Dance instructions, NFF Heritage Ball 2014

CIRCULAR WALTZ one rotation to 2 bars of 3-4. (Couples are welcome to dance their own version of this as a free waltz with reversing)

This is simply the name of the rotary or plain Old Time Waltz of the early Twentieth Century. It was known in the nineteenth century as ‘Valse à Trois Temps’ or simply Waltz. There are six distinct separate steps in one turn of the Circular Waltz. In the old Trois Temps form the toes must be turned outwards whereas by the 1930s the Circular Waltz had changed to parallel feet positions in accordance with the New Vogue fashion. There is no rise and fall in the Circular Waltz, good dancers could waltz with a wine glass of water on their head or spin a saucer. Because of the spinning top nature of the Circular Waltz with its tiny steps it was often dubbed the ‘Threepenny Waltz’.

Position: Waltz hold man facing down line of dance (except in sequence dances where he is often facing wall).

Instructions.

All steps are small and staying on the toe, i.e. on the ball of the foot and the heel remaining off the floor. Each step is short with the heel or toe not passing the instep of the other foot. Steps described with respect to the man, the lady stepping mirror image on the opposite foot.

1st. Step partly turning clockwise on the ball of the right foot while stepping forward to the side onto the ball of the left foot.

2nd. Step back on the ball of the right foot

3rd. Step back on the left foot continuing the turn. Man should now be half way round facing against line of dance but continuing to turn.

4th. Step back to the side on the right foot continuing to turn.

5th. Step forward on the left foot

6th. Step forward right foot completing one turn and facing down line of dance again.

Every step is a passing step, the feet do not close together, one toe always an instep forward or back from the other foot. The late Ken Hall referred to the Circular Waltz as the ‘Walk Waltz’ and his easy way of remembering the steps as described in detail above was to say, around back back, around forward forward. Repeat etc.

This description is for the very precise Circular Waltz as judged in the ‘waltzing competitions’. There were rules and the general rules were announced, but there were others kept secret until the winners were announced and then the judges would detail the finer points and

then lead a demonstration round as a type of lap of honour after which the crowd might join in again. Some of the finer points might vary between judges but the following would be the main rules to follow.

Music. Steady waltz tunes at a tempo between 48 and 50 bars a minute, no faster. Merry Widow, Daisy, Two Little Girls In Blue, Alice Sweet Gown, Pink Lady are all typical Circular Waltz tunes. There are many excellent collected Australian waltzes also suitable.

Veleta Waltz WA versionExtended hold as normally danced

Walk forward 1-2, 123 and turn inwards to face against LOD and repeat to place and waltz.

Sydney Tap which is almost the same as the Gipsy Tap except that following the first initial advance the couple step side together side together during the second stage of advance, and turn around as a unit (a half waltz turn) to face against LOD and repeat to place and similarly turn around and then continue as in the usual Gipsy Tap.

EVENING THREE STEP 16 bars of 6-8.Open extended hold, facing down line of dance

1 Earlier version (there are many variations of this but generally danced with a real jivey handshake swing, possibly influenced by rock n’ roll during the 1950s)

Holding inside hands and starting on the outside foot the couple walk three steps forward 2 bars.

They then change places with 3 steps the man taking the ladies right hand in his left ‘pulls her across’, lady moving to the left with a half turn in front of her partner as he steps to the right 2 bars.

Change back to places with three steps, lady turning under man’s left hand as he performs a full turn into place and they change back to inside hands 2 bars.

Walk 3 steps backwards to starting place (some give the lady a single twirl on retreating to place) 2 bars.

Commencing on the outside foot and swinging the inside hands forward and back, pas de basque skip forward twice with an outwards and then inwards body sway 2 bars.

Circular Waltz to complete sequence 6 bars. (Some add a side together side together step before waltzing; this has come in from the newer version)

2 Later version (most likely standardised by the Ballroom Dance Societies from the earlier versions). This version is smoother lacking the jivey swing.

Holding inside hands and starting on the outside foot the couple walk three steps forward and close feet together 2 bars.

Angling towards each other and realising hands the couple change places with an inward 3 step pivot turn, lady crossing in front of the man 2 bars.

Changing hands, the couple pivot turn back to place in the same fashion 2 bars.

Taking inside hands and commencing on the inside foot the couple walk 3 steps backward to starting point 2 bars.

