Black Joke

Tune: Black Joke (traditional)
Source: traditional
Chorus: dib (behind), dib (front) clash (forehand), clash (backhand), half hey. Repeat.
Figures: once to yourself with “butts-tips”, foot up & down with “butts-tips”, half gyp with “butts-tips”, back-to-back with “butts-tips”, rounds with “butts-tips”

Detailed Description

Chorus

Chorus: clash with right diagonal, left diagonal, partner (backhand), partner (forehand), repeat. half hey. 4 plain capers clashing butts-tips-butts-tips (butts = backhand, tips = forehand).

Repeat entire chorus.

Figures

Foot Up & Down

Face up. Two double steps in the “up” direction (one stationary, one in place). Galley (out from the center). Foot-together-jump to face down.
Face down. Two double steps in the “down” direction (one stationary, one in place). Galley (out from the center). Foot-together-jump ¾ of the way around to face across.

At the end of each half of the figure (after foot-together-jump), do 4 plain capers clashing butts-tips-butts-tips (butts = backhand, tips = forehand).

Half Gyp

Face across. Two double steps, one to cross to your partner's position (starting on the left foot¹⁾ and passing by the right shoulder) and one in place. Hop backs to return to place. Foot-together-jump.
Face across. Two double steps, one to cross to your partner's position (starting on the right foot²⁾ and passing by the left shoulder) and one in place. Hop backs to return to place. Foot-together-jump.

At the end of each half of the figure (after foot-together-jump), do 4 plain capers clashing butts-tips-butts-tips (butts = backhand, tips = forehand).

Back-to-Back

Face across. Two double steps: on the first one cross to your partner's position (starting on the left foot and passing by the right shoulder), and on the second one slide to your right. Hop backs to return to place, this time passing your partner by the left shoulder. Foot-together-jump.
Face across. Two double steps: on the first one cross to your partner's position (starting on the right foot and passing by the left shoulder), and on the second one slide to your left. Hop backs to return to place, this time passing your partner by the right shoulder. Foot-together-jump.

At the end of each half of the figure (after foot-together-jump), do 4 plain capers clashing butts-tips-butts-tips (butts = backhand, tips = forehand).

Rounds

On the catch-step (“and”) before the downbeat, hop into a circle and face clockwise. Middles will need to move outwards (“bulge”). One double step around the circle (clockwise). On the second double step spiral into a clump, ending halfway around the circle but closer to the center. Hop backs to your corner's place (halfway around the circle). Foot-together-jump.
On the catch-step (“and”) before the downbeat, all dancers turn a little more than 180° over their left shoulders (“hard turn”) and go back the way they came (counter-clockwise). Again, on the second double step spiral into a clump, ending halfway around the circle but closer to the center. Hop backs to your original place. Foot-together-jump.

At the end of each half of the figure (after foot-together-jump), do 4 plain capers clashing butts-tips-butts-tips (butts = backhand, tips = forehand).

Tune

X:1
T:The Black Joke
M:6/8
L:1/8
C:Traditional
O:Bledington
Q:69
P:A.(AB)4.A
K:G Major clef=treble
%%MIDI channel 1
%%MIDI control 7 50	% volume = 50
%%MIDI program 41       % General MIDI violin
%%MIDI transpose 0
%%MIDI gchordoff
V:1
P:A
|: D | D2 G GFG | AcB AGF | GBd dcB | 
AcB AGF | G3 E3 | DEF G2 :| z ||
P:B
M:3/8
|: d2 c | \
M:6/8
B2 d d2 d | ede d2 c | | B2 d d2 d | ede d2 c |
B2 B BAG | AcB AGF | GBd dcB |
AcB AGF | G3 E3 | DEF G3 :|

¹⁾

this will be the outside foot as you pass

²⁾

this will again be the outside foot as you pass