FAVOURITES

AUNT HESSIE’S WHITE HORSE (from South Africa)

Circle 24 bar reel (KLOF: aunt hessie's white horse)

[] In-line siding right shoulder,kick & back; same left

[] Do-si-do right & left

[] Peasant-hold: pousette in & & turn, move left to new partner

BARLEY REEL

longways 5 couples 48 bar polka (BURSLEDON VILLAGE BAND: primrose)

https://youtu.be/5XB0E3fzh1w

[] lines go forward, slap hands with partner thrice, fall back; right-arm turn 1½

[] repeat (with left-arm turn)

[] top couple strip-the-willow …

[] (continue to bottom of set and form arch) …

[] others cast down & pop up through the arch

[] all swing partners

CAERPHILLY MARCH

from Brian Scowcroft

couple 32 bar polka (BURSLEDON VILLAGE BAND: macgillycuddy's; ballyhoura mountain)

[] In allemande hold, march forward, twist, continue backwards, twist; repeat

[] Clap: own hands, partner’s right, own, partner’s left, own, behind back, own and both with partner; repeat

[] Right-hand turn; Left-hand turn

[] Swing

Variation on clapping sequence: replace “partner’s right” with “clap hands under right leg” (and similar with left)

DANCE OF THE PANTOMIME COW

(michael barraclough)

couples (i.e. big circle but non-mixer) all facing counter-clockwise with man behind partner. Lady places her hands (palm up) on her shoulders, man holds these hands.

16 bar schottische (BAND NAMED BOB: justin otter schottische)

[] slide in & out; “moo” 4 times (vary animal on subsequent turns)

[] slide in & out; turn lady to face, “aargh!” and back

[] slide in & out; lady move to back

[] slide in & out; man move to back

DORSET FOUR HAND REEL

2 couples in line, ladies in centre, facing partner 32 bar rant

(SAWDUST BAND)

[] Hey for four 1½times

[] ---

[] Men step to each other

[] Step to partner

<sequence> walk hey then men step; walk hey giving hands then ladies step; dance hey then men step; dance hey then ladies step

<fin> swing partners

FALLING MASONRY

longways 5 couples 32 bar jig

[] Lines forward & back; cross (ladies arch) and don’t turn round

[] Lines back & forward; cross (men arch)

[] Top couple gallop to bottom WHILE others move up; then new top couple;

and the next; and the next

[] .. and the next; and original 1st couple again; all swing

FARMER’S JIG

(from irene harcourt: said to be welsh dance)

longways 4 couples 32 bar jig (BURSLEDON VILLAGE BAND: nipper/old favourite)

[] All lead up 8 steps, back 8 steps

[] All gallop up and back

[] In fours, star right and left

[] Top couple cast to bottom and form arch WHILE others follow and come up under arch

GAY GORDONS

Couples 16 bar march (PHIL TATE: gay gordons)

(collected by mary stoker)

[] Allemande hold: forward 3 steps, twist to face other way, fall back; repeat to place

[] Right-hand-hold> men step whirl twirling lady; Ballroom hold: swing

GRAND CHAIN

square set 32 bar jig (BISMARCKS: robertson's reel; great north r

[] All circle left & right

[] 1st couple make arch and go anti-clockwise around set over the other couples

[] Grand Chain

[] …. and swing partner

SEQUENCE: all couples in turn, then heads, then sides, then all couples at same time

This dance, from the Bismarcks’ “Upstream” album (1999), is a variation of Eileen Key’s ‘Holmfirth Square’

I WANT TO BE NEAR YOU

There are at least four versions of this dance of unknown origin

square set 20 bar jig (RING O' BELLS: aupres de ma blonde)

[] 1st couple separate & dance all the round the set

[] All do-si-do corner (ring o’ bells version)

OR honour corner (heritage version)

OR honour corner & salute partner (gerry jones version)

OR corner allemande left (jim english version)

[] All promenade

Sequence: Each couples leads in turn; then Heads simultaneously, Sides simultaneously, All couples simultaneously

LEAVING OF LIVERPOOL

longways set – 3 couples 32 bar reel (STOWFOLK: leaving of liverpool)

[] Lines go forward & back; middle couple lead up and cast back to place

[] Lines go forward & back; middle couple lead down and cast to place

[] Circle left & right

[] Top couple cross & cast to middle place; then cross & cast to bottom

MISS JOHNSTONE OF ARDROSSAN

written by Roy Goldring for Muriel Johnstone (now Mrs Zobel of Canada!)

