07534240789
THE ECLECTIC CALLER
SECOND FAVOURITES
AULD LANG SYNE
big circle march no progression
(DEIRDRE ADAMSON)
song collected by Robbie Burns
Hold hands in circle (without crossed arms) and sing 1st verse & chorus
Cross arms and sing 4th verse and move in & out during chorus
Sing chorus (faster) with rallentando at end.
BE MY VALENTINE
becket longways - reverse progression
32 bar (WHAPWEASEL: tinted quiff or KGB: frenchie's)
ted sannella
[] Men left-hand turn to ocean wave, balance Swing partner
[] Circle left Star right
[] Ladies’ Chain
[] Promenade (clockwise along whole set) Promenade back & move on one place
FATHER CONNELLY’S JIG
longwise set 4 couples - standard progression
64 bar jig (COLIN DEWAR: father connelly’s jig)
john drewry 1990
Dance notation from minicrib website:
1-8 1s+2s Set&Rotate:-
' Set, rotate singly and dance on 1 place clockwise, change places RH on sides and dance on 1 place to own sides. 2134
9-16 1s dance ½ diagonal R&L with 1st corners while 2nd corners set and change places diagonally RH, 1s dance ½ RSh reels of 3 on opposite sides (1M up, 1L down). (2)(1)(3)4
17-24 1s dance ½ diagonal R&L with 3rd corner (pstn) while 2nd corners (pstn) set and change places diagonally, 1s dance ½ RSh reels of 3 on own sides (1M down, 1L up). 2134
25-32 1s dance reels of 3 across Lady with 2s and Man with 3s (LSh to 1st corner)
33-40 1s cross down between 3s, 1L casts up round 3M and 1M casts down round 4L, 1s change places LH in centre and cast to 3rd place own sides. 2314
41-56 3s+1s+4s (bottom 3 couples) repeat bars 9-24. 2314
57-64 All (or bottom 3 couples only) circle 8(6)Hands round and back. 1s step down to end 2341
I have adapted this to three-couple version danced to 32 bar jig:
[] 1s & 2s set & rotate
(set, cast clockwise one place, cross with partner and chase clockwise one place)
[] 1s with 1st corners Right & Left (2 changes)
WHILE others set & cross giving right hands
Reel halfway along the lines
[] Repeat with 3rd corners
[] Circle left, 1s cast to bottom
FIVEPENNY BIT
square set 5 couples - clockwise progression
32 bar reel (WHISKY COLLECTION: circassian circle)
(thomas green)
Square set with extra couple (number 5) in centre, facing up.
Other couples numbered anti-clockwise.
[] 5s & 1s star right 5s & 3s same (or star left)
[] 5s separate for reels of 3 with nearer side couple
[] 5s & 1s set & cross (middle couple arch) 1s & 2s same
[] 2s & 3s same 3s & 4s same (4s now middle couple)
NB: If 1s star right both times, they do half-right turn in the centre before & after the second star.
NB: 1s begin the reels by dancing between the side couple and moving up.
DERBY variation (because it was danced this way when I called the dance there)
During the reels on the sides, the head couples do 4 changes of Rights & Lefts
GLOVER’S REEL (aka glovers reel)
longways duple improper - standard progression
32 bar reel (RING O’ BELLS: spinning wheel)
’duke’ miller
[] Do-si-do opposites; Partners right-hand turn then opposites left-hand turn
[] Swing Partners
[] 1s lead down, up and cast
[] Star right & left
GO GEORGE, I CAN’T ENDURE YOU
longways 3 couples - standard progression
32 bar hornpipe (GABERLUNZIE: sailors hornpipe)
collected by Julian Pilling in Rossendale, Lancs
[] Men’s line chase around Ladies’ line clockwise (1-2-3-hop)
[] Ladies’ line chase around Men’s line anti-clockwise
[] 1s cross & cast (walking step), then swing (pivot step)
[] Top four Rights & Lefts, 1s face up and arch backwards over 3s
Variation fron Brian Scowcroft:
[] Men’s line chase around Ladies’ line clockwise (1-2-3-hop)
[] Ladies’ line chase around Men’s line anti-clockwise
[] 1s cross & cast (walking step), then swing
[] Top four star right & left, 1s face up and arch backwards over 3s
HELLO
sicilian circle - standard progression
32 bar jig (FIDDLIN’ AROUND: fair jenny; para handy)
john chapman
[] Circle left & right
[] Star right & left
[] Partners clap (own, right, own, left)x2; Swing
[] In open hold, go forward & back, then pass through
IONA CROSS
square for 6 couples - unusual progression
32 bar medley (COLIN DEWAR: iona cross)
john mitchell
notation from minicrib website:
5s face 1s and 6s face 3s. Dance 3 times Strathspey and 3 times Reel
1- 8 1s+5s+6s+3s dance parallel RSh reels of 4 up/down set
9-16 1s+5s and 6s+3s dance DoSiDo as 2s and 4s Adv&Ret, 1s+5s and 6s+3s dance ½ R&L (1s and 3s end facing side couples)
17-24 2s and facing couple (1L+3M) with 4s and facing couple (1M+3L) dance parallel RSh reels of 4 across set
25-32 Each centre dancer (1s and 3s) dances RH across with nearest 2 corner dancers, centre dancers dance LH across once round in centre as outside couples (5s+2s+6s+4s) circle 8H round (or chase) to left ¾ way (quickly) to new positions with 2s at top, 6s in 2nd place, 4s in 3rd place and 5s in 4th place
