Ally Pally
Ally Pally, to give it it's proper name The Alexandra Park Road Stick Dance No.22, is a favourite dance with many border sides. It was written in 1984 by Rob Kearsley Bullen of New St George Morris, who are, in fact, a Cotswold side. Like many dances which have been passed from side to side this has been modified (morris dancing is a living tradition after all) and this is our version.
Tune - Speed the Plough
Set - A longwise set for 6
2 4 6
Music
1 3 5
Order - Rounds, Chorus, Squares, Chorus, Solar System,
of Dance Chorus, Spaghetti, Chorus, Rounds
Chorus - 1: Clash on the floor behind the right foot
2: Forehand clash with partner
3: Backhand clash with partner
4: Clash on the floor behind the right foot
5: Forehand clash with partner
6: Backhand clash with partner
7-8: Clash twice on the floor behind the right foot
1: Forehand clash with partner
2-4: Turn to the left and step out of the set,
continue turning to complete a small circle and
face across the set
5-6: Surge across the set, passing left shoulders
7-8: Turn to face your partner
Repeat the whole of the above to return your starting
position
Rounds - 1: Forehand clash with partner as you cross to the
other side of the set
2-4: Continue to surge across the set and turn right
to form a circle
5: Sticks down as you begin to dance clockwise
around the set
6-8: Continue around the set
1-8: Continue around the set ending up
opposite your starting position
Repeat, finishing in your original position
Squares - 1-2: Turn left and take two steps
3-4: Turn right and take two steps across the set
5-6: Turn right and take two steps
7-8: Turn right and take two steps across the set
(now you are back in your original position but
facing out)
1-2: Turn left and take two steps
3-4: Turn left and take two steps across the set
5-6: Turn left and take two steps
7-8: Turn left and take two steps across the set back
to place
Solar System - 1-4: Pass your partner right shoulders.
Nos. 3 and 4 dance in a small clockwise
circle, right shoulder to shoulder
Nos. 1 and 6 dance in a large clockwise circle
Nos. 2 and 5 dance in a large anti-clockwise
circle
5: 1/4 of the way round the circle all dancers will
be in line across the set, Nos. 1 and 5
clash, Nos. 2 and 6 clash, Nos. 3 and 4 clash
6-8: Continue round the circle
1: 1/2 of the way round the circle all dancers will
be in line up the set, Nos. 1 and 2 clash, Nos. 5
and 6 clash, Nos. 3 and 4 clash
2-4: Continue round the circle
5: 3/4 of the way round the circle dancers will be
in line across the set, Nos. 1 and 5 clash,
Nos. 2 and 6 clash, Nos. 3 and 4 clash
6-8: Continue round the circle finishing in your
original position
Repeat
Spaghetti - 1-8: Turn left and follow Nos. 1 and 6 leading their
Junction lines left out of the set and continue turning
left to dance across the set
1: Pause and forehand clash with your partner
2-8: Continue to follow your leader left and
continue turning left, odd numbers dance
down the set, even numbers dance up the set
1: Pause and forehand clash with your partner
2-8: Continue to follow your leader left and
continue turning left to dance across the set
1: Pause and Forehand clash with your partner
2-8: Continue to follow your leader left and
continue turning left, odd numbers dance up
the set, even numbers dance down the set,
finishing back in place
Rounds - As at the beginning of the dance, ending in a
screaming charge into the audience
Set - A longwise set for 6
2 4 6
Music
1 3 5
Order - Rounds, Chorus, Squares, Chorus, Solar System,
of Dance Chorus, Spaghetti, Chorus, Rounds
Chorus - 1: Clash on the floor behind the right foot
2: Forehand clash with partner
3: Backhand clash with partner
4: Clash on the floor behind the right foot
5: Forehand clash with partner
6: Backhand clash with partner
7-8: Clash twice on the floor behind the right foot
1: Forehand clash with partner
2-4: Turn to the left and step out of the set,
continue turning to complete a small circle and
face across the set
5-6: Surge across the set, passing left shoulders
7-8: Turn to face your partner
Repeat the whole of the above to return your starting
position
Rounds - 1: Forehand clash with partner as you cross to the
other side of the set
2-4: Continue to surge across the set and turn right
to form a circle
5: Sticks down as you begin to dance clockwise
around the set
6-8: Continue around the set
1-8: Continue around the set ending up
opposite your starting position
Repeat, finishing in your original position
Squares - 1-2: Turn left and take two steps
3-4: Turn right and take two steps across the set
5-6: Turn right and take two steps
7-8: Turn right and take two steps across the set
(now you are back in your original position but
facing out)
1-2: Turn left and take two steps
3-4: Turn left and take two steps across the set
5-6: Turn left and take two steps
7-8: Turn left and take two steps across the set back
to place
Solar System - 1-4: Pass your partner right shoulders.
Nos. 3 and 4 dance in a small clockwise
circle, right shoulder to shoulder
Nos. 1 and 6 dance in a large clockwise circle
Nos. 2 and 5 dance in a large anti-clockwise
circle
5: 1/4 of the way round the circle all dancers will
be in line across the set, Nos. 1 and 5
clash, Nos. 2 and 6 clash, Nos. 3 and 4 clash
6-8: Continue round the circle
1: 1/2 of the way round the circle all dancers will
be in line up the set, Nos. 1 and 2 clash, Nos. 5
and 6 clash, Nos. 3 and 4 clash
2-4: Continue round the circle
5: 3/4 of the way round the circle dancers will be
in line across the set, Nos. 1 and 5 clash,
Nos. 2 and 6 clash, Nos. 3 and 4 clash
6-8: Continue round the circle finishing in your
original position
Repeat
Spaghetti - 1-8: Turn left and follow Nos. 1 and 6 leading their
Junction lines left out of the set and continue turning
left to dance across the set
1: Pause and forehand clash with your partner
2-8: Continue to follow your leader left and
continue turning left, odd numbers dance
down the set, even numbers dance up the set
1: Pause and forehand clash with your partner
2-8: Continue to follow your leader left and
continue turning left to dance across the set
1: Pause and Forehand clash with your partner
2-8: Continue to follow your leader left and
continue turning left, odd numbers dance up
the set, even numbers dance down the set,
finishing back in place
Rounds - As at the beginning of the dance, ending in a
screaming charge into the audience