Ockington

Tradition: Border

Set: 4 dancers

Props: Sticks

Stepping: Single

Figures:

  • Rounds

  • Back to back

  • Samurai

  • Inside hey

  • Outside hey

  • Rights and lefts

Chorus:

  • Swing sticks around to cross in the center in sequence (1, 2, 3, 4)

  • Repeat

  • Triple-tap on ground

Figure Explanations:

  • Rounds: All dance in clockwise circle, clash three times on ground, continue around for another circle in same direction.

  • Back to back: 1 & 3 cross in the center (right-shoulder pass), clashing sticks on beat 2, back up to place (left-shoulder pass), clashing on beat 6. Then 2 & 4 do the same.

  • Samurai: 1 & 3 surge to cross in the center (right-shoulder pass) clashing sticks on beat 1, crouch at opposite corners on beat 4, leap and turn over left shoulder to clash on beat 5, then cross (right-shoulder pass) while staring each other down to return home. Then 2 & 4 do the same.

  • Inside hey: 1 & 3 go to clockwise inside the set to clash with 4 & 2, cross to opposite corners and clash with each other, continue clockwise to clash with 2 & 4, return home and clash with each other. Then 2 & 4 do the same.

  • Outside hey: 1 & 3 circle clockwise while 2 & 4 circle counterclockwise for first time around, starting with right-shoulder pass, then left, then right, then left. After returning home, reverse the circle, again starting with a right-shoulder pass.

  • Rights and lefts: 1 & 3 clash to the right (with 2 & 4 respectively), to the left (with 4 & 2), across with each other, then dance across to opposite corners. Repeat same from this new position, dance back home. Then 2 & 4 do the same. Without going into chorus, this sequence is repeated twice more, with increasing speed each time.

Notes:

  • Start the dance with all four standing back to back, facing outward. Thereafter, dancers will be turned to the inside of the set.

  • Each phrase ends with three clashes on the ground in time with the music, usually toward the middle of the set.

  • Passive dancers should meet clashes to make the dance more visually interesting.

  • During the chorus, sticks should swing around as if they have been knocked down by the previous stick. This sometimes takes a very slight anticipation to get the timing right. It can help to shout out the number of the clash ("one!" "two!" etc.)

  • A variant of the final figure has the sequence repeating with increasing speed until the dancers can't keep up.