longways set – 5 couples 32 bar reel (COLIN DEWAR:we’ve nae electric)S

[] 1st couple set & cast one place, then (followed by 3rd couple) they lead up to the top & cast down (1s to 3rd place, 3s to 2nd place)

[] 1s cross down between 4s to start symmetrical reels on the sides with 4s & 5s

[] 1s cross up between 3s for symmetrical reels with 2s & 3s

[] 1s set & cast one place, then (followed by 5s) they lead up between 4s & cast down [set now 23451]

PATACAKE POLKA

(community dances manual)

Circle 16 bar polka (SAWDUST BAND: belfast polka)

[] ballroom hold: heel & toe twice, slide along line of dance; same back

[] clap: right 3, left 3, both 3, knees 3; right-arm turn, move left (progression)

There are many variations on this dance. It can be done without progression by changing ‘right-arm turn’ to ‘swing partner’. In the clapping sequence, instead of ‘knees’, try ‘behind partner’s back (this involves a bit of a hug)

POSTIE’S JIG

written by Roy Clowes

longways 4 couples 32 bar jig (FRANK REID: lassiecome & dancewith me; bonnie lass that widna marry me)

End couples are active

[] Active couples set & cast in one place; then half-figure-eight through nearer end

[] “postie” figure

[] …continue

[] Active couple half-right & left; then right-hand turn partner

Postie: Active couples cross over (men arching) and handy-turn nearest corner person ¾; then cross up/down centre (couple coming up arching) and handy turn corner; then across (men arching); then up/down (bottoms arching)

ROSA

aka rosa’s waltz; rozsa

couple 32 bar waltz (BURSLEDON VILLAGE BAND)

att gordon potts (variation on “Ffarwel ir Marian”)

[] Two-hand hold: sway (along line of dance) and back, turn lady under man’s right arm, maintaining hold with both hands (“wind”); slide left four step

[] Slide right four steps, sway and unwind

[] Holding right hands, balance forward & back and box the gnat; Repeat to place

[] Ballroom hold: chasse two steps (along line of dance) & back; waltz around

SPIFFIN’

david & avril quarrie et al

square set – 5 couples 32 bar jig (LOTHIAN SDB)

[] 5th couple (in centre) dance reels of three along with Heads (start left shoulder)

[] 5th couple separate for 3-handed stars with nearer Side couple (handy hand for middle dancer); then lead through top couple & cast to centre (now facing down)

[] 3-handed stars; 5th couple lead through bottom couple & cast to centre

[] 5th couple Tulloch turn twice; then 5s & 1s set & left hands across to end with 5s at top & 1s in centre facing 2s (i.e. towards ladies’ wall)

(change orientation each turn of the dance)

THREE AROUND THREE https://youtu.be/JZkqh8oBeZw

A dance from devon with many variations

longways set – 3 couples 32 bar hornpipe (PEEPING TOM: dumb post; skylark)

[] Top man (followed by others) crosses above ladies’ line, weaves down & comes straight up own side to place.

[] Ladies same around men.

[] Circle left & right

[] Top couple lead down to bottom; all two-hand turn partners.

VIRGINIA REEL https://youtu.be/k5bQt4kGyK8

A dance with many variations

longways set – 5 couples 48 bar polka (POSH BAND: my father’s polka)

[] Lines go forward, slap hands thrice with partner, fall back, stamp thrice; Repeat

[] Right-hand turn; left-hand turn

[] Two-hand turn; do-si-do

[] Top couple gallop down & up

[] Top couple cast to bottom & form arch WHILE others follow & pop up through the arch

[] … & swing

WHITE CASCADE

square set 48 bar jig ()

variation on “White Coppice” by Vic Smeltzer

[] Active couple go across set, between opposite couple, then cast home

[] Active couple make arch and go counter-clockwise over others around the set

[] Do-si-do corner, then partner

[] Swing

[] Ladies’ star-chain

[] Promenade

Sequence: 1-2-3-4-H-S

WRING OUT THE DISHRAG

sicilian circle 32 bar polka ()

from ron smedley 1958 as published by hugh rippon in willow tree 1996

[] Circle left & Right (walking step)

[] Duck for the oyster: clockwise-fcing couple duck first, then others

[] Dishrag figure: clockwise couple first

[] Swing and progress (original: couples advance & retire and pass through)

YARMOUTH LONG DANCE

(from calling of Trev Lee from Sheffield)

longways becket 32 bar jig (GREAT WHITE STEAMCHICKEN: stranger)

[] Gallop across hall (passing opposite couple; and back to place)

[] Star right & left

[] Do-si-do opposite person; then partner

[] Top 2 couples form cross-hand basket and rotate to bottom of set