Bedlam
I have been dancing this dance for nearly fifteen years but I don't know anything about its origins. Welsh Border Morris is also sometimes known as Bedlam Morris and that must account for the name of the dance. Some other sides perform this dance with extra figures which we don't include. The dance is hard enough as it is in our version!
Tune - William Taylor’s Tabletop
Set - A longways set for 6
2 4 6
Music
1 3 5
Order of - Rounds, Chorus, Upton Hey, Chorus, Cross and
Dance Swing, Chorus, Three Tops Hey, Chorus, Rounds
The stepping for this dance is step-hop, step-hop, step, step, step-hop, apart from the clashing and spinning part of the chorus which is a simple step hop.
Chorus - 1: Clash tips with your partner
2: Spin clockwise on the spot
3: Clash butts with your partner
4: Pause
5: Clash tips with your partner
6: Spin clockwise on the spot
7: Clash butts with your partner
8: Pause
Repeat
1-4: Clash with your partner then lead off left, about face, turning right
5-8: Lead off right then about face, turning right
1-4: Lead off left then about face, turning right
5-8: Lead off right then turn left to face your partner
Rounds - 1-4: Clash tips, turn to the right and go into rounds
5-8: On 5 point your stick down into the centre of
1-4: the set, dance round clockwise back to place
5-8: Turn out and round to face back in
1-4: Clash tips, swap your stick to your left hand,
turn to the left and go into rounds
5-8: On 5 point your stick down into the centre of
1-4: the set dance round anti-clockwise back to
place
5-8: Turn out and round to face back in
Upton Hey - Top pair (1&2) face down, everyone else faces up.
Top pair dance in between 3 and 4 and then out,
round at the bottom of the set and turn back in to
dance up through the middle of the set, finally
turning out and back to place. Meanwhile everyone
else joins in the hey as the top pair passes them.
Cross and Swing - 1: Clash tips with your partner
2-4: Turn to the right and step out of the set,
continue turning to complete a small circle and
face across the set
5-8: Dance across the set, throwing your stick to
your partner as you go
1-8: Swing your partner ending up on the 'wrong'
side of the set
Repeat the above to end back in place
Three Tops Hey - No. 3 starts a hey at the bottom of the set with
Nos. 5 and 6. Meanwhile No. 4 starts a hey at the
top of the set with Nos. 1 and 2.
Set - A longways set for 6
2 4 6
Music
1 3 5
Order of - Rounds, Chorus, Upton Hey, Chorus, Cross and
Dance Swing, Chorus, Three Tops Hey, Chorus, Rounds
The stepping for this dance is step-hop, step-hop, step, step, step-hop, apart from the clashing and spinning part of the chorus which is a simple step hop.
Chorus - 1: Clash tips with your partner
2: Spin clockwise on the spot
3: Clash butts with your partner
4: Pause
5: Clash tips with your partner
6: Spin clockwise on the spot
7: Clash butts with your partner
8: Pause
Repeat
1-4: Clash with your partner then lead off left, about face, turning right
5-8: Lead off right then about face, turning right
1-4: Lead off left then about face, turning right
5-8: Lead off right then turn left to face your partner
Rounds - 1-4: Clash tips, turn to the right and go into rounds
5-8: On 5 point your stick down into the centre of
1-4: the set, dance round clockwise back to place
5-8: Turn out and round to face back in
1-4: Clash tips, swap your stick to your left hand,
turn to the left and go into rounds
5-8: On 5 point your stick down into the centre of
1-4: the set dance round anti-clockwise back to
place
5-8: Turn out and round to face back in
Upton Hey - Top pair (1&2) face down, everyone else faces up.
Top pair dance in between 3 and 4 and then out,
round at the bottom of the set and turn back in to
dance up through the middle of the set, finally
turning out and back to place. Meanwhile everyone
else joins in the hey as the top pair passes them.
Cross and Swing - 1: Clash tips with your partner
2-4: Turn to the right and step out of the set,
continue turning to complete a small circle and
face across the set
5-8: Dance across the set, throwing your stick to
your partner as you go
1-8: Swing your partner ending up on the 'wrong'
side of the set
Repeat the above to end back in place
Three Tops Hey - No. 3 starts a hey at the bottom of the set with
Nos. 5 and 6. Meanwhile No. 4 starts a hey at the
top of the set with Nos. 1 and 2.