With an outwards sway and then inwards sway the couple skip or pas de basque skip twice along the line of dance and finish facing each other and taking both hands 2 bars.

Slide side together side together along line of dance 2 bars.

Circular Waltz to complete the sequence 4 bars.

Music 6-8 tunes at a tempo of 58 to 60 bars per minute such as Hello Who’s Your Lady Friend, I’ve Got A Lovely Bunch Of Coconuts, Ship Ahoy, I Do Like To Be Beside The Seaside, The Man Who Broke The Bank At Monte Carlo, and McNamara’s Band. Some bands like to vary the music by switching to 2-4 marches with tunes like Colonel Bogey and Invercargill.

BARN DANCE 4 bar sequence of 4-4.Position: Promenade hold except the gent's left hand remains at his side, as does the lady's right. The other hand is placed behind the respective partner's back.

Instructions. Gent left foot, lady right, walk three steps forward pausing for an instant on the fourth and then perform a slight hop by throwing the inside foot forward with a light knee lift. (1 bar).

Repeat the sequence forward starting on the inside foot 1 bar.

Circular waltz 2 bars (twice round).

This is the old barn dance and note that the movement is always forwards around line of dance, whereas if made

Progressive it is then forward and back (without the hop) and change partners then repeat and waltz (8 bar sequence).

Then repeat forward and back and waltz.

Music. Schottische tunes in 4-4 at a tempo between 28 and 30 bars a minute. The old barn dance is performed to the slower range of tempo and tunes such All By Yourself In The Moonlight, Over The Garden Wall and Castles In The Air suit it best. The progressive barn dance is better at a smarter tempo and many of the popular songs in 4-4 suit it. E.g. Grandfather’s Clock, English Country Gardens, Lavender Blue, Policeman’s Holiday, Drover’s Dream, Click Go The Shears. Many bands will play the last bracket or two in 6-8 with tunes such as McNamara’s Band and

Phil the Fluter’s Ball or even a jig such as Cock o’ The North and the Irish Washerwoman. They also ‘swing’ the regular barn dance tunes such as Grandfather’s Clock into 2-4 and use others such Along The Road To Gundagai and Ryebuck Shearer. There are also many good Australian bush songs such as the Old Bark Hut, Bullocky O! Another Fall Of Rain which admirably suit the progressive Barn Dance

PROGRESSIVE JIVE 8 bar sequence of 4-4.

Formation, couples stand in a circle around the hall, man on the inside facing out (wall), lady on the outside facing in and holding both hands partners.

With a swingy bounce step, move to the man’s left stepping side together, side together 1 bar.

Repeat to the right returning to place 1 bar.

Open out facing along line of dance and holding inside hands repeat side together side together moving outwards from each other, then repeat inwards together 2 bars.

Repeat outwards 1 bar.

The man, commencing right foot (lady left foot) releases left hand and walks 6 steps in a clockwise circle around place while turning the lady (by her left hand) under right arm and change partners, the man meeting (a hand clap on the last beat) and taking hands with the next lady that was behind him 3 bars.

Recommence the sequence.

The Progressive Jive remains popular today and is often used as a finale to conclude a Progressive Barn Dance. It is known as Rockabilly in Qld.

Music ‘Jive’y’ tunes such as Ain’t She Sweet, Darktown Strutters’ Ball, Rock Around The Clock, In The Mood, Poor People of Paris, Whistling Rufus, Shortning Bread, Joey’s Song, Down At Papa Joe’s, Strutting With Maria.

Masonic Quadrille WA

Fig 1./ 1st Quadrille 4 x 40 bars

1st & 2nd couples right & left to place 8 bars

Swing partners 8 bars

Ladies chain across & back (Nariel style chain is the old Australian version) 8 bars

Promenade the set 8 bars

Swing partners 8 bars

Repeat with 3rd & 4th couples.

Optional to repeat the figure two more times.

Fig 2./ 1st Lancers 4 x 32 bars

1st lady & opposite gent swing in the centre, partners cross over straight away 16 bars

Partners and lead through to places and all swing corners 16 bars

Repeat 2nd , 3rd, 4th.

