Dances by Peter Foster
Sicilian Circles
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Last modified 29 March 2009
Here are some dances that are in Sicilian circle formation
(couple facing couple around the room). Feel free to try them out. See
also my contra/square dances.
Comments are welcome -
email pfoster@pcug.org.au.
Star Surprise |
| Peter Foster July 2006 |
| Sicilian Circle (contra style dance) |
| Music: 32 bar reels |
| Level: Medium-Easy |
| |
| A1 |
(8) |
Right and left |
| |
(8) |
Ladies chain and stay in the ladies chain hold |
| |
| A2 |
(8) |
Promenade with this person around
the set, gents passing left shoulders
to start (some are promenading anticlockwise
around the outside, some are promenading
clockwise around the inside).
After 5 or 6 steps, all turn (as couples) to face the centre!
(Couples on the inside need to do an extra half turn to face
the centre, everyone finishes with the woman on the right) |
| |
(8) |
In two circles, everyone to the middle and back |
| |
| B1 |
(8) |
Single file march the other way (outside clockwise,
inside anticlockwise). When you get back to your
partner, take their right hand in a handshake hold. You will automatically
form right hand stars (the "star surprise") |
| |
(8) |
Right hand star once around |
| |
| B2 |
(8) |
Everyone swing neighbour, finish facing across |
| |
(8) |
All swing partner, finish facing original direction |
There are several contras (e.g. Enid's Delight) where you march
around the set and take neighbours hand to make a star. I wanted
a dance where you took your partner's hand to automagically form
a star. I had to bend the dance into a sicilian circle to make it
work.
Instructions are in contra form. That is, the right and left is across
only (half right and left) and the ladies chain is a half ladies chain.
Also, the swings should be in ballroom hold and the swing finishes with
the woman on the right.
Waving Around |
| Peter Foster 1989 |
| Formation: Sicilian Circle |
| Music: 32 bar reels |
| Level: Easy-Medium |
| |
| A1 |
(8) |
Circle left |
| |
(8) |
Half ladies chain |
| |
| A2 |
(8) |
Star left |
| |
(8) |
Star right (hands across star) |
| |
| B1 |
(8) |
Half ladies chain |
| |
(8) |
Circle right |
| |
| B2 |
(16) |
Dip and dive past four couples, couples facing clockwise
make the first arch |
The dip and dive is the principal figure in the dance "Waves of Tory".
Since in this dance the dip and dive is around the room, it seemed
reasonable to call it "Waving Around".
Diane's Waltz |
| Peter Foster April 1997 |
| Formation: Sicilian Circle |
| Music: 32 bar waltzes eg Planxty Fanny Power, Planxty Irwin |
| Level: Medium |
| |
| Figures in parentheses are the number of bars |
| A1 |
(2) |
Advance, drop partner's hand, face partner, take inside
hands on the side |
| |
(2) |
Retire (away from partner) |
| |
(2) |
Advance, drop hands, take partner's hand again, face opposite couple |
| |
(2) |
Retire (with partner). Everyone is now home
|
| |
| A2 |
(4) |
Right hand star |
| |
(4) |
Half ladies chain |
| |
| B1 |
(4) |
Left hand star |
| |
(2) |
Gents turn left hand one quarter (which is not very far) while ladies
cast right and take partner's right hand in a line of four in balance in
line formation (lines are like the spokes of a wheel) |
| |
(2) |
Balance in line (ie rock forward and back) |
| |
| B2 |
(2) |
Let go of partner, gents turn left hand three quarters, ladies move
clockwise one quarter, again take partner's right hand, ready for another
balance in line (ladies may join left hands to make a large circle around
the room) |
| |
(2) |
Balance in line |
| |
(4) |
Take partner in ballroom hold and waltz on to a new couple |
Written for my wife
The June Waltz |
| Peter Foster June 1989 |
| Formation: Sicilian Circle |
| Music: 32 bar waltzes eg The June Waltz (I'll put it up in abc format soon...) |
| Level: Medium-Easy |
| |
| Figures in parentheses are the number of bars |
| A1 |
(2) |
With neighbour, right hand turn halfway |
| |
(4) |
Right hand star once around |
| |
(2) |
With neighbour, right hand turn halfway to return to place |
| |
| A2 |
(2) |
With partner, left hand turn halfway |
| |
(4) |
Left hand star once around |
| |
(2) |
With partner, left hand turn halfway to return to place |
| |
| B1 |
(4) |
Half ladies chain, retain ladies chain hold |
| |
(4) |
Half promenade to change places with the other couple |
| |
| B2 |
(4) |
"Half gentleman's chain" ie gents cross left hand, turn
partner right hand |
| |
(4) |
With partner, waltz on to a new couple |
Written for my mother.
Hit The Deck |
| Peter Foster February 1989 |
| Formation: Double sicilian circle, ie 2 couples facing 2 couples around the
room. It is probably better as a double contra, ie 4 facing 4 in columns. |
| Music: 40 bar jigs in 10 bar phrases (which pretty well limits it to the Wee Cooper 'O
Fife set of tunes). |
| Level: Medium |
| |
| Note that each of the four major phrases of music contains 20 counts rather
than the usual 16 |
| A1 |
(8) |
Centre 4 people left hand star |
| |
(4) |
All change with partner right hand |
| |
(8) |
New centres left hand star (do NOT change with partner again) |
| |
| A2 |
(4) |
All 4 ladies advance, take hands ready for a balance in line |
| |
(4) |
Balance in line |
| |
(4) |
Gents advance while ladies retire |
| |
(4) |
Gents balance in line |
| |
(4) |
Gents retire |
| |
| B1 |
(8) |
All circle left halfway, finishing on the other side |
| |
(4) |
All pass through (right shoulder) to original side |
| |
(8) |
Swing partner, finish facing across with ladies on right
Couples will have changed places within their lines |
| |
| B2 |
(20) |
Rights and lefts with the opposite couple for 5 hands to progress to
a new line of 4 |
One of my favourite Scottish Country dances is "The Wee Cooper O' Fife".
It is very unusual in that the dance (and tune) are in ten bar phrases,
rather than the usual eight bar phrases. I wanted to try my hand at
writing a dance with this phrasing: it is certainly interesting trying to
fit "normal" moves into 20 counts.