| An Irish Lamentation Barbarini's Tambourine The Black Nag Corelli's Maggot Easter Morn Fandango Hambleton's Round O Indian Princess Joy After Sorrow |
Knives and Forks Lobster (La Russe) Quadrille Midnight Ramble Mutual Promises (Two descriptions here) Never Love Thee More Rafe's Waltz Shrewsbury Lasses Walpole Cottage The Young Widow |
AN IRISH LAMENTATION
Longways duple minor, 1735
A: Taking hands, set-step left and right twice.
First corners turn two hands.
Taking hands, set-step left and right twice.
Second corners turn two hands.
B1: All face up, lead up with partner two steps.
All face out, 2s gate 1s below.
All face down, lead down with partner two steps.
All face out, 2s gate 1s above.
1s cross, cast, half figure eight up through 2s.
B2: Four changes of rights and lefts.
Waltz around the other couple CCW, ending in progressed place.
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BARBARINI'S TAMBOURINE
Longways duple minor
A1: First corners cast around neighbors (man down, woman up), then half
figure eight to end in opposite corners place. (This is all one sinuous
motion. When passing in the middle, go left shoulders.)
A2: Second corners cast around partners (in neighbor's place), then half
figure eight to end in opposite corners place. (Pass right in the middle.)
[progressed, improper at this point.]
B1: Not taking hands, lines do a long balance back (three steps and close),
come forward and cross over with partner, passing right shoulder.
(All proper.)
Right-shoulder back-to-back with neighbor; right shoulder back-to-back
with partner. [Optional: a turn single over right shoulder
to get into the neighbor back-to-back.]
B2: Four changes of Rights and Lefts (with hands) starting with partner.
Partners turn two hands at least once, end proper.
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THE BLACK NAG Longways for three couples A: Up a double and back; repeat. B: 1s slip 4 slips up; 2s the same; 3s the same; all turn single. 3s slip 4 slips down; 2s the same; 1s the same; all turn single. A: Siding. (My preference for this ball is Pat Shaw siding into line, right shoulder, then left shoulder.) B: All corners cross in order, passing back-to-back; all turn single. Repeat to place. A: Arming. B: Men hey; women hey. (Men may turn single as women conclude hey.) Back to Contents
CORELLI'S MAGGOT
Longways duple minor
dance by Cathy and John Millar; used by their kind permission.
A1: 1-4: 1st corners set forward to each other, and turn single back to place
5-8: 1st corners turn two hands.
A2: second corners the same
B1: 1-4: 1s cross and go down the outside to 2nd place; 2s move up.
5-8: 1s half-figure eight up through 2nd couple.
B2: 1-4: 1s gate down with the couple below (next 2s).
5-8: 1s gate UP with their original 2s.
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EASTER MORN
dance by Erna-Lynne Bogue, used by her kind permission.
Tune is "Miss Gordon of Gight"
Longways duple minor
A1 Ones cast below Twos (Ones now in progressed place)
" 1/2 figure 8 up through Twos
A2 w/ next cu, R-h *
w/ old Twos, L-h *, flowing INTO
B1 Circle R [original foursome] 1x
Twos dancing backward gate Ones up center & down outside
B2 Ones lead thru new Twos below, cast back to progressed place
Partners, 2-h turn to end proper [Ones 1 and 1/2x, Twos 1x]
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FANDANGO
Longways for three couples
A1&A2: 1s turn R quite round; cast to second place.
1s turn L quite round; cast to bottom.
B1: Slipping circle left and right.
B2:1-6: 1s lead up center to top, cast down to middle, 3s move down.
7-8: 1s turn single down.
A1:1-4: 1s Turn right hand corner 2 hands
5-8: 1s turn partner two hands
A2:1-4: 1s turn left hand corner 2 hands 3/4
5-8: 1s turn partner 1.5, skipping and speeding up
B1: 1s figure eight through couples on ends; that is, man up, woman down.
B2: skipping heys for three on other ends; 1s meet in middle and sneak down.
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HAMBLETON'S ROUND O
Longways triple minor
A: 1s cast to center place, hey for three across the ends with the couple
to their right. (Man down, woman up.) 1s end a little early and turn
two hands, ending proper facing UP.
B: The rest of the dance involves just the 1s (in the center) and the 2s
(above.)