Fig 3./ 2nd Alberts 4 x 32 bars

1st couple lead up and back (advance & retire) and advance to centre (unwinding lady) & swing 16 bars

Top & bottom lines (advance & retire twice) 8 bars

All swing partners at place 8 bars

Repeat 2nd couple

Repeat 3rd then 4th couples (side lines)

Fig 4./ 4th Alberts 4 x 32 bars

1st & 2nd couples waltz right & left (this is a right and left movement using pas de valse forward steps, it is not a couple’s circular waltz round the set) 8 bars, circling up in the centre forward of place.

Spanish waltz (Balance 2 bars, chain on and quick bob bow/curtsy 2 bars) ladies travelling twice round the set. 16 bars

Waltz the set 8 bars

Repeat 3rd & 4th couples, then repeat from beginning 1st & 2nd, then 3rd & 4th .

Fig 5./ 6th Quadrille (simplified version) 4 x 32 bars plus coda

Basically the Stockyards in 4 couple set formation.

Advance & retire twice with loud ‘hoy’ 8 bars

All Swing corners 8 bars

All Promenade the set to places 8 bars

All Swing with new partner (can use the backswing) 8 bars

Repeat 3 more times till back to original partners, then (coda) Promenade the set and promenade ladies to their seats.

Parma Waltz/ Swing Waltz standard versions

IRISH HAYMAKER 7 x 96 bar Irish jigs (ie a 32 bar jig played 3 times) at 60 to 64 bars per minute.

This version or adaptation of the Haymaker or Sir Roger de Coverley includes a Strip the Willow as in the Virginia Reel and is one that is popular in the Irish clubs in Australia. It established itself in the folk club circuit as part of the bush dance revival of the 1970’s.

Longways set of 7 couples, ladies in the right line facing the band. The Irish form of skip change travelling step is used throughout the dance except for swinging. Similar to the ordinary Haymaker, much of the dance works across the diagonal from the top and bottom of the set, up until the swinging and strip the willow.

DanceBars

8 Advance & retire twice (holding hands along the line the men and ladies advance 4 steps forward and back & repeat with a *jig step in the centre)

* Kick, hop down, hop 1, 2, 3, 4, Kick, hop down, hop 1, 2, 3, 4.First time right leg is kicked in front, second time the left

4 Top lady & bottom man right arm turn.

4 Bottom lady & top man right arm turn.

4 Top lady & bottom man left arm turn.

4 Bottom lady & top man left arm turn.

1 Top lady & bottom man two handed ‘swing’ in the centre (clockwise).

8 Bottom lady & top man two handed swing1 Top couple swing about a 1/3 of the way down the set and back to place1 Strip the willow (the top couple separate and turn by left arm with the next of opposite

sex on the opposite line, they then meet back in the centre turning by right arm. Then next repeat on the opposite line by left arm and ‘corkscrew’ down the set moving from opposite line by left arm to partner in the centre by right arm each time).

1 On reaching the bottom of the set, the top couple two handed swing (clockwise) back to the top.

16 Cast off ladies to the right gents to the left. (The top couple separate and turning outwards with each in their line following pass down to the outside of their line to bottom of the set. The top couple form an arch as in Oranges & Lemons, a single handed arch gives more room, and the others pass under the arch joining inside hands and back to the top of the set.

The dance repeats 6 more times with a new top couple and the former top couple at the bottom.

SWEDISH COUNTRY DANCE 4 x 48 bar set tunes in 2-4 at 58-60 bars per minute.Longways set for 4 couples

Bars

16 Top couple (half turn on taking the waltz hold) galop down the centre, round behind the men (without turning round, i.e. facing same way),

down the centre again, up behind the ladies and down the centre again to finish at the bottom.

16 Top couple Strip the Willow from the bottom of the set, the man turning by left arm on the ladies line as his partner turns by left on the men’s line (with respective 4th persons) and turn by right arm with each other in the centre, the left on the opposite line with 3rd persons etc back to the top.

24 Top man & lady arch over the ladies line (he takes his partner’s left hand in his right and he goes down the outside of the of the ladies’ line while she goes down the inside ie they arch down the set over the ladies) and return along the men’s line in the same manner. The other dancers kneel down (facing the top of the set) as this is in progress and with hands ‘clap, clap, clap’ in polka time to the music.

8 All the other couples form arches and the top couple passes to the bottom and all swing to the end of the phraseRepeat 2nd, 3rd, 4th leading.

