BACKGROUND INFORMATION Informant
Roger Harrison, Wadebridge, 1980
John Searle (?) A Mr Luke mentioned a six hand reel to Cecil Sharpe in connection with the Grampound Furry (Sharp's folk tunes, Vol 14 p 2851) A six hand reel is recorded as being done at the West Looe May fair up to the turn of the century (Looe recorder. Old Cornwall Society Magazine). 'Six handed reels and other old fashioned dances' were noted to have been performed on fair and feast day nights and also at Christmas time according to a writer in the Cornish Magazine (vol 1). The fiddler was apparently held in high esteem at such occasions but "unable to hold bow by the end of the evening…" Our six hand reel is a working example of the 'folk process' or 'process of oral transmission' in action. Our original informant, Roger Harrison, had seen the 'Cornish Six' called at Barn Dances and folk dance clubs throughout Britain as well as in Cornwall itself. He first saw it called at the Wadebridge Folk Festival in the mid seventies and we have seen variations at a number of folk festivals since. It was sometimes called 'the Cornish Way' an interesting pun as the Cornish for Six is 'Wegh' pronounced 'way'. We made a number of attempts to track down its source but met without success. Then a chance meeting with John Searle, a Folk Dance caller in West Cornwall provided us with the answer he had composed it in the fifties and noted with interest as different variations returned to him! DANCE NOTATIONS Formation
The dance begins with three couples in a line, lady on gentleman's right. Step
'One two three hop' furry dance step throughout. Hold
Gentleman holds lady's left hand in his right at (lady's) comfortable shoulder height. Bars 1 4
All take four steps forward. 5 6
All take one step to right, one to left. 7 8
Drop hands and turn half way round 9 16
Repeat 1 8 to finish in line facing partner. 17 32
Reel of six, on the last bar the gentlemen turn the ladies under their right arm to form a long ways set. 33 36
Right hand turn with partner 37 40
Left hand turn with partner 41 44
'Do si do' with partner 45 48
Two hand turn with partner 49 56
Head Couple down centre and back 57 60
Cast to bottom, all follow 61 64
Head couple form arch, all dance through to finish in line.
Repeat twice more TUNE/SONG The suggested tunes for this dance are Elyn Howlek and Polquylkyn, although any 32 bar reel played twice, or 64 bar reel would be suitable.
