them down by your side, and ‘present’ at end of the jump. If handkerchiefs, do 3 twists horizontal twists just above the head, then down a bit and up for the jump, ending in a wee twist.
  • In single-stick dances the evens side present stick holding it horizontally in the middle for odds to strike down onto half way through and at the end of figures and XBS. This is done facing across at chin height except in FU, and all up, when the clash is at waist height, facing up.
  • OY varies according to dance
  • FU may be FU followed by FD, or FU twice - depends on the side, and on the dance. See below for what DDMM do.
  • CO 1 bar DS to cross rt shoulders. On reaching other side, turn smartly and come in face to face with partner on 2nd DS. Back to place on XBS. Second half just the same (cross rt shoulder again)
  • BB 1 bar DS across, 1 to cross behind partner, back on XBS. Normal second half, crossing left shoulders.
  • Hey 2 bars DS + XBS. Need to turn fast, tight set: ideally you need to be back in place for the XBS. Easy for middles to get stranded if top couple don’t turn tight and fast.

About how DDMM do specific Headington dances

Constant Billy

OY, FU, FU, df, CO, df, BB, df, Whole hey, df. Dance finishes all up at the end of the last df. Some sides finish the dance at the end of the Whole hey.

There are 3 versions! Commonest is with two sticks, can be done single stick, can be done with no sticks and hand clapping.

Two sticks version: DF = (tips: tog, rt across, tog, l across, tog, rt across, l across, rt across, half hey, rpt all). Sticking is done standing still, no hopping from foot to foot. Dance starts with sticks held high, crossed. Clash sticks together high above head after XBS. Here's a video of Cambridge doing this version (spot the DD men in the dance!).
One stick version: to faster music. DF = ((sticking = 4 bars sticking: strike on third beat of bar (rhythm is pause pause clash pause) do this 3X: 1st time evens present and odds strike evens butts, then odds present, then evens present. Then in last bar odds present evens strike, pause, both then clash tips across, pause) meanwhile 2 hops for each of the 4 bars: left left |right right | left left | right left |. Then half hey). Rpt sticking and half hey. More complex but classy...
Hands only version: No sticks or hankies, but clap hands with your partner just as you would sticks in the 2 stick version.

Laudnum Bunches

Corner dance, handkerchiefs, with 4 capers (4C) instead of XBS (hands do 2 high twists on capers 1&2, down and up on capers 3&4. Pattern is OY, FU, FD, df1, CO, df1, BB, df2, Hey, df2, Ring and in.
FU (2 bars DS, turn out on the 4C). FD (2 bars DS, turn in to face across on the 4C). CO, BB Hey normal (2 bars DS, 4C).
DF is corners, Df1: 6 bars DS then 4C. 1st bar on spot, then cross on double step (hands down and up) using 3 bars to cross out of the set and turn back to opposite corner, then final 2 bars come into centre opposite partner. Then do the 4C, using them to fall backwards to your original place. Corners come in with a jump. All do 4C with middles as they finish. Df2. 1 bar on the spot, then 1 bar inwards, to do step together. Then 2 bars of caper sequence, which takes you out of the set, round and ready to come back in again, then do 2 bars DS in to the middle, 4C back to place. Corners come in with a jump. All do 4C with middles as they finish.
Caper sequence in df2 is: caper, caper, feet together (a jump landing with both feet together), caper (count is ‘1,2,together,4), hands going down and up.
In final df, after middle couple dance out and back, the other 4 join them for the 2 bars DS, forming a ring, then all do 4C in to finish the dance.
Blurry video from 2009
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x59PtCUg_JM&list=PL0C31C9293163A299&index=23