Royal Oak's Repertoire
This
has changed over the years, starting with just two dances in the summer
of 1985 to a peak of about 35 by the time Pat Cannell put together "It's the one that goes..."
in when? There are about 70 dances listed below that were
danced out at one time or another, plus some others that were practiced
but never made it out. In 2010 it was agreed to use just a short
repertoire of 18/20 dances for practice and performance for any one
year. 2011's list is here.
Eydon
1985 to 2002(ish)
Initially two dances, 'developed' out of Adderbury by John Cannell. Single step stick
dances, Captain's Whiskers, Constant Billy, then 2-stick Constant
Billy.
Christmas dance: Rudolph the Red Nosed
Reindeer (adapted from Captain's Whiskers) .. before 199x?
See Comfort Blanket for why these dances dropped from the repertoire.
Badby
1986 to present
Initially danced single step, by 1991 we had changed over to doing them double step.
Traditional dances: Beaux of London City; Old Black Joe and Shepherd's Hey
Developed dances:
Room for the Cuckolds, Cuckoo's Nest. (Briefly did
'Banks of the Dee (Cuckoo's Nest but always facing up) and Bonnets so
blue (half length chorus 'Old Black Joe))
Later learned: Jockey to (Badby) Fair; Broad Cupid
Christmas Dances: We Three Kings (?) and Oh Little Town of Bethlehem
Bampton
1987? to present
We dance .....Shergold's version?
Rose Tree; Highland Mary (Chicken Chasing);
Maid of the Mill; Gloryshears; Step and Fetch Her; Bonnie Green
Garters.
We
also tried 'Flowers of Edinburgh - but could not do the kneeling capers
- and Knuckle Down (jig)
Christmas dances: Once
in Davids Royal City (Maid of the Mill) Ding Dong Merrily on High (Step
& Fetch Her) and Deck the Halls with boughs of holly (Chicken
Chasing)
Fieldtown
1986 to present
Traditional dances: Old Woman Toss'd up; Country Gardens; Balance the
Straw; Trunkels; Valentines; Blue Eyed Stranger;
Banks of the Dee
Developed dances: Quakers Roundabout (developed out of Quaker's Wife); Rambling Sailor; Month of May
Long Fieldtown: Dearest Dickey and Step Back
Jigs: Princess Royal; Nutting Girl. We also did Princess Royal as a double jig.
We also did a 5 handed version of Old Woman for a time and practiced The Rose but didn't dance it out much.
Christmas dances: Good
King Wenslaslas (hanky dance); Come Join the Celebration (Country
Gardens) and Jingle Bells (Dearest Dickie without the 'slows'). ( Christmas Calypso (Balance the straw?)
Lichfield
1991 to present
Vandals of Hammerwich and Ring o' Bells, later Sheriff's Ride and Jenny
Lind. Never quite danced out Millie's Bequest (2003)
Christmas dances: Joy to the World (Ring o' Bells);
Bleddington
After 1991 to present
Young Collins; Morning Star; William and Nancy; Gallant Hussar; Black
Joke; Skirmish; Saturday Night; Trunkels (Bleddington); and Flowers of Edinburgh (Bleddington)
Jig - Ladies of Pleasure
In 2009 David Barrow developed 'Lilly Bolaro' a stick throwing dance to the Daventry time signal...
Christmas dances: I saw three ships (Young Collins)
Adderbury
1990 to 1992?
Lads a Bunchem and Blue Bells of Scotland.
Although practiced for a number of seasons, these were never/seldom
danced out. Personally think it was due to a chance alignment of
all the dancers once in the hey, and all subsequent attempts to
reproduce it knocked the enthusiasm for the dances out of the
side. See this page for my version of how it happened!
Border
Usk town Morris Reel ; Not for Joe; Upton on Severn Stick dance (c2003)
High Badby
2006? to Present
Developed by Pat Cannell as a showy dance tradition without too much unpleasant jumping, suitable for elderly dancers....
Joseph Baker; Road to Eydon, Fair Thee Well Cold Winter; Michaelmas Day
Ilmington
About 2003, done as practice for a couple of years, not intended to be danced out.
Bumpers of Stretton and Jubilee
Other Dances
Winster Processional;
Take Five, another practice piece.