Ithaca-on-Hemp Tradition (Heartwood Morris)

A dance in the (modern) tradition of Ithaca-on-Hemp for 4 dancers with 2 long sticks each. In the "progressive" version of the dance, a single dancer begins the dance with foot up-and-down. An additional dancer is added in each chorus, until all 4 dancers complete the final chorus and rounds.

Dance Notes

Danced nominally in the same diamond formation as an Ithaca-on-Hemp hanky dance, with the same figures as would be done for a hanky dance. Ends on rounds (bonfire, as with other stick dances).

However, in this progressive version, a single dancer begins the dance with the foot up and down figure in a straight line (as if they were the "top" position). The 2nd dancer joins for the first chorus, in the top position (with the first dancer taking up the bottom position).

For sticking details, see the non-progressive listing of this dance.

At the start of the 2nd chorus, a 3rd dancer joins into what is now a 3 person Ithaca-on-Hemp triangle, into the anti-squire position, with the top person sliding over into the squire position. This chorus is unique in that all 3 dancers perform both sets of clashes, which are three sticks clashing at a time in the middle.

For the 3rd and final chorus, the squire and anti-squire spread out to become the sides of a diamond, and the 4th dancer joins into the top positions. From this point on, the final chorus and rounds matches the non-progressive version of the dance.

Music: Note that the 3 choruses (parts B, C, and D) are all slightly different, with additional measures added to the 2nd and 3rd choruses.

Sheet Music

Download: trizzle_hyWAdb1.abc

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