variation: in the progression (bars 29-32) outside couples chase to left ¼
JEFFERSON & LIBERTY
longways duple proper - standard progression
32 bar reel (KLOF: mcquillens squeezebox)
(rickey holden)
[] Circle left & right
[] Star right & left
[] 1s lead down and up & cast
[] Rights & Lefts
MARGARET’S WALTZ
sicilian circle = standard progression
32 bar waltz (ORANGE & BLUE: margaret’s waltz)
pat shaw 1959
[] Facing opposite couple, go forward & back; Turn opposite by right-hand
[] Turn partner by left hand; Ladies’ Chain (halfway)
[] With that person, slide diagonally right, then left (to pass other pair)
Turn back for right-hand star 3/4
[] Do-si-do opposite person; With partner, dance on to next couple
The do-si-do may be omitted to allow 8-bar dance on
QUARNDON HILL (aka - erroneously - as ‘Quorndon Hill’)
sicilian circle - standard progression
48 bar jig (AARDVARK: dalton's delight; horizonto)
roger watson
[] 1s gallop through the 2s and back
[] 2s gallop through the 1s and back
[] Star right & left
[] Stamp 4 times and fall back; Repeat
[] Arches (1s go under 2s and backwards over them and forwards under WHILE 2s do same mutatis mutandis)
[] Swing partner
STERN POLKA
circle - random progression
24 bar polka (PORTLAND SELECTION: le 24 juin)
b.m.&t.edney 1995
[] Swing (current) partner
[] Promenade (men place left hands on shoulder of man in front)
[] Men face in and clap WHILE Ladies continue around the outside
Clapping sequence: (knees, own hands, neighbours’ nearer hands, own hands up high) x4
Then Men turn to face whichever Lady is there as new partner
Final turn: extra swing at end
STRIP THE WILLOW
longways - standard progression
(WARDLAW: drops o’ brandy)
many variants
There are many variations on this dance, with sets ranging from 4 couples to 8 couples and with music as reel jig and slip jig (when it is known as ‘drops of brandy’)
The timing can be 32 bars, or 40 bars, or free rhythm.
The basic moves are:
1st couple swing (Scots call this a birl); then 1st lady turns each man in sequence but with turn of partner after each one (a ‘single’ strip)
Then 1st couple swing and 1st man does the single strip coming up the ladies’ line
Then 1st couple swing and dance double strip (both at the same time)
New 1st couple begins with swing
TARANTELLA
couple dance
64 bar jig (CONTRABAND: blackthorn stick)
source unknown
[] Highland fling; Border swing
[] Repeat
[] Holding right hands:
man drops to knee & guides lady to danceclockwise around him;
Man stands and couple balance forward & back and box the gnat
[] Repeat
[] Pass by right shoulder & clap,
pass back with 3 claps and one clap behind back;
Do-si-do with rolling of arms
[] Repeat passing left shoulder to start and see-saw to finish
[] Polka swing for six bars, twirl the lady
[] Repeat
THREAD THE NEEDLE
longways for 5 couples - standard progression
32 bar reel (METRIC FOOT: johnny lover's gone)
(joey oliver)
Hold hands along the lines with bottom couple also joining hands to make ‘horseshoe’
[] Men thread the needle (1st man leads everyone through arch made by top 2
ladies and around the outside back to place;
top 2 ladies will finish with a twirl!)
[] Ladies thread the needle
[] Do-si-do; 1st couple gallop down to bottom of set
[] Swing
THREE TO GET READY
longways duple improper - standard progression
32 bar reel (MONTVILLE PROJECT: crooked stovepipe)
ted sannella 1974
[] Star right & left
[] 1s lead down and up and cast
[] Rights & Lefts
[] Circle left; 1s swing
TRIP TO BAVARIA
longways set for 4 couples - standard progression
32 bar reel (HOLMES & POWRIE: remerts of herford)
james macgregor-brown
notation from minicrib website
1- 4 1s and 4s cross RH while 2s+3s dance ½ RH across, 1s+3s and 2s+4s change places LH on sides
5- 16 Repeat 1-4 another 3 times (end couples cross RH, middle couples ½ RH across; couples in 1st+2nd place also 3rd+4th place change places LH) All finish in original places
17-24 1s set to 2s and cross over to face 3s, set and cross to face 4s
25-32 1s set to 4s and cross over to 4th place on opposite sides, all Adv&Ret 2 steps and 1s change places RH (2H popular) to retire to own sides. 2341
TURNER’S SQUARE
square set - no progression
32 bar reel (RODNEY MILLER: lamplighter's hornpipe)
(john turner)
[] 1st Man turns 2nd Lady (right-hand); then 3rd Lady (left-hand)
[] ..then 4th Lady (two-hand); all swing Partner
[] Do-si-do Corner, then Partner
[] Promenade
sequence:
1st Man, 2nd Man, 3rd Man, 4th Man,
Head Men (simultaneously), Side Men, All Men
WAIT TIL THE SUN SHINES NELLIE
square set - Corner progression
32 bar american reel (RECKLESS RAMBLERS: judge)
(northern junket)
<chorus> ad lib
<figure>
[] Ladies chase clockwise
[] Right-hand turn Partner; Left-hand turn Corner
[] Men star right; Swing Corner (progression)
[] Promenade to Men’s home places
sequence: chorus; figure twice; chorus; figure twice; chorus