Corners cross [first woman, second man (above); first man, second woman],
circle four halfway, turn single right shoulder, unless you're late..
Four changes of a circular hey, no hands.
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JOY AFTER SORROW
Longways for three couples
A1: (Chase) W1 takes two waltz steps down the outside while M1 goes down the
middle. [She simply moves back and down; there isn't music to support
casting down. Couple 1 can keep eyes locked during the travel.] Each
takes two measures for a big turn single and cheat so that W1 can go up
the middle while M1 goes up outside his own side.
Turn single when they get there.
A2: 1-2: 1s set toward each other, advancing.
3-8: Mirror hey, 1s going down between the 2s, who bulge, to start.
B1 1-2: M1 and W2 meet, take her left hand in his right,
3-6: lead to the top, they turn as a couple to face down (improper),
lead down to face 3s (while M2 sidles up to 1st place),
7-8: both turn single down in 2s place improper.
9-16: same 2 half figure eight through the couple above and turn
two hands once round in middle place, ending proper.
B2: 1-8: 1s and W2 circle three 1 2/3 times, ending with 1s improper
in middle place (the second time this happens.)
9-16: 1s cross up to top and face (9-10), honor (11-12), and cast
to bottom, 3s moving up (13-16).
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KNIVES AND FORKS
Longways duple minor
A1: 1s cast off, go below 2s (who wait and lead up); back to back.
A2: 1s cast off, go above 2s (who wait and lead down); back to back.
B1: Facing out, take inside hands with neighbor and lead out (one bar, but
it's 3/2 so that's a longer time than you think), lead back (one bar),
cross over with partner (one bar) and make a loop to the right.
B2: First man and second woman cross (people, not places); others cross,
all turn partners two hands once round.
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LA RUSSE QUADRILLE
Square for four couples, "as danced in the Border Villages"
A1. Men move behind partner to W on right, who moves to meet him.
All balance and swing.
A2. Men return to partners, balance and swing.
B1. Leading couple swing.
B2. Leading couple promenade inside the set to places.
A3. Slipping step: Leading couple cross over with opposites,
splitting opposites.
Partners cross over. Couples cross back, opposite couple inside.
A4. Repeat A3.
B3. All join hands and circle left.
B4. Partners promenade to place.
[Repeat with each couple leading.]
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MIDNIGHT RAMBLE
Longways duple minor
A1: 1-4: 1s clap to launch into cross and cast down, 2s moving up.
5-8: 1s two hand turn 1.5 until proper
A2: 2s the same
B1: with a skip-change, 1s cross, cast (2s move up again), and
half-figure eight to progressed proper place
B2: 4 changes of R&L (with hands)
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Here are two sets of instructions for the same dance. The first
has Mutual Promises in the author's own words; the next has it in my
abbreviations. I hope that two descriptions will be helpful for a dance
likely to be unfamiliar to all of you.
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MUTUAL PROMISES
Longways triple minor, but we'll dance it in four-couple sets.
Dance: John Hertz (1980); used by his kind permission.
Music: Mozart K. 609, no. 3 (2/4, D) (1791)
A1. M1 cast off to 2nd place (M2 move up) (2 bars)
M1 set R&L to W3 (2 bars)
M1 & W3 turn 2 hands once round (4 bars)
A2. W1 same with M3 (progressive)
B1. 1st cpl turn by R hand half round (2 bars)
1st & 3d cpls L hands across once round (4 bars)
2nd cpl turn by R hand half round; 3d cpl same;
1st cpl honors (2 bars); all improper.
B2. All that at the top (all proper).
C1. 2nd cpl cast off, meet below 1st cpl (2 bars),
2nd cpl lead bck to 1st place (2 bars)
2nd cpl turn 2 hands once round;
M1 & M3 back-to-back, W1 & W3 same.
C2. 3d cpl same (meet above 1st cpl; back-to-back
M2 & M1, W1 & W1
D1. 1st cpl cross R shoulder, go outside &
below 3d cpl
1st cpl set R & L (on line); 2nd cpl same
1st cpl lead back to center (improper);
2nd cpl turn single (2 bars).
D2. All that at the top (go above 2nd cpl;
3d cpl set & turn single) (proper)
--------------------------------
Pretty and fun, though (alas) unforgiving -- like Mozart.
End cpls must stay alert in B part, keep good time first 4
bars of C1 & C2. Cues in the music very clear throughout.
