Tom Jone's Rally - (Rali Twm Sion)

This is a Nantgarw dance, which possibly was passed from Lichfield by workers from the Staffordshire potteries. It is for TWELVE dancers double stepping with bells on their fingers and hands waved in the air continuously. There are two sets that interact with each other. It is fairly complex with interactive circular heys and casts.

This is a processional dance, closely related to the Morris dance known as Cadi Ha. It was danced by six couples in fancy dress on Fairdays in Caerphilly and Tongwynlais. The dancers were known to Mrs.Thomas's grandmother, so they probably came from the Nantgarw district. The men and women wore wore bells attached to their thumbs, middle and little fingers, as well as on their caps and their tunics. They shook their hands in the air continuously. The dancers, if they have bells on their fingers, should not take hands except possibly the man taking his partners wrist between his fingers. As it is a processional dance, the amount of music used for the part we have called the Promenade must be governed by the space available. There is no reason why 24 dancers, or any multiple of 12, should not take part. To finish, the dancers came towards the harp in two lines, the men behind the women. With three low jumps the men came forward to stand beside their partners and all bowed before leading off.

The steps are Reels in 4/4 time. the reel step, often wrongly described as a polka, is a one, two, three, hop step; but the initial lift comes from the back foot onto the front.

Enter

Enter counter-clockwise, ending in two set side by side (1, 2, 3 and 6, 5, 4), with the Men on the inside. (16 bars)

Men's Hey

The Men dance circular Hey; 1 facing 6, 2 facing 3, and 4 facing 5, while the Women dance on the spot. (8 bars)

Men around the Women

1st Man leads counter-clockwise, followed by the others, finishing outside their partners who face them and all step on the spot. (8 bars)

Promenade

Partners change places and all dance round counter clockwise and up the centre in two lines. (16 bars)

Cast out and Weave Up

Women cast out to their right and the Men to the left, come up the dance area diagonally and cross over with their partners as they meet. Women cast out to their left and Men to their right, and come up crossing over to their proper sides.

Promenade

As Enter (16 bars)

Partners change places

Partners change places, with eight reel steps and back again. (8 bars).

The March

1st couple, followed by the others, leads diagonally back to the corner, on its right. All turn in the other direction, and 6th couple leads diagonally across to the opposite corner. (8 bars)

Promenade

All turn in the other direction, and 1st couple leads round counter-clockwise into a circle. (16 bars)

Contrary Circles

Men counter-clockwise, Women clockwise; repeat in contrary directions, finishing opposite partners in a circle. (8 bars)

Circular Hey

All face partners and pass right and left to places. (8 bars)

Promenade

Promenade counter-clockwise, finishing in two lines up the centre. (16 bars)

Serpentine 1st Man leads up, followed by the others; and 6th Woman leads down. Both wheel to the right and lead diagonally to meet in the centre and weave through. Both lines wheel left and meet again, weave through and the Women turn, 1st Woman leading up to places by partners. (16 bars)

Promenade and Finish