Mr Martin’s Reel played at the Benbow Cornish Session, Penzance Dec 2022.
Notes
This is a Cornish Scoot (step) dance originally taught to Alison and Merv Davey by Mr Hedley Martin (thus the name), Morval Nr Looe (1980), and Mrs Gwen Masters, Blisland,(1997).
The tune is a variant of Marriage May Become a Curse from Robert Morton Nance’s Guize Dance Drolls (Cledry Plays, Morton Nance manuscript Boxes 1-13, Courtney Library, Royal Institution of Cornwall, Truro). See also Cornwall Heritage Trust Cornish Dance in Schools Project.
Description of dance:
Dancers stand in a tight circle with hands resting on the nearest shoulders of dancers on either side.
Steps (TRAVELLING STEP)
Using the ball of the right foot, kick the floor, and then step a pace to the right with the right foot and follow by bringing the left foot to meet the right.
Bars
1 – 4 The above step is repeated seven times to right then stamp on the left foot and then on right foot.
5 – 8 Repeat above steps to the left.
9 – 10 Repeat the above steps to the right again, this time with only three shuffles, and then the ‘stamp stamp’ at the end.
11 – 12 Repeat bars 9 — 10 to the left.
13 Repeat the above steps to the right again, this time with only two shuffles and no ‘stamp stamp’ at the end.
14 Repeat bar 13 to the left.
15 – 16 Repeat bars 13 – 14
Repeat as often as wished, with the music gradually getting faster. As the music speeds up the stamp step can be used to ‘brake’ for the change in direction.
Tune: Mr Martin’s Reel but any hornepipe with a strong double beat in the 4th bar would be suitable.
For more about Cornish Session Tunes See Cornish Session Tunes Project
Racca: Cornish Tunes for Cornish Sessions Project 1995-97
Fooch 1 & 2 Favourite Cornish Session and Dance Tunes – Neil Davey