BACKGROUND INFORMATION Informant
Reconstructed from an idea in Borlase's Antiquities of Cornwall 1754, Cecil Sharps description of dances associated with the Grampound Furry (Folk Dance Notes Volume 3) using traditional steps and figures. Tremadheves is enigmatic in that it occurs in several Cornish dictionaries and vocabularies but with no details other than the fact that it was a dance in a round figure. It occurs as 'Tremadheeves' in Borlase's 'Antiquities of Cornwall' and this may well be the origin of the other references. To date no further references to Tremadheves have been found and there seems no hint of it in living tradition. Its mention in Borlase's vocabulary suggests great age and a link with Cornwall's Celtic culture that was in demise together with the Cornish language in his time. Morton Nance discusses Tremadheves (Cornwall Polytechnic Society p 91 124) and suggests that this stems from 'Tram a Dheves' a 'going around of sheep'. The Kernewek for rainbow is 'Camneves' or 'Cabmdhavas' which literally means a 'Sheep's Step'. Morton Nance assumed that Tremadheves must be a variant on the French singing game 'Ramene les moutons bergere' which does not now seem consistent with existing traditions that we know of in Cornwall. In reconstructing this dance we thought it reasonable to link it with the Furry dances which seem to share it's antiquity. Thus we have used the furry dance step and borrowed an idea from Cecil Sharp's description of the Grampound Furry. He talked about the procession stopping three times during its course, and people forming rings to dance first clockwise and then anticlockwise around. During this process some dancers would go into the middle of the circle and perform such figures as the six hand reel. In reconstructing Tremadheves as a four couple dance the six hands reel is not a practical figure to do in the middle of the circle so we have used instead a figure from the Quadrilles for the gentlemen and a fishwives step described to us by David Rye in 1979. David Rye was a folk dance caller and enthusiast living in Falmouth at this time who had evidently come across this step during his travels but had no context in which to place it, and was included in Tremadheves for its preservation. DANCE NOTATIONS Formation
Four Couples in a square set, lady on gentleman's right Step
(a) 'One two three hop' furry dance step
(b) Fish Wives step:
Couples hold both hands crossed behind the back in such a way as to be able to turn away from each other and reverse direction without breaking hold. Bars 1 4
Two steps in, turn (couples turn away from each other hands remaining joined), two steps out. 5 8
Repeat 1 4 , release hands and face partner (ie gentleman should be facing anti clockwise ) 9 16
Everybody dances eight steps around the circle in direction they are facing. ladies passing inside gentleman, effectively forming two circles, one inside the other moving in opposite directions. Clap left hands with each dancer as they pass. 17 24
Ladies dance out in front of their own partner and then around behind him back into centre of dance. Arms resting on each others shoulder to form a circle dance four fishwives steps before turning right shoulder back to finish beside their partner. In the meantime men continue around the circle for eight steps. 25 32
As 9 16 33 40
Men dance behind their partner into the centre, raising left arm to place hand on next man's right shoulder to form a wheel. Dance once around and out in front of
own partners to places. In The meantime ladies continue around thre circle for eight steps. 41 48
As 9 16. When partners meet, join right hands, lady dances under partners right arm and behind him and adjust hands to form one large circle. 49 56
Dance eight steps around the circle. 57 64
First gentleman leads the dancers into a fairly tight spiral . On final bar all raise hands and shout. TUNE/SONG The suggested tunes for this dance are the St Just Cock Dance and An Culyak Hos with an arrangement of 'AABBCCABC', however any 32/64 bar reel should be suitable.
