Annotation:Ribbon Dance (The)

Back to Ribbon Dance (The)

X:1 % T:Ribbon Dance L:1/8 M:4/4 K:G d2|g3a g2fe|defg a3f|g2d2e2dc|B2G2G2d2| g2a g2fe|defg a3f|g2d2e2dc|B2G2G2|| |:z2|c2e2e2dc|B2d2d2cB|A2e2d2c2|BcdB G2B2| c2e2e2dc|B2d2d2g2|fgaf e2f2|g2g2g2:|

RIBBON DANCE. English, Country and Morris Dance Tune (2/2 or 4/4 time). England, North-West. G Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AB (Wade): ABB (Karpeles, Raven, Sharp). Ribbon Dance can refer to several different dances performed with a length of cloth or Ribbon, including Maypole and non-maypole dances, and various tunes are used as an accompaniment. The tune given here as "Ribbon Dance" was used for a polka step in the North-West (England) morris dance tradition, however, the Ribbon Dance itself is not a morris dance but rather an English country dance. Cecil Sharp collected this "Ribbon Dance" tune from the playing of concertina player and morris dancer William Kimber, who played for both the Headington and Bampton morris sides in the early 20th century.

See also "Butterfly (The)" collected in Winchcombe in 1909 by Cecil Sharp from the playing of fiddler William Davis, which was also used for a Ribbon Dance.

Additional notes

Source for notated version: -

Printed sources : - Burchanel (Dances of the People), 1913; pp. 12-14. Karpeles & Schofield (A Selection of 100 English Folk Dance Airs), 1951; p. 1. Raven (English Country Dance Tunes), 1984; p. 76. Sharp (Country Dance Tunes), 1909; p. 2. Wade (Mally’s North West Morris Book), 1988; p. 19.

Recorded sources: -