Glaister's Gambol

Written by John Glaister for the Countryside, the women's side he played for, 1991-ish.

The tune is Speed the Plough and the style is a loose but energetic Bampton. The dance was later collected by Roy Dommet, although it got detached from its name somewhere along the line. Until collected it was only danced out by the Countryside.

The three corners cross the set together. The movement is an open sidestep to the right, one to the left and two half capers. Each corner however crosses the set at a different time - think of it somewhat like a fugue:

• The first corners cross on their first sidestep, collect themselves on the second sidestep and turn on the half capers.
• The second corners prepare with a move to the right on the first sidestep, cross quickly on the second sidestep and similarly turn on the half capers.
• The third corners, dance to the right and left on the sidesteps, leaving enough time and room for the first two corners to rocket across the set, they then cross on the half capers and turn quickly.

This leaves the set upside down, which is normally put right by a half rounds back to place. The exception occurs in the last chorus when the crossing is repeated to get back to place.

The figures are standard Bampton fare; hitch into the dance, dance up and down; half gyp; whole gyp and hey; finishing on the double crossing chorus.

It has been taught at Morris workshops and appears in Dommett's notes. It's been spotted being danced by a number of sides, one saying they had collected it at Bampton - presumably in the evening by the invited sides in the evening rather than by the Bampton Village sides.