Local legend tells us that this jig was first performed by representatives of the licentious peasantry trading as the Mirkmere Morris some generations ago in recognition of the extreme "wimpishness" of Cedric Moriarty (and thereby hangs another tale my dear Watson), fourth Earl of Mirkmere, who was once scared by a baby rat during a church service and ran screaming, capering and leaping up and down the aisles of the church while the congregation tried desperately not to collapse with laughter (most of them were, after all, his tenants) and the rat, somewhat confused and taken aback by the commotion - being a friendly little chap who hated being the centre of attention - escaped into the vestry and feasted on the spare communion bread.
Format:
This is essentially a dance for TWO dancers facing each other at a distance of about 15-20 feet across the dancing space. It can be danced solo if it is so desired, but this loses some of the effect.
Tune :
The Rakes of Mirkmere
Sequence:
OY-FU-SSS-FU-SlowPC-FU-SSS-FU-Slow Puddle Capers-FU
Note, the music is A for OY and FU
B for SSS and Slows
Once to Yourself (OY):
Four plain capers (4PC) with arms going down/up/two high twists
Foot up (FU):
This is the normal Mirkmere foot up sequence of four single steps (arms J-sweep on the first two and flick out and back on the second two), a double step (hands on belt) and a foot-together-jump (ftj). Both dancers start some 15-20 feet apart and move rapidly towards each other with an aggressive surge, turning around on the ftj and returning to their respective starting positions equally smartly.
Side step sequence (SSS):
- Normal open side step (side step to the left, leading arm rises and falls; turn around on the spot anticlockwise with a double step, leading arm rising and falling; side step to the right - ie: returning to original place - and turn around again to the left on the spot with a forth double step)
- Two half capers (caper right, land left and step right - repeat off the left foot)
- Four plain capers as in the OY
* Note this SSS is danced twice - once by each of the two dancers
Slow Plain Capers (SlowPC):
- 14 plain capers danced circling the performance space, returning to starting position by the last one to face partner.
- Double step
- ftj - turning right around in the air
* Danced simultaneously by the two performers
Note: The 14 plain capers are most reminiscent of the leaps of Earl Cedric, but can be somewhat strenuous to perform and thus many dancers over the years have tended to substitute an appropriate number of what have become known as Sarah's Capers. These, as near as it is possible to describe the ineffable, comprise a hopping up and down on one leg whilst shaking the other in the air in time to the music as if one were trying to shake mud off ones boots. In the right hands these alternative steps can be quite effective.
Slow Puddle Capers :
- Three puddle capers(*)
- Double step
- ftj - turning in the air right around as before
Puddle capers, so called because in Mirkmere there is often nowhere else to dance them and the water makes a spectacular addition to their effect, are danced thus:
Hands on belt - spring high, land right foot crossed over left
- - spring high, land feet well apart
- - spring high, land feet together
- - leap high with "show" of the hands
Floreat Rattus Mirkmyrensis!