Jig Dolls or Les Gigueux
'The Brightest of Entertainers'

Introduction

Jig dolls or les gigueux are an old and established traditional wooden 'toy.' Basically they have loose limbs and 'dance' on the end of a vibrating plank just like a step dancer. In old London they were frequently seen operated by street entertainers. Today they can be found in the UK, USA, Canada, and even in Australia. They go by the name of Jig Dolls, Limberjacks or Limber Jacks (and Limberjills or Limber Jills), Dancing Dan, Mr. Jollyboy (or Mr. Jolly Boy), Jiggers, Les Gigueux, Steppin' Sam, Paddle Puppets, etc. These can all be search terms on Google, Yahoo, eBay, etc.

In the UK a patent was taken out in 1907 for jig dolls - probably under the name Mr. Jollyboy - unfortunately it has not been possible to obtain a copy of this.

In the UK there are a some collectors with more than a few - I am one of those with examples from the early 1900s, from all over England, the Appalachians (USA), Quebec, and Australia. I also have an amazing marionette of myself in the costume of the Reading Cloggies that plays a jig doll that in turn also plays a jig doll. This was made under commission from Ted & Kath Beresford.

[In the film on Google Video of Pat Pickles' Jig Doll Party Pat herself operates a similar marionette of her late husband Rennie - sadly video has now been deleted].

In Quebec they feature as a percussion instrument even to the extent of the plank on which one 'dances' being miked up to the p.a. 

I guess many folkies know the folk song "Seth Davy" written by Glyn Hughes, of an old man who used to busk at the the head of Liverpool Pier with his three dancing dolls. When he dies his dolls get thrown away and the 'plank went to mend a back door.' From: http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/gerry.jones/lpllyrics1.html#sethdavy

Jig dolls can best be seen at Folk Festivals usually accompanied by a band or group of tame musicians. Jig dolls can usually dance to hornpipes, reels, jigs (of course!!), and even waltzes. Sometimes they dance as a couple. Occasionally there are animal jig dolls such as frogs, cats, dogs, horses, or cows, etc. There is one like Charlie Chaplin that appears at the Punch and Judy Day at Covent Garden. The V&A Museum of Childhood in Bethnal Green, London, has quite a collection. There are some shots of jig dolls performing at the Reading Cloggies Festival at http://www.bu.edu/dbin/dance/ and search for 'dolls.'

Craft stalls at Folk Festivals are the best places. Other Craft Fairs may have these - but you'll have to search every stall. Some modern toy shops may sell them - but they have not really caught on. You could try searching on the web. Antique shops may have them. In Appalachia (USA) you can usually purchase beautiful hand carved (whittled) jig dolls. In Quebec (Canada) many even have clothes including the traditional woollen woven waist band worn by step dancers. There are some factory made versions which lack any carving or decoration - they would be good to start with but they don't usually dance very well. Frequently they can be purchased from specialist antique shops (at a price) or even through eBay. Or better - you could make your own!! Instructions can be found on this website.

Jig dolls usually dance on a thin vibrating plank - see the picture. The operator then usually sits on one end of the plank on a table top or a firm stool. The plank sticks out and the other end is free to vibrate. The plank is then vibrated by tapping or lightly hitting it with a fist near to where the operator is sitting. The doll is then usually held by a stick protruding from its back, so that its feet just touch the vibrating end of the plank. That's the easy bit. The hard bit is making the doll dance in time to the rhythm of the music; and also to swing its arms around (if they are so jointed at the shoulders). The best dolls have ankle joints with the toes slightly hanging below the heels.

Other dolls may be held by strings above the plank rather like a puppet. In fact a puppet with loose wooden feet makes an ideal jig doll.

Other mechanisms can make the doll 'dance' up and down such as a clockwork motor vibrating a metal disc upon which the doll is held (there used to be one of these in the window of the 'Mechanical Cabaret' in Covent Garden, London, now alas closed), or a clockwork vibrating rod inserted into the body of a tin-plate doll with the feet resting upon a fixed metal disc (I have one from Germany), or even falling sand can make a doll dance (Ron Fuller).

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