Maxina WAUsual hold

Walk forward 1-2, 123 (or slow, slow, quick, quick, slow) and repeat and repeat. On the last repeat turn around as in the Parma Waltz to face against LOD and repeat one sequence towards place, and similarly turn around to face LOD again. Grapevine same as Victorian version (step diagonally forward left theb right, then angling more step left back and then close weight on right, repeat etc.)

Then Charmaine style crossovers as in the Sydney/NSW (and QLD?) version. This is performed by walking 1-2 (left right) and crossing left over right and ‘twinkling’ backwards 1234 (exactly as in that same part of the Charmaine) and repeating that very same movement rather than the mirror image follow-up of the Charmaine. Waltz.

(Can’t remember how they get into the waltz hold, but may have to step forward 1-2 face each other, step back and forward as in similar sections of the Parma or our own Maxina).

VARSOVIANA (WALTZ OF VIENNA) 32 bar sequence of 3-4.

Position: Waltz hold (man facing wall)

Instructions

Turn Around And Point, Section A.

Man starting left foot takes a small step to the left along line of dance (1st beat) while half turning anti-clockwise and stepping onto the right foot to complete the half turn (2nd beat now facing centre) and closing left foot up to the right foot (3rd beat of first bar), and then pointing the right foot (2nd position) along line of dance for the 2nd bar (The lady commences right foot, her steps mirror image to the man) 2 bars.

The man now takes a small step to the right along line of dance and makes a clockwise half turn counter direction to before stepping onto the left foot (now facing centre) and closing right foot to left and then pointing left foot along line of dance 2 bars.

The reverse ‘turn around then stop’ followed by the natural turn around and stop is repeated for a further 12 bars of section A of the tune. 8 turn around and stop sections all together.

Polka Mazurka, Polka Turn and Point, Section B

Man commences left foot, lady right. Man springs with a rocking action (left shoulder dips down) to land on the left foot (1st beat) and immediately brings the right foot up with a springy movement to take place of the left foot, left shoulder rising (2nd beat). Hop on the right foot, raising left foot up towards line of dance, not higher than ankle position (the knee is bent but not raised excessively (3rd beat of 1st bar). Repeat the steps of the mazurka advance of the 1st bar then the man makes a half reverse polka turn (anti-clockwise) with 3 springy steps (sometimes referred to a redowa turn) on the 3rd bar and then rests by pointing the right foot along line of dance as in section A on the 4th bar. The above sequence of 2 mazurka advances, polka turn and point is repeated starting on the other foot and turning clockwise. Repeat to the end of the 16 bars of the part B section of the tune. (4 mazurka, turn and point sections altogether). It is important that the Varsoviana in neatly danced without kicking the back foot out in the mazurkas and that the man stays front on to the lady in the waltz hold in the turn around and point section.

Music. The Varsoviana and its music was one of the most popular and characteristic of all the old dances in the bush. Harry McQueen maintained that the dances concludes on the part A of the tune so that dancers are not left foot in the air.

POLKA MAZURKA 8 bar sequence of 3-4.The polka mazurka is a dance consisting of mazurka advances and polka step turns, but performed to mazurka music in 3-4. Musically it has no connection with a polka. The Polka Mazurka along with the Polka, Varsoviana & Highland Schottische was one of the most popular of the real Old Time & Colonial dances. So much so people often adhered to special partners for this, their favourite dance. Arriving mid nineteenth century the Polka Mazurka was a simplified

adaptation of the Mazurka and including polka steps to facilitate an easy change of direction. The dance enjoyed a good revival when the Wedderburn Oldtimers formed in 1975 to promote the real old dances & music favoured in the bush.

Position: Waltz hold, man facing wall.

Instructions.

Man commences left foot, lady right. Man springs with a rocking action (left shoulder dips down) to land on the left foot (1st beat) and immediately brings the right foot up with a springy movement to take place of the left foot, left shoulder rising (2nd beat). Hop on the right foot, raising left foot up towards line of dance, not higher than ankle position (the knee is bent but not raised excessively (3rd beat of 1st bar) 1 bar.

Repeat the steps of the mazurka advance of the 1st bar and repeat again 2 bars.

The man makes a half reverse polka turn (anti-clockwise) with 3 springy steps (sometimes referred to a redowa turn) on the 4th bar 1 bar.

