Some Maypole Dances
(by Paul Kerlee, 3/21/99)

Dancers next to their partners form a large circle, 1’s on the left. Dancers can be referred to by numbers or colors. English country dance tunes should be used for the figures.

1. Circling - Dancers move freely clockwise around the pole, turning and skipping at will, but always maintaining their order. At a certain point in the music dancers reverse direction if you have a non-rotating top.

2. Barberpole - 1’s move toward the center and stand facing out while 2’s circle once around clockwise to starting place. Then 2’s move in and stand facing out while 1’s circle counterclockwise. This pattern is repeated until it becomes awkward to proceed. Dancers then reverse the pattern until they can open out again in one circle.

3. Spider’s Web, or Gypsy Tent - (Use waltz music) Partners face and dance forward and back twice (4 measures), letting the ribbons touch as they approach. Then partners dance a right shoulder back-to-back (do-si-do) 1 and 1/2 times and end facing a new partner. This pattern will continue until a beautiful web shape is formed. (The number of turns will depend on the number of dancers, height of the pole, and length of the streamers.) Dancers unwind by turning around and continuing the pattern using a left shoulder back-to-back until they are home. Often dancers will continue that new direction to create another web before ending the dance.

4. Jacob’s Ladder - 1’s move in several steps and stand facing out, holding ribbons taut. 2’s, holding ribbons loosely, circle once around each other on the insice (pole side). Each goes around outside of his/her partner and circles once around on the outside. Each then goes back outside his/her partner to circle once again on the inside. This process is repeated a few times to form the “ladder�?(a little like a shoelace). It is important that the 2’s keep their ribbons loose enough so the “sides�?of the ladder are not pulled together. Then all march clockwise around the pole, if it is a rotating pole, to display the ladders. Then the process is reversed as the ladders are unwound. Music must be chosen carefully for this so that it changes to a processional quality for the parade around, and back to the original for the unwinding.

5. Weaving or Single Plait - Partners face and dance a grand right and left (no hands), taking care to keep a proper distance from the person in front of them going the same way. The weaving pattern descends the pole for a ways and is left there. A fast waltz works for this, with 3 steps to pass, and 3 steps in place each time.