Molly Dancing
Whilst the Plough Monday records from Tilney All Saint's Churchwarden's account suggest that local people circumnavigated the village with the Plough, we don't know what other forms of entertainment or begging accompanied this activity on Plough Monday. We do know that Molly Dancing occurred on Plough Monday further South, in the Cambridgeshire Fens in places such as Little Downham and Ely. The pupils learned two traditional molly dances, which they performed in school and community events and on Plough Monday in the Church. These were Cross Hand Polka and Bird’s a Building.
A most popular dance was performed by a smaller number of pupils, although most of them wanted to do it. This was the Broom Dance, and its basic movements are also noted. A group of children from Tilney, calling themselves the Tilney Ploughers, also performed at the “Mark Jones Day of Dance.” This is the largest get together of molly dance groups in the country and they performed very well, adding a fourth dance, The Mississippi Mud Dance, originally made up by the host dance group. They took part in a final dance with all the groups, performing Bird a Building to the song Rolling Home that they had sung on Plough Monday.
The molly dances were based on Country Dances and follow a similar pattern.
A most popular dance was performed by a smaller number of pupils, although most of them wanted to do it. This was the Broom Dance, and its basic movements are also noted. A group of children from Tilney, calling themselves the Tilney Ploughers, also performed at the “Mark Jones Day of Dance.” This is the largest get together of molly dance groups in the country and they performed very well, adding a fourth dance, The Mississippi Mud Dance, originally made up by the host dance group. They took part in a final dance with all the groups, performing Bird a Building to the song Rolling Home that they had sung on Plough Monday.
The molly dances were based on Country Dances and follow a similar pattern.
Cross Hand Polka Dance Notation: Figure 1: First diagonals 2 steps on the spot, dance to each other’s places, passing right shoulder. Turn on 8, 2 on the spot, dance back, turn on 7 to face. Second Diagonals 2 steps on the spot, dance to each other’s places, passing right shoulder. Turn on 8, 2 on the spot, dance back, turn on 7 to face. Figure 2: Top Couples Down Each group of four is made up of a top couple and bottom, or second couple. Both top couples in set dance towards partner (1 stephop), turn down (1 step hop), dance down for about two or three step hops then dance on spot until turning outwards to face back on stephop number 8. Dance back and continue facing up until stephop 15 when the dancers fall back into place. Figure 3: Top Couple Down Only the very top couple dance to the bottom of the set. They dance past their partner, in between the next two, and cross the set, passing right shoulders. They weave down the set in this way, passing right shoulders each time they cross the set. On reaching the end they end up on the side of the set where they started. The remainder of the set stand still and move up in the last two bars of music by stepping sideways, then together, sideways then together. The dance is repeated three more times through until everyone is back where they started, last time finishing with OY! Music An aspect of the project was to resurrect tunes collected in the village by Ralph Vaughan Williams. We have adapted the country dance tune "Ladies' Triumph for the dance, as collected from Stephen Poll in the village of Tilney St Lawrence, 7th January 1905. Ladies' Triumph Tune For Cross Hand Polka |
|
Bird’s a Building Dance Notation: Figure 1: Little Squares In fours each person travels round the square, starting in the direction they are facing. Each change of place takes up 4 step hops. Dancers move forward ( 1 step hop), pause alongside ( 1 step hop), forward to new position ( 1step hop), turn to face next person ( 1 stephop). This is repeated a further three times until all are back where they started, facing partner. Figure 2: Top Couples Down Each group of four is made up of a top couple and bottom, or second couple. Both top couples in set dance towards partner (1 stephop), turn down (1 step hop), dance down for about two or three step hops then dance on spot until turning outwards to face back on stephop 8. Dance back and continue facing up until stephop 7 of second half when dancers fall back into place. Figure 3: Top Couple Down Only the very top couple dance to the bottom of the set. They dance past their partner, in between the next two, and cross the set, passing right shoulders. They weave down the set in this way, passing right shoulders each time they cross the set. On reaching the end they end up on the side of the set where they started. The remainder of set stand still and move up in the last two bars of music by stepping sideways, then together, sideways then together. The dance is repeated three more times through until everyone is back where they started, last time finishing with OY!. Music: An aspect of the project was to resurrect tunes collected in the village by Ralph Vaughan Williams. We have adapted the song "Maria Maarten" for molly dancing and used it for the dance "Birds A Building". This version of Maria Maarten we adapted was collected from the singer John Whitby, the sexton of Tilney All Saints Church on Sunday January 8th, 1905. Maria Maarten Tune For Birds A Building |
The Fenland Broom Dance
The dance is often done as a ‘competition’ between two dancers. The figures are done in turn and then often the dancers finish together. The children in the project were taught the following sequence: Dance around sweeping Stepping over the broom, passing it from one hand to another under each leg Swinging the broom under one leg and then the other Lying the broom flat and freestyle dancing round, followed by treading on the head to elevate the handle Both sweep together before presenting the broom to the audience above their heads and shouting OY! The Mississippi Mud Dance
The Mississippi Mud Dance was a dance written by Gordon and the Ouse Washes Molly Dancers in the 1990's and has been adopted by many dance sides around the World. Dance Notation: A dance for 8 can be adapted for six. Figure 1. Bachelor’s Button 2 Steps on the spot and then straight across, passing right shoulders, turn to the right and then come back on 1 of the next 8, right shoulders again with noise on the 1, turn right and move in close enough to clap. Chorus. Clap right/partner/left/partner, right left right left with partner, Then repeat cleaving out the very last clap. Swing, a quarter turn on each step hop, dropping back on 7 to partner’s place. Repeat on the other side and swing back. Figure 2. Stars and Stripes Middle 4 right and left hand starts, joining on 1, fists up on 2. Arms down on 7, join left on 8 and outside fist up again on 1, down on 7 and drop back to place. Outside 4 dance diagonally away from set, turn right and dance all the way round and back to place. Chorus. Figure 3. Ordinary Reel Top couple face down and everyone else up. Top couple start reel by passing right shoulders with second couple, left with 3rd etc. A rule to remember, when you get to the end you turn and come back in right shoulder. Chorus. Last swing round for 7 to end up facing partner in a line. Figure 4. Zig Zag Right and left etc. When you get to the end one zig to turn and back in to the right. Number 2 leads off when back to their places, all end up in line facing audience. OY! Music: Nicky adapted Stephen Poll's tune Gipsies In The Wood to fit The Mississippi Mud Dance: Listen Here |
Images: LuminArt Photography
|