These are usually couple facing couple. Some are 3 facing 3 or 4 facing 4. The number 1 couples are those facing anticlockwiswe.
If the hall is crowded then these dances can usually be done in columns instead.
Chain Double Quadrille
Double sicilian circle (2 couples facing 2 couples)
48 bar reel
Medium
A1 (8) Centre 4 people (centre 2 people in each line) right hand star
(8) Left hand turn partner 1+1/2 to put the others in the centre
A2 (8) New centre 4 right hand star
(8) Left hand turn partner 1+1/2
B1 (8) Set to partner, twice
(8) Swing partner, finish in your line of 4 facing the other line of 4
Now the ladies chain around the set:
B2 (8) Ladies chain with the couple across, courtesy turn either 3/4 or 1+1/4
to finish facing the other couple in your line
(8) Ladies chain along the line, again turn either 3/4 or 1+1/4
C1 (8) Ladies chain with the couple across
(8) Ladies chain along the line (to original partner)
C2 (8) Lines advance and retire
(8) Pass through to a new foursome
Circassian Circle part 1
Sicilian circle
32 bar jig or reel
Medium
A1 (16) Right and lefts (all the way)
A2 (8) Set to partner, twice
(8) Swing partner
B1 (16) Ladies chain across and back. Stay in
the ladies chain hold
B2 (16) Promenade around the other couple and then
continue on, passing them to progress to a
new couple
Circle Galop
Sicilian circle (can't really be done in columns)
32 bar jig or reel
Easy
A1 (8) 2s separate, 1s take both hands and galop
anticlockwise through the stationary 2s
(8) 1s galop back
A2 (16) 2s repeat, starting by galoping clockwise
B1 (16) In your foursomes, circle left and right
B2 (4) 1s arch, pass through (2s go under the arch),
do not turn around
(4) 2s arch, everyone back up (1s go backwards under the arch)
(8) 1s arch, pass through (2s go under the arch) to a new couple
Margarets Waltz
by Pat Shaw
Sicilian circle
32 bar waltz
Medium
(numbers in parentheses are bar counts)
A1 (4) Advance and retire
(4) Turn opposite right hand
A2 (4) Turn partner left hand
(4) Ladies chain across only. Stay in the ladies
chain hold
B1 (2) Slide 2 steps diagonally forward and right, so
that the men are standing left shoulder to left shoulder
(2) Slide 2 steps diagonally forward and left, so
that the couple you are dancing with is behind you
(4) Right hand star with that couple until you get back
to where you started the dance (actually 3/4 of the
way around)
B2 (4) Do si do opposite
(4) Waltz with partner on to a new couple
Name?
by Peter Foster
Sicilian circle
32 bar waltz
Medium
(numbers in parentheses are bar counts)
A1 (2) Advance, take neighbour with both hands
(2) Men take the women back with them (men going
backwards, women forwards). Take ballroom hold
(4) Waltz half way around the other couple, face them
A2 (4) Men's chain: men cross by the left hand, turn partner right
hand and take a low promenade hold (ie right in
right, left in left, arms crossed in front, the so called
skater's hold)
(2) Slide 2 steps diagonally forward and right
(2) Slide 2 steps diagonally forward and left, to face a
new couple
B1 (4) Right hand star halfway. Again, take a low promenade hold
with partner
(2) Slide 2 steps diagonally forward and left
(2) Slide 2 steps diagonally forward and right, to face
your original couple
B2 (4) Left hand star halfway, take ballroom hold with partner
(4) Waltz on to a new couple
The zigzag/stars sequence is from Beauty In Tears by Barry Moule.
It's an interesting sequence, but 4 bars is a bit too much time to
star just halfway. Starring 3/4 would fill the time better, but it
makes a more complicated dance - see The Mother In Law.
The Mother In Law
by Peter Foster
Sicilian circle (double progression)
32 bar waltz
Medium
(numbers in parentheses are bar counts)
A1 (2) Circle left just 1/4
(2) 2 hand half turn with neighbour, take a ballroom hold
(4) Waltz on (past your partner), face a new couple
A2 (4) Men's chain: men cross by the left hand, turn the other
woman right hand and take a low promenade hold (ie right in
right, left in left, arms crossed in front, the so called
skater's hold). Everyone is now facing in their original
direction, although they are not with their partner
(2) Slide 2 steps diagonally forward and right
(2) Slide 2 steps diagonally forward and left, to face a
new couple
B1 (4) Right hand star 3/4. Finish as couple facing couple around
the room with a new person next to you (man on the right,
woman on the left). Take a low promenade hold with this new
person
(2) Slide 2 steps diagonally forward and left
(2) Slide 2 steps diagonally forward and right, to face
another new couple that includes your partner
B2 (4) Left hand star 3/4, take ballroom hold with partner
(4) Waltz on to another new couple
The zigzag slides and the 3/4 stars can be a bit disorienting:
during this part, the men always go in the same direction around
the room, but the women shuffle back and forth (for the women,
the second zigzag brings them back the other way). You could
say it's easier for the men but more interesting for the women.
In A2, after the men's chain you are with your shadow. That is,
you will always be with this person at this part of the dance
(it's a bit like a secondary partner). A dance should avoid
having too much interaction with a shadow, as you don't choose
your shadow but you are stuck with them for the entire dance. In
this dance the shadow becomes a feature. Here is how I described it:
"Look at the person you are now with. At this part of the dance,
you are always going to be with this person. You will be returning
to your partner each time through, but you will also keep running
into this person. It's a bit like getting married: you don't just
get a partner, you get a whole family as well. So men, if you think
of your partner as your wife then think of this woman as your
mother-in-law".
First danced at Bob and Margaret's wedding. And yes, I made sure
the groom's mother-in-law was in the appropriate place.
Numeralla Jig
3 facing 3 around the room
32 bar jig
Easy
A1 (16) All 6 people, circle left and right
A2 (8) Centre people right hand star with the 2
people on their right (includes one person
from the other line)
(8) Centre people left hand star with the 2
people on their left
B1 (8) Arches: take hands in your original lines of 3,
arch on the left hand side and person on the right
go through that arch and around the centre person
to place (centres will need to turn under their
own arm)
(8) Arch on the other side, left person go through
B2 (8) Lines of 3 advance and retire
(8) Pass through to progress
In B1, experienced dancers can do the arches a lot more than just once
Named for the village of Numeralla, site of an annual folk festival.
Prince of Orange
Sicilian circle
32 bar reel (dance is just 16 bars)
Easy
Figure
A1 (8) Advance and retire
(8) Advance and retire again
Chorus
A2 (8) Individually clap, clap, clap-clap-clap,
stamp, stamp, stamp-stamp-stamp
(8) Pass through to a new couple
The figure can be anything: star, circle, rights and lefts,
ladies chain, do si do opposite then partner, basket, etc.
The first few times through the caller can specify the figure. After
a while, allow each foursome to individually decide what they would like
to do.
I sometimes use this dance fairly early in the evening to teach a number
of figures.
Soldiers Joy
Sicilian circle
32 bar reel
Medium
A1 (8) Advance and retire
(8) Swing opposite in a ballroom hold. Finish
in a line of 4 across the set with the men
back to back in the middle
A2 (8) Men turn over their left shoulder to their
partner, swing partner in a ballroom hold in
the "wrong" direction (anticlockwise)
(8) Swing partner in the proper direction. During
this swing get back to your original place
B1 (16) Ladies chain across and back. Stay in
the ladies chain hold
B2 (16) Promenade around the other couple and then
continue on, passing them to progress to a
new couple
Any comments - email pfoster@pcug.org.au
Last modified 29 June 2008