Abnalls


History

Learned from video of 1983 Stafford Morris Men, included with all the traditional dances

Videos

Abnalls (May, 2023)

One stick

Swagger Round: Outside foot; ends with galley up. Clash on beat 4. Must be done quickly, more like skipping than usual, in order for 7 and 8 to be in line for the galley.

Chorus

Heading Up: Outside foot; 4 double steps, swingbacks, galley up, clash on beat 4.

Chorus

Heading Down: Inside foot; 4 double steps, swingbacks, galley down, clash on beat 4.

Chorus

Back to Back: castlering foot; galley away, clash on beat 4.

Chorus

Hey: castlering foot; galley at end toward castlering foot (see below), passing left shoulders, clash on beat 4.

Chorus

Chorus

(All clashes with partner across.)

2 forehand clashes.

Clashes with bottom of stick: Take 2 steps forward, starting with R foot. On second step, clash with bottom of stick in forward direction, as you pass your partner. Clashes are low and at your side. This requires moving your left hand to above your right hand.

Galley: Beat 1 of galley is a forward step with R foot. Beat 2 is the “kicking the soccer ball leap”, turning just 90 degrees clockwise (landing on L). Beats 3 and 4 are plain capers. Clash on beat 4. (You will have switched places with your partner.)

Repeat (ending up back in original spot)

Ending

At end of last chorus, face up with sticks crossed.

Notes

Which way do you galley on the hey?

Ends face in, middles face out when you land the galley. Pass left with your partner. This can be described as galleying in the direction of your castle-ring foot (right for 2,4, 5,7; left for 1,3,6,8)

In detail: start by facing your partner, then square as follows: 1,2,7,8: Square out (i.e. facing up for 1,2 and down for 7,8) so that you land facing into the set 3,4,5,6: Square facing in so that you land facing out

Note on clashes

Because of the clashes at the end of the figures and after the galleys in the chorus, there are almost always 3 clashes in a row: one to end something, and then 2 to begin a new phrase. They run together and feel like 3 clashes.