Logo New Adderbury - Description and Figures

The Tradition
The simple fact is, that unlike traditional Adderbury, there is no set order to the figures and the caller can adjust the dance to personal preference or the demands of the stand. The form of the dance is variable (ie. entirely at the whim of No.1) but will always start on rounds and end on the foot-up in a chorus. The dances themselves are all very similar, except that they all finish differently.
The Figures
There are seven basic figures:
  1. Rounds/Foot Up
  2. Half Hands
  3. Processional Down
  4. Processional Up
  5. Back To Back
  6. Hands Around
  7. Hey

They are all different to the traditional figures so I'll deal with them separately.

The Steps
All figures begin with two capers, end with two capers and have two capers in the middle. In-between, you will always find two double steps and two back steps, although you won't necessarily find yourself going backwards on those. The way this fits in will be described in the individual figure descriptions.
Rounds/Foot Up
All the dances begin with this figure; two capers and then right foot start. Two double steps then two back-steps, two capers and repeat. The double steps are exactly the same as traditional Adderbury, with the same handkerchief movements. The back steps are straight backward single steps, with the arms held outwards, bent at the elbows. The capers are traditional Adderbury capers with the arms held similarly, but twisting once, tightly backwards.
Rounds: Whole rounds, right foot start, two double steps, two back steps, two capers and repeat brings you back to place.
Half Hands
Same as traditional, only with back steps and two capers before the second half.
Processional Down
Similar to normal Adderbury, only when 1 & 2 return to the top of the set for 2 capers, they remain facing down the set while 3 & 4 come in with their capers before processing down for the second movement of the figure.
Processional Up
Likewise, only up.
Hands Around
Now this is different. Having entirely forgotten that there never was a Hands Around in the new Adderbury (the backsteps and capers don't fit), the only option was to come up with a Hands Around that did fit.
The answer is essentially a 'Hands Around Into Line'. Opposites clasp right hands and, instead of just turning through 90 degrees and holding, the motion continues through a further 180 degrees and into line, allowing the two back steps into the opposite place and two capers, before dancing the second half clasping left hands.
Hey
Unlike the traditional version, this hey is clearly a figure of two halves. The odds once again follow the line of the evens, rather than a mirror image, while the evens follow a traditional line. Now, because everyone has to move the length of the set in two double steps, there is no time for the bottom pair to do a double step on the spot while they wait to see what the top pair are going to do. They have to know which way they're going to go and try to avoid the top pair as they come hurtling through. So, taking the pairs in turn, in the first two double steps, they are going to achieve the following:

Tops: From facing up, turn tightly to the right and dance down the set, narrowly avoiding the bottoms, passing left shoulders, before taking two back steps and two capers.

Middles: From facing up, first double step up, veering slightly to the left, second turning tighly to the right, before taking two back steps and two capers.

Bottoms: From facing up, set off veering slightly to the right so as to avoid the tops, then veer slightly left so as to pass the middles on their way down the set (right shoulders) then take two back steps and two capers.

The key to the half-way point in this hey is that, having avoided and passed each other on the second double step, the middles and bottoms are now in a position to backstep into line, where they caper.

The tops can see none of this, of course and are oblivious to the wonder of it all.

The hey is then completed and the only point to note is which way you were going to turn before you were interrupted.

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© Cardiff Morris 1996