The dance starts with dancers in an outward facing circle, #3 facing the audience. Once the music starts, step for 2 3s, then use the final 2 beats to turn counter clockwards to face inwards and raise the swords in the center of the circle. Immediately start walking round, clash on beat 4, then swords lowered straight onto shoulders and start with a high guard directly from walkaraound (i.e. without the need to untie the nut first)
Chorus Figure – High Guard
Should be performed in-between each figure. From the nut, #2 makes a sharp right-hand turn, followed by #3, #4 and #5 into a clockwise walkaround. At the same time, #1 makes a sharp left hand turn and starts an anti-clockwise walk around the set. After 8 beats, #1 joins the inner circle and #2 makes a snappy turn out to perform their anti-clockwise orbit. The swords of the orbiter should be raised high at all times (no swooping) – and the next orbit should happen every 4 beats even if the previous dancer has not returned to place. This will leave 8 beats at the end of the figure to continue the walkaround until #1 and #5 are at the front where coach and horses is formed. All other figures start from this coach and horses position.
Changey
#1 and #5 perform a standard figure of 8 (cast to the back first, then cross over at the back) – #5 should cross before #1. #2 and #4 perform standard curlies on their own side, #3 alternates left and right, starting by going right first. After a number of times through, and when #1 is finishing a right-hand curly, he calls ‘nut’ and everyone ties the nut as normal (#1 and #5 cross back, then at the front, #1 casts to the back, #5 slips to the back, everyone else goes under #5′s sword and turns on their left shoulder and the nut is made.
Prince of Wales
Many figures have this name – this is the version as devised by Royal Earsdon when they were comissioned to dance for the Prince of Wales. From coach and Horses, #1 and #5 cast to the back, crossing right shoulders, then cross again at the front left shoulders, then cast to stand either side of #3. Next, #2 and #4 perform the same movement, casting to the back, crossing right shoulders, then crossing left shoulders at the front. As soon as they have crossed at the front, the lock is tied by #3 pushing forward and turning left on the spot, and #1 and #2 spin on the spot on their left shoudler.
Fixie
Not to be confused with ‘Moving Fixie’ – a completely different figure! #1 and #5 cast to face backwards, #2 and #4 cast round them to face them, swords between them arched and level, held around shoulder height so the audience can see. Step for 2 4s, then #2 and #4 cross over behind #3 (still facing forwards), #2 in front of #4, to create a ‘breastplate’ (or ‘haymarket’) displayed over #3. The cross-over should take 1 lot of 4, then the figure should be displayed for 3 4s and can be rotated if desired. Usually the Fixie is ended in a lock-show and therefore should be performed in the middle of the dance for symmetry – #3 pushes through the middle and casts left round to the back then through the middle again and turns left on the spot. At the same time, #1 and #5 cast and slip as in Changey, #2 and #4 cross back and turn inwards left to tie a low-lock. It is then raised by #1 as #2 and #3 cross the set from left to right, and #4 and #5 cross from right to left (crossing each other right shoulders), all facing the audience and step for 8. All cross back to place crossing left shoulders as #1 lowers the lock and it is pushed up into a Nut on the 8th beat.
Triple Scringe
#1 and #5 curly twice. #2 and #4 cross over straight away (#4 in front of #2) then curly twice on the wrong side. #3 curlies left, then right and all the way round the set as they all step for 2 4s. Next – #1 and #5 curly and cross at the back (#5 in front of #1), then cross back next time. #2 and #4 curly once on the wrong side again, then cross back. #3 this time curlies right, then left and all the way round the set as they step for 2 4s. Finally ‘nut’ is called and formed as in changey.
Tumble
#1, #2, #4 and #5 step slightly apart to let #3 through the middle. #1 and #5 lower #5′s sword to let #3 jump over it (they also move their other sword to their outside shoulder. #3 tumbles over #5′s sword then the nut is tied as in changey.
Line Out
If the tumble is the final figure (as is usually the case to build up excitement) – then there should be no chorus afterwards – instead as soon as the nut is untied into a walkaround, #1 walks to the front and faces the audience, and the others form up around them in the order #3, #2, #1, #4, #5. The swords are lowered down into a straight line, then all step for 2 4s. The final lock is the displayed by #3, #2 and #1 walking in a small circle led by #1, and #5 slip backwards round #4. Once the lock is made, #1 takes it and the circle unrolls into the order #5, #4, #3, #2, #1. All step until the end of the phrase.
Order
The order of the dance is usually as follows, but dancers should be prepared to follow #1′s calls:
High guard
Changey
High guard
Prince of Wales
High guard
Fixie
Lock show
High guard
Triple scringe
High guard
Tumble
Line out