This is (sort of, ish) from Bampton, in Oxfordshire. The "sort of, ish" is occasioned by the fact that it's really rather a cut-and-shut job: a chunk from Bampton with another chunk from Headington welded on. Nonetheless, it's a standard finishing dance; either ending by dancing off or by forming a large circle round the band. Bampton-style stepping is used throughout.
It's a dance for as many as will; dancers start in two columns, facing up, usually towards the musician(s).
There are three tunes used: labelled 'A', 'B' and 'C' in the usual, imaginative manner. The dots are below:
The dance is preceeded by a snatch of song; just one verse is customary 'though there are plenty of possibilities. Here are some I've come accross
Hand movements: Handkerchiefs held by one corner and close to chest when not doing anything else. Both handkerchiefs are flicked forward on each right footed single step while moving forward.
The 'Sidesteps then Capers' can be repeated ad lib., dancing round in a circle and ending with a great shout all facing into the middle or dancing off, as the case might warrant.
All face up the set (towards the musician).
Move forward 4 single steps (right foot, small hop on right, left foot, small hop on
left, right foot, small hop on right, left foot, small hop on left right foot.
Move back 4 hop steps – right, left, right, left and turning at the same time to
face down (away from the musician).
Repeat the above but moving down
On the 4 hop back steps turn to face opposite.
Face opposite. Pass opposite by right shoulder while moving forward 4 single steps. Move back 4 hop steps to original place again passing right shoulders. Pass opposite by left shoulder second time while moving forward 4 single steps. Move back 4 hop steps to original place again passing left shoulders.
Face opposite all the way through this figure. Move forward 4 single steps (clockwise). Move forward 4 hop steps to original place and face opposite. Move forward 4 single steps (anticlockwise). Move forward 4 hop steps to original place.
Left hand column face up, right hand column face down, both columns bulge a bit
in the middle so as to form the set into a circle with all dancers facing round
the circle clockwise.
Move forward 4 single steps.
Dance 4 hop steps.
Turn to face opposite direction (anticlockwise).
Move forward 4 single steps.
Move forward 4 hop steps.
All the dancers should now be back where they started from, still in a circle,
still facing anticlockwise.
Step onto the right foot while flicking the right handkerchief high and forward
and turning the body to face left. Then take a small step onto the left foot, tucked
in behind the right. Then just transfer the weight back onto the right.
Step onto the left foot while flicking the left handkerchief high and forward
and turning the body to face right. Then take a small step onto the right foot, tucked
in behind the left. Then just transfer the weight back onto the left.
And so on, alternating right and left, for sixteen steps in all.
Step onto the right foot then leap high into the air, flourishing both handkerchiefs as high as possible, then land onto the left foot with a hop. Do it again. Always leap from the right and land on the left. There are eight of these.
Standard version: Here’s to the stockings, here’s to the shoes Here’s to the bonny green garters A pair for me and a pair for thee And a pair for the one that comes after Men: Oh, here's to the lassies, we love them so well, Though some are regular tartars. Here's to their stockings and here's to their shoes, And here's to their bonny green garters. Women: Oh, here's to the laddies, we love them so well, though some are very slow starters. Off with their baldricks and off with their bells, And to hell with their bonny green garters. Hounds: Oh, here's to the lizards, we love them so well, Though some are really iguanas. Here's snakes and here's toads and here's frogs and here's newts, And here's to the bonny green garters.
You could, of course, write your own. An obvious variant might be:
Oh, here's to our scouters, we love them so well, Though some are regular tartars. Here's to their woggles and here's to their berets, And here's to their bonny green garters.
You can surely improve on that.
In any case, the snatch of doggerel is sung to the second tune (tune B) listed here, usually unaccompanied.