He then continues with a further 3 mazurka advance now leading the right foot 3 bars.

The man then performs a clockwise half polka turn 1 bar.

He then continues with the mazurka advances etc. The polka turns alternate from anticlockwise to clockwise between each of the respective mazurka advances.

Original Polka Mazurka. Use two mazurka advances instead of three and then a full polka turn of 6 steps anticlockwise alternating with clockwise between the mazurka advances.

Music. The tempo for the Polka Mazurka needs to be quite bright between 52 and 54 bars a minute; the NSW Mazurka requires a slower Circular Waltz tempo of 48-50 bars a minutes. Otherwise the same Mazurka tunes can be used for either Polka Mazurka or Mazurka.

Clementine is the most well-known tune for the Polka Mazurka, but there are many collected tunes and popular tunes of which Daisy’s Tune (Daisy Sutton of the Wedderburn Oldtimers) and Corry’s Tune are the best.

HIGHLAND SCHOTTISCHE 8 bars of 4-4.

Position: Waltz hold, man facing wall.

Instructions

Man commencing left foot, lady right. While hopping 4 times on the right foot the man points 5th aerial position to the side with his left foot then 4th position rear, then 5th to the side again, then 1st

position with the left heel lifted against the right ankle (lady’s steps are mirror image to the man’s) 1 bar.

He then travels to the left, side together side hop 1 bar.

The sequence is then repeated on the opposite foot and travelling back to the right to place 2 bars.

The couple then perform the Schottische by travelling diagonal centre side together side hop to the left and then to the right 2 bars.

Conclude with circular step hops (2 rotations) 2 bars.

NANCY DAWSON (courtesy Heather Clarke who is presenting a workshop at NFF) There are a number of different versions - this one comes from "No Kissing Allowed in School! A Virginia Dancing School in 1784." byKate Van Winkle Keller & George A. Fogg. It has recently proven to be a very popular dance. Further information is available on the website :http://www.colonialdance.com.au/nancy-dawson-1514.html

Country dance: Longways set for 4 couples.A1 1-8 1st couple cast off down outside and back.A2 1-8 1st couple cross and cast, cross and cast, lead up to face 1st corners. 2nd couple move up on bars 3 & 4.B1 1-8 *Set to 1st corners and dance around them by the left shoulder. Meet partner in the middle, clap hands [own, own, partner’s] and two-hand turn to face second corners.B2 1-8 Repeat B1 with 2nd corners.

* Setting step is the Rigadoon.

CIRCASSIAN CIRCLE ITHACA No. V (progressive Sicilian formation as in standard version) Use same track MCD CD1 track 4Bars

8 Hands across & back again (right & left star)8 Set to and Swing Partners (Use the ballroom Quadrille set)8 Galop 8 steps (in ballroom hold) down or up the set, men back to back & return with the men passing back to back (similar movement to the Tempest galop)8 Ladies’ half chain (Nariel style) and remain with the new partner and promenade onto meet the next couple. (the ladies move backwards and forwards between the neighbouring sets while the men keep moving on. There will be a change of partners each time through the dance as well as a new opposite couple)

BOSTON TWO STEP WA versionGay Gordons hold, but man’s right hand over or at shoulder)

Walk 8 steps forward, turn and repeat back to place 8 bars.

If possible join hands with other couples nearby - Kick one way then the other (must be facing each other with 2 hand hold) and repeat (sort of step hop kick) 4 bars.

Circular waltz 4 bars.

The kicking section used to be done with jumps on the spot often many linking up by joining hands with other couples and all singing out ‘hoy hoy hoy-hoy-hoy’. The first hoy is sung out to the first step hop to the right and left, likewise the second hoy. The 3rd ‘hoy-hoy-hoy’ is sung out to the space of one step hop.

TROIKA MCD CD 2 track 11.

The dance has its own tune which has a steady start and the tempo gradually increases to a brisk finale. Troika is a Russian folk dance popularised in the Australian bush dance folk scene as a result of publicity by the Melbourne Bushwackers Band.

Formation: Sets of three face around the line of dance with inside hands joined at shoulder height. Traditionally the formation would be a man in the middle of the line of 3 with a lady in each hand. In modern time it can be a lady with 2 men or even three of the same sex.

