Banbury Cross Morris & Sword Wiki

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====== Nine Men's Morris ======

{{page>nine-mens-morris-description}}

===== Detailed Description =====

This is a dance for nine dancers, in a 3×3 set.  It was written by Great Western Morris.  Refer to their [[https://greatwesternmorris.org.uk/about-us-2/298-dance-notes/311-nine-mens-morrisdance notes]] for the definitive version.  This page describes the dance as performed by Banbury Cross.

==== Chorus ====

All face up.  [[dances:fieldtown:figures:side-step|Closed side step]] right, [[dances:fieldtown:figures:double-step|double step]], [[dances:fieldtown:figures:side-step|closed side step]] left, [[dances:fieldtown:figures:foot-together-jump|foot-together-jump]].  Dancers #5 & #6 leapfrog over #3 & #4 (on [[dances:fieldtown:figures:upright-caper|upright capers]]), then over #1 & #2.  [[dances:fieldtown:figures:hop-back|Hop backs]], [[dances:fieldtown:figures:foot-together-jump|foot-together-jump]].

Note that Great Western shortens the tune and the dancers do leapfrogs on two beats.  Banbury uses the longer version of the tune (as written) and the dancers leapfrog on [[dances:fieldtown:figures:upright-caper|upright capers]], as in other leapfrogging dances.

==== Figures ====

{{page>dances:fieldtown:figures:once-to-yourself}}

{{page>dances:fieldtown:figures:foot-up}}
Because there are three lines, all dancers [[dances:fieldtown:figures:galley|galley]] left both times.

=== Hey ===

This figure is double-length, so the A music happens twice.

Four [[dances:fieldtown:figures:half-hey|half heys]], alternating between up & down and side-to-side. 

=== Cross-Over ===

This figure is also double-length, so the A music happens twice.

Sequence:  one [[dances:fieldtown:figures:double-step|double step]] in place.  One [[dances:fieldtown:figures:double-step|double step]] to cross to your corner's place (passing right shoulders with the person in the center).  [[dances:fieldtown:figures:hop-back|Hop backs]] & [[dances:fieldtown:figures:foot-together-jump|foot-together-jump]].

The sequence happens four times, alternating corners, middles, corners, middles.

=== Rounds ===

The eight outside dancers do rounds surrounding the dancer in the center.

The left line and top middle go straight into rounds.  The right line and back do a "hard turn" by spinning over their right shoulder.  One [[dances:fieldtown:figures:double-step|double step]] around the circle (clockwise).  On the second [[dances:fieldtown:figures:double-step|double step]] spiral into a clump, ending halfway around the circle but closer to the dancer in the center.  [[dances:fieldtown:figures:hop-back|Hop backs]] to your corner's place (halfway around the circle).  [[dances:fieldtown:figures:foot-together-jump|Foot-together-jump]].
On the catch-step ("and") before the downbeat, all dancers spin a little more than 180° over their left shoulders ("hard turn") and go back the way they came (counter-clockwise).  Again, on the second [[dances:fieldtown:figures:double-step|double step]] spiral into a clump, ending halfway around the circle but closer to the center.

At the end, the middles on all four sides do four [[dances:fieldtown:figures:plain-caper|plain capers]] facing up.  The corners do two [[dances:fieldtown:figures:plain-caper|plain capers]] to get to the person in the center and lift the center dancer in the air on the last beat of the dance.

{{youtube>S_lZWhnwxac?large|Nine Men's Morris by Great Western Morris at Sidmouth 2014}}

==== Tune ====

{{page>dances:fieldtown:nine-mens-morris-tune}}