Dance is symmetrical.
The A part will be recognized from "The Bishop."
John Hertz is the choreographer of "Friends of the English
Regency", an informal association of enthusiasts of the
period round the year 1800. He lives in Los Angeles.
MUTUAL PROMISES (redacted by Alan Winston)
Longways triple minor, but we'll dance it in four-couple sets.
A1: M1 cast to 2nd place, M2 moving up.
M1 sets to W3
M1 and W3 turn 2 hands once round.
A2: The same for W1. (1st couple now in middle place, proper.)
B1: ["Trade" = change places with partner by turning right hands halfway]
1s trade (2 bars)
LH * with 3s (below) (4 bars)
2s and 3s trade (2 bars) WHILE 1s step and honor.
B2: 1s trade
LH * with 2s (above)
2s and 3s trade (all proper) WHILE 1s step and honor.
C1: 2s cast below 1s, meet in center of set.
2s lead back to place and turn two hands round
WHILE
1s and 3s back-to-back with same-sex neighbor
C2: As above, but with 3s casting above 1s, 1s and 2s going back to back.
D1: 1s cross right shoulder, go outside and below the 3s, meet on the line,
set (2s set at the same time, 3s stand there); meet and lead back to
the center (improper) while 2s turn single.
D2: 1s cross, go outside and above the 2s, meet on the line, set while
the 3s set, lead back to the center (proper) while 3s turn single.
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Some notes:
This dance is thoroughly symmetrical.
The A part is the same figure as the A of "The Bishop".
All movements have cues in the music.
The D part can be viewed either as a giant figure 8 from above, or as the 1s
doing a cross, cast, and lead up (complicated by setting).
The dance is really unforgiving, but every figure ends with the 1s in the
middle proper, so if it falls apart just go back there.
It's really cool when it works.
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NEVER LOVE THEE MORE Longways duple minor Intro: Step and honor the Presence. Step and honor partner. Lead up a double and back twice. Dance: Back to back partner right shoulder. Back to back partner left shoulder. 1s whole figure eight through twos. All four circle half and fall back. Partners cross over, ending proper. Right hands across. Left hands across. Outro: Lead up a double and back twice. Step and honor partner. Step and honor the Presence. Back to Contents
RAFE'S WALTZ
copyright by Victor Skowronski, used by his kind permission ("as long as we
spell his name right" - that's S-k-o-w-r-o-n-s-k-i.)
Longways duple minor
A 1st corners set; gypsy 1/2
2nd corners set; gypsy 1/2
Set to partner; gypsy 1/2
Set to neighbors; gypsy 1/2
B 1's lead down; turn single away
Lead back up; turn single away
(all) Partner R-hand turn
1's cast & 2's lead up
All turn single away from partner
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SHREWSBURY LASSES
Longways for three couples
A1: First man steps and honors (however he pleases) second woman, then
turn two hands.
A2: First woman does the same with second man.
B1: First couple cast off to second place, second couple moving up,
then circle 4-hands with the third couple, leave that couple,
skip around the ends (man up, woman down) to meet at the middle and
turn two hands halfway.
B2: Third couple casts off and repeats the above action with the second
couple (still man up, woman down). Dance starts again with the new first
couple.
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WALPOLE COTTAGE dance composed by Pat Shaw Sicilian Circle threesomes, three facing three. Intro: Lines forward and back. A: Middles initiate super-contra corners, turning right with each other (using contra-style allemande grip or cupping elbow hold), left to right-hand opposite, each other, left-hand-opposite, each other, left-hand partner, each other, right-hand-partner. B: Ends right hand star, left hands back. Right-shoulder heys for three in own lines; middle passes first with right-hand end. C: Lines forward and back, circle six half-way. Forward and back; basket, open up to face new couple (with, perhaps, a new middle). Back to Contents
THE YOUNG WIDOW
Longways triple minor
[Early American sources]
A1: 1s and 2s right hands across (skipping), left hands back.
A2: 1s down the center (walking), turn as a couple,
come back (skipping) and cast off to middle place improper; 2s move up.
B: Take hands in lines of three; balance twice in lines. (A step-swing is
fun here.)
Circle six halfway (walking).
C: 1s step back out of the way. 3s and 2s face up and down the set.
Balance twice; two changes of rights and lefts to progressed proper place.
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