DanceBars

4 Commence with the right foot and take 4 running steps diagonally forward to the right and 4 running steps diagonally forward to the left, and 8 running steps forward. (This is sometimes done as sixteen high kicking steps fwd.) In Australia as a result of ‘interpretation’ by the Bushwackers Band, it has been performed with 8 running steps forward and 8 back.

4 Facing forward, the person on the right arming by left hand with the middle person goes under an arch formed by the raised joined hands of the middle and far left person. The middle person provides the lead in this movement must swivel around anticlockwise following the right person under the arch. Then the middle person directs the left person under an arch in a similar manner formed by with the right person and this time swivelling and turning clockwise.

4 Join hands in small circles on 3 moving 12 steps to left with grapevine swivels (stepping left, right behind, left) and stamp three times (L-R-L) and pause.

4 Repeat to the right on the opposite foot 12 steps then stamp three times and pause.

Open up to face line of dance to begin again.

Richmond Lodge Masonic Quadrille WA

Fig 1./ Altering it to 1st Caledonians because of the duplication with other WA Masonic Quadrille

4 x 40 bars

1st & 2nd Couples hands across & back again (right & left star) 8 bars

Ladies chain across & back (Nariel style which is the old Australian way) 8 bars

Promenade the set 8 bars

Swing partners 8 bars

Fig 2./ 3rd Quadrille

4 x 24 bars

1st lady round 2nd gent (they take a left handshake hold and walk anticlockwise round the set

And join right hands (handshake) with partner’s right hands to make a line of 4 and balance 8 bars

Promenade the set 8 bars

Swing partners (can use the back swing) 8 bars

Fig 3 ./ 3rd Lancers,

All ladies to the centre (ladies advance and bob bow and retire), readvance and curtsy back under as man follow and raise and join hands and lower. Circle up in a basket, ladies arms crooked over the men’s. 8 bars

Circle left 8 bars (finishing at place)

Gent’s advance and retire, readvance and form a star, right hands behind partner’s back & Promenade (finishing at places) 16 bars

Repeat figure

Fig 4./ Waltz Chain

Right hands to partners for the grand waltz chain

Couples face each other and take right hands, balance forward and back and chain on, ladies turning under partner’s right hand as man completes a full circular waltz turn to meet new partner 4 bars.

Repeat 3 more times 12 bars

On reaching original partners circular waltz the set 16 bars.

Repeat 3 more times then ‘unwind sets’ and form a Circular Waltz round the hall.

Note, this could be made more interesting by chaining on one extra time and waltzing with each corner lady in turn.

Polka Quadrille

Circle up and polkade the set 8 bars

1st & 2nd couples right & left 8 bars

Ladies chain 8 bars

Circular polka the set 8 bars

 Repeat 3 & 4th couples after polkade etc.

 Repeat 1st & 2nd, repeat 3rd & 4th, then polka the hall.

Pride of Erin WAExtended hold as in the Veleta Waltz

Walk forward 1-2, 123 (pivoting away from each other as in Gypsy Tap on 123 to face against LOD)

Repeat to place finishing with man facing wall and lady centre, i.e. facing each other.

Balance or Rock twice once each way & again, (lady’s right hand held by man’s left hand), then the man walks 3 steps forward twirling the lady 3 (similar to Gay Gordons but in ¾, the lady using waltz steps)

Face partners (man facing wall) and balance and crossover and repeat and waltz as in Victorian version.

Chain Double Quadrille

DOUBLE CHAIN QUADRILLE48 bar set tunes, either 2-4 or 6-8. It would suit the dance best if a 16 bar tag is arranged at the beginning of each tune. 58-60 bars per minute.

Progressive Sicilian formation in a circle or column with lines of two couples facing two couples. This dance, most likely from British folk sources, is popular in the Australian folk scene.

DanceSalute partners.

Bars

8 The centre four people right hand star and turn partners by the left arm8 The outer four people right hand star and turn partners by the left arm8 Set (twice with pas de basque) to & swing partners (with ballroom or Kamarooka hold)

16 Ladies chain across the set and then along the set (and repeat around the square to place)

8 Couples advance & retire & readvance to pass through by the left shoulder to the next line of couples

POSTIES JIG 4 x 32 bar Scottish jigs at 58-62 bars a minute.

This dance originally from the Scottish Country Dance Club following has become extremely popular in the folk dance scene and is a lot of fun. It is not however a dance, in contrast to the regular ‘bush dances’, where beginners can be easily included without extensive walk throughs.

