07534240789
THE ECLECTIC CALLER
CAPODANNO
square set
48 bar jig (DAVID CUNNINGHAM: airdrie lasses; bervie house)
[] Circle left, pivot turn chase anti-clockwise, stay facing that way
[] Slide in & clap, slide out & turn to face in to form circle
[] 1st couple wring out the dishrag
[] Right-hand turn, Corner Left-hand turn
[] Grand Chain
[] --- Swing
CHRISTMAS BELLS
Dance devised by Anne Skinner
Longways Duple Improper (reverse progression)
32 bar waltz (HAREWOOD: carol of the bells; greensleeves)
[] balance, petronella repeat
[] inline sidings right&left men cross, ladies cross
[] open-windmill turn (ladies link right arms), star through open-windmill turn (men link left arms)
[] in circle,balance forward & back twice serpentine progression (start clockwise with couple behind), california twirl
CHRISTMAS TREE
Longways set of 4 couples – progression: 1432 but with a difference!
32 bar jig (DEIRDRE ADAMSON: snake pass)
© 2015
There are several dances under this name; this is my contribution.
[] Top couple weave down the set & back up (start going between 2s)
[] In fours, star right & left
[] All 8 circle left & right
[] Top couple gallop anywhere around the hall to end at the bottom of another set.
DING DONG
circle of 3 couples – progression: to corner
24 bar march (CANTIGA: branle de l’officiel)
© 2015
[] With partner, balance & box the gnat; repeat
[] Rang-tang (end with corner – progression)
[] Promenade to man’s home place, swing
RANG TANG:
Partner right-hand turn; Corner left-hand turn;
Partner right-hand turn; Corner left-hand turn to promenade hold
HOLLIED HALL
longways set of 3 couples – progression 123
32 bar reel (ANNE SKINNER: deck the hall with boughs of holly)
© 2015
[] Top neighbours set, 1st couple cross down to 2nd place;
bottom neighbours set, 1st couple cross down to 3rd place
[] 1st couple cast up to middle place & set WHILE others set & cross;
lines go forward & back
[] 1st couple dance half-figure eights (1st man up & 1st lady down); all circle left halfway
[] Heys across at ends (1st man up & 1st lady down)
IN DULCI JUBILO
longways 5 couples
32 bar jig (MIKE OLDFIELD: in dulci jubilo)
[] 1st couple cross and cast to 2nd place WHILE 3rd couple do same to 4th place;
These same couples do half-figure-eight up through the couple above
[] Middle 3 couples Grimstock hey
(WHILE optionally, end couples do right-and-left through around the outside)
[] Lines forward and back; All pass partner by the right shoulder, turn to the right and chase single file clockwise…
[] … halfway until opposite partner and proper; Right-hand turn partner
KIRITIMATI
longways 6 couples
32 bar reel (HOLIDAY FOLK WEEK: christmas reel set)
[] Top couple lead to bottom;
End couples (2nd at top & 1st at bottom) cast in one place,
all right-hand turn halfway
[] Bottom couple lead to top;
End couples cast in one place, all right-hand turn halfway
[] In fours, star right & left
[] Chase counter-clockwise halfway; Set & cross over
LAUGHING ALL THE WAY devised by anne skinner 2022
Longways Duple Improper - standard progression
32 bar reel (“Jingle Bells”)
[] Lines go forward & back; Do-si-do partner
[] Right-hand star; Left-hand star
[] Full pousette clockwise
[] Balance the ring, circle left halfway; swing partner
LE NOEL PREMIER
Longways duple improper – standard progression
24 bar waltz (ANNE SKINNER: first noel; sans day carol)
© 2015
[] In circle of four, balance & petronells (one place to the right); repeat
[] Do-si-do opposite, then partner
[] Facing opposite, step-set twice; open-balance forward & back, california twirl
LITTLE ANGEL
anne skinner 2023
Three couple longways - standard progression
36 bar jig ¯ANNE: noel suisse
[8] End couples chase clockwise half-way; middle couple half-figure-eight up
[8] End couples chase clockwise half-way; middle couple half-figure-eight down
[8] Top couple cross & cast to middle place, then cross & cast to bottom
[4] All set & turn single
[8] Do-si-do; two-hand turn
M&W
square set
32 bar waltz (mistletoe & wine)
[] 1st couple go round inside of set, greeting other couples in turn
[] Heads cross (1s arch) & turn as couples; Sides same (2s arch)
[] Ladies star chain halfway; all promenade halfway
[] Ladies star chain halfway; swing partners
<sequence> 1 2 3 4
MENUETT VON GRUBER
3 couple longways (2nd couple improper) - progression 123
24 bar minuet (HAREWOOD: silent night)
