Margate Hoy is a simple English dance that can be done quite zestily. "Hoy" is some kind of ship. I heard somewhere that Margate Hoy was a ferry boat named for the town of Margate, but I have not found "hoy" defined as a ferry boat anywhere online (yet). I did find this definition of Hoy from Dictionary.com:

noun, Nautical
1.
a heavy barge used in harbors.
2.
a vessel of the 17th and 18th centuries, usually slooprigged, used for fishing and coastal trading.

You can find different takes on the dance on youtube; in particular, one from a Civil War Ball and another from a Jane Austen convention:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPD2LYYc1bA

www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRWwLX2qvGg (it doesn't start right away)

Then we have eight children (it's usually a dance for three couples) in a video you can download (or perhaps just play) from the Constant Billy Trust schools resource pack:

http://constantbilly.org.uk/Resources/2009%20Resource%20Pack.htm

On Wed, Jul 8, 2015 at 12:35 PM, Lindsey Dono via Callers callers-at-lists.sharedweight.net |sharedweight-garyes| <lc5ghe4nbt@sneakemail.com> wrote:

Hi Callers,

In a couple of weeks, I'll be calling the annual Ferry Boat Contra for the second time. Last year I put a good deal of effort into coming up with nautical themes/jokes, so this year I'll really need to go "overboard."

I'd love to hear your ideas regarding entertaining (but not distracting) maritime moves/terminology/jokes/trivia to add into my program. The majority of folks in my area have at least been on a boat other than a ferry, and a number sail regularly, but I'd rather keep the references from becoming too obscure.

Looking forward to your suggestions!

Lindsey
(Tacoma, WA)

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