Longways set of four couples, ladies on the right hand line facing their partners. The Scottish reel step (skip change) is the travelling step.

DanceBars

2 Couples 1 & 4 set to partners (bas de basque)

2 Cast outwards around the middle couples to take places between the middle men & ladies respectively.

4 Half reel of four whereby couples 1 & 4 dance across the diagonal to their end of the set (opposite side) arming around with that person and coming back between the middle couples and out & arming around the corners.

2 Ladies 1 & 4 join inside hands & pass under the arch formed by men 1 & 4 with inside hands. Thus men & ladies swap sides.

2 Dancing couples turn corners by nearest arm (lady 1, left, man 1 right, etc.).

2 Dancing couples take inside hands with their own partner and top couple goes under the arch of the bottom couple (prompt call is ‘bottoms up’) This movement is at right angles to the ‘ladies under’ of above.

2 Turn corners.

2 Repeat moving from different sides each time.4 Dancing couples half right & left (chain with partner by right hand then chain along the

line, left hand with person of same sex.

4 Turn partner with 2 hand open hold once & take up middle position.

Strip the Willow (DROPS of BRANDY) (5 couples in longways formation, ladies in the right hand line facing their partners)

Time signature 9-8

Bars

4 1st couple swing (12 beats)

4 1st lady strips the willow (she turns with 2nd man by the left arm and then turns in the centre with her partner by right arm).

8 The 1st lady continues in this manner moving down the set, left arm on the men’s line with 3rd and then 4th man, turning by right arm with her partner in between.

4 1st couple swing at the bottom of the set (12 beats)

4 1st man strips the willow (by turning left arm with 4th lady, then by right arm with his partner).

8 1st man continues to the top arming by left arm with 3rd lady, right with his partner, left with 2nd lady and back to partner linking right arms.

4 1st couple swing at the top (12 beats).

4 Both Strip the Willow by 1st lady turning by left arm with 2nd man while 1st man turns by left arm with 2nd lady and then 1st lady & man meet back in the centre and turn by right arm.

8 Both continue in the same manner to the bottom of the set.

Finish with a longer swing

The dance recommences from the start with the 2nd couple etc. They can commence swinging in the last 4 bars as the previous couple are finishing, but most swing on into the first 4 bars as the tune re-commences.

ST. JOHN RIVERMusic, the Bonnie Lass o’ Bon Accord, 4 x 32 bars Strathspeys at 30-32 bar per minute.

An extremely popular dance in Scottish Country Dance circles and one that is also favoured at special folk dance gatherings such as those by the TSDAV.

DanceBars

1.8 The Chase – 1st lady casts behind 2nd lady, crosses again to dance behind 3rd man, crosses to dance behind the 4th lady and crosses to finish below 4th man on the wrong side. She is followed all the way by her partner who finishes below 4th lady.

9.10 Bridges and Pools – 1st couple with nearer hands joined, dance under and arch formed by the 4th couple (who have danced in on bar 8).

16.14 1st couple turn 1½ times with both hands, moving up the middle.15.16 1st couple dance under an arch made by 2nd couple, who dance in on bar 14 and 1st couple

end the phrase in 1st position on own sides.17.24 Reversing Falls – 1st couple lead down the middle followed by 2nd, 3rd and 4th. (e.g. 2nd

couple dance up on bars 17-18 to lead down on 19-20, 3rd couple up on bars 17, 18 and 19 and lead down on 20, and 4th couple lead up to top on bars 17-20). They then cast out sharply and are followed bye 3rd, 2nd and 1st leading down to original places. (These casting turns must be very precise. Couples 2, 3 and 1 must also make a very sharp turn on bar 20 exactly)

(WW8Num49z0(WW8Num78z0(27 TThe Rapids – All couples dance back to back. 29-32 The River Flows Out To Sea -1st couple wend their way down the sides of the dance giving right hand, left hand, right hands – 1st man and 4th lady make polite turns into place. 2nd couple are at the top ready to repeat the dance.

………………………………………………………………………..

“Chase” describes the meandering course of the river.

“Reversing falls” caused by movement of the tides.

“River meets the sea” is described in wavelike back to back movement. 1st couple wending down to 4th couple describes the river meeting the sea.