[] top couple right-hand turn & cross down into half-figure-eight WHILE bottom couple do-si-do & cast up to half-figure-eight
[] middle couple right-hand turn halfway then left-hand turn 1st corners and right-hand turn 2nd corners; all forward & back in lines (without hands)
[] top ladies cross, top men cross; all circle left halfway
MONARCHICAL MEANDERINGS
Line of 3 dancers – progression: middle-right-left
24 bar jig (ANNE SKINNER: we three kings)
© 2015
[] Middle & right-hand person do-si-do & arm right 1½ to change places
[] New middle & left-hand person see-saw & arm left 1½ to change places (progression)
[] Hey (started by new middle & right-hand person passing right shoulder)
NOEL SUISSE
dance by anne skinner
Longways set for three couples
36 bar jig (ANNE SKINNER: noel suisse)
[] lead up & fall back; do-si-do
[] lead up & fall back; seesaw
[] top couple chain & turn with middle couple
[] then reverse chain & turn with bottom couple (8 bars); all set & turn single (4 bars)
NOEL SUISSE
(Anne Skinner - second version)
Longways 3 couples - standard progression; 2nd couple improper
3x36 bar jig © 2022
First turn:
[8] Lead up a double and fall back; set & turn single
[8] Repeat
[8] Top lady zig-zags down (start left-hand); top man same (start right-hand)
[4] Lines fall back, forward a double
[8] Do-si-do; two-hand turn
Second turn:
In-line sidings right & left instead of lead up
Third turn:
Arm
REINDEER DANCE (anne skinner 2021)
Square set - Corner progression
4x32 bar reel |(rudolph - anne skinner recording)
[] Head couples forward a double & set to opposites; two-hand hold with opposite & slide out between nearer Side couple, all turn to face
[] In those fours, star right & left
[] Heads lead back in to centre, fall back to place with Partner; all do-si-do Partner
[] Ladies in to centre, turn to their right & out to Corner (progression); all swing
<sequence>Heads twice, Sides twice.
RING OF KERRY (anne skinner 2023)
Sicilian circle - standard progression
32 bar jig (“Christmas in Killarney”)
[] Star right & left
[] Men set in, Ladies same, all turn single back; Circle left
[] Forward & back; Say “bye”, pass through & “hello” to next couple (progression)
[] Do-si-do opposite; swing partner
RUDOLPH
square set – no progression
32 bar reel (ANNE SKINNER: rudolph the red-nosed reindeer)
© 2015
[] Head couples promenade counter-clockwise
[] Head couples in promenade hold hey across set with two nearest side dancers
[] Heads star right; corners allemande left
[] Grand Chain halfway & swing
Sequence: Heads – Sides – Sides – Heads
When sides lead, the heys will be along (not across)
SIBBY SNOWBALL
longways 4 couples (1s & 3s improper)
48 bar polka (BURSLEEDON VILLAGE BAND: webb’s wonder’s polka)
[] 1st couple only do right-hand turn, then left-hand turn
[] Top 2 couples star right and left
[] Top 3 couples circle left and right
[] Lines of four advance and retire; All cross over with partner by the right shoulder
[] [] 1st couple dip-and-dive three moves to the bottom (start by going under arch made by 2nd couple) and swing (ending proper)
WHILE other couples join in progressively and continue (after 1st couple have
reached the bottom) to end (2)3(4)1
VERBUM CARO
longways 3 couples (2s improper)
14 bar “verbum caro” (TAVERNERS)
FIRST FIGURE
[6] Grimstock Hey
[4] Top four star right half-way; Bottom four star left half-way
[4] Step and honour right and left; Two-hand turn
SECOND FIGURE
[6] Grand Chain (bottom couple start right-hand with partner, others start right-hand with neighbour)
[8] as above
THIRD FIGURE
[6] Three-couple Right & Left
[8] as above
FINALE
[6] Circle left, forward & back, circle right
Three-couple Right & Left:
A variant on the Grand Chain
When crossing with the right hand, all dancers cross with the dancer opposite.
When crossing with the left-hand, dancers in second long corner positions (original positions of 1st lady and 3rd man) cross on that long diagonal and others cross with their neighbour up or down the set.
Six changes returns dancers to place.
WASSAIL DANCE seasonal sibby 2018 med-n b()}2 HAREWOOD ch(32)ch=bpm
dance by anne skinner
big circle - double progression
32 bar medley (ANNE SKINNER: wassail song)
tart in circular wave (men face in)
<jig>
balance right & left, turn single; do-si-do
<reel>
grand chain 4 places, with next balance & box the gnat
reverse grand chain 2 places, right-hand turn halfway to wave