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- Individual stave dances were like The Broom Dance except that one part involved twirling the stave overhead. Four dancers would also perform a ‘rose’ figure with the staves held aloft to form a square. (en)
- At Henton last year I was delighted to see some of the real old-time step dancing by members, complete with spears [staves] and sashes who footed it neatly in spite of “anno domini”. (en)
- During a search for mentions of details of rural ceremonial costumes, I found in Friendly Society records some information about the dances done at some of the places that danced as part of their annual perambulation before their Club Day church service and feast. Club Walks are also mentioned in Barnes' poems and in books, and some details have appeared in print. At Stourton Caundle the material is a list of first and second parts which translated well into figures and choruses; at Fifehead Magdalen a list of titles of dance[s] to be practiced, some of which could be traced to printed source books; and a brief description [in] a newspaper account of a dance at a wedding at Buckhorn Weston; and finally odd dances described in manuscripts such as Maud Karpeles [from] Seend in Wiltshire. The material has been given to southern sides who wanted to dance something local. (en)
- Many Societies ended the day with a dance and some included dancing in the activities during the Club Walk. Raymond in ‘Country Life’ 1934, mentions the dancing of Hunt the Squirrel and the Four Hand Reels. Maud Karpeles collected a finishing dance in Wiltshire which was a version of Up the Sides and Down the Middle. At Paulton near Bath, stepdancing is specifically mentioned in a local history. Where formal dancing was done it was derived directly from contemporary social dance. Dancing seems to have featured west of Gillingham, Dorset where a newspaper account described dancing at a wedding at Buckhorn Weston, the men carrying their staves to do a version of the Six Hand Reel. The minute book of Fifehead Magdalen in north Dorset states that Haste to the Wedding, Pop Goes the Weasel, the Dorsetshire March and Spithead Fleet would be practiced and danced at the stations on the walk. At Stourton Caundle, near Sturminster Newton in Dorset, a note exists of a set of three dances. (en)
- A feature of the day’s programme is the step dancing competition which follows the dinner. For this display the villagers are allowed to enter the marquee and a large crowd assembled to watch the Mendippers carrying their brass-headed staves “step the board”. (en)
- My grandfather died two years ago and with him went a great deal of knowledge of what used to happen in Shrawley on Whit-Monday and Midsummer's Day. I do not know when the dancing, the mummers or the "Club Walk" died out. He took part in all these until he joined the army as a lad of 17 which would be around 1878-1880 . The dancing seems to have been processional in character, headed by the local dignitaries, starting and finishing at the "Rose & Crown" and perambulating the bounds of the parish. They carried long poles topped by "crowns" which seem to have been bunches of flowers. The poles were painted "like a barber's pole". The walk took place at Whit & Midsummer. (en)
- The competitors, when dancing, waved their society spearheads [staves] and kept time to the accordion music provided by Mr. J. Andrews of Godney with feet which, although not clad in dancing pumps, were very nimble, and they showed much energy in those dances for which Somerset is renowned. (en)
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