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ASBO
sicilian circle
32 bar hornpipe (BURSLEDON VILLAGE BAND: bvb march; rochdale coconut dance)
[A] In allemande hold, promenade around other couple 1½
[S] Swing partner and face next couple
[B] Back-to-back (do-si-so) with contrary; same with partner
[O] In fours, circle left and right
BLACK DIAMOND RUN
longways 4 couples (2s & 4s improper)
32 bar reel (WILD ASPARAGUS: skidoo)
variation on “Kimberley Black Diamond Run” by Keith Wright
[] Top (“Active”) couple lead to bottom (holding right hands);
then balance & box the gnat WHILE other couples two-hand turn
[] Active couple weave up the lines (start going outside) to top;
then two-hand turn WHILE other couples balance and box the gnat
[] All eight circle loft halfway; In fours, star left halfway and turn single
[] Current top couple cast to bottom WHILE others lead up one place;
All swing neighbour along the line
CANADIAN PACIFIC 8-4-3
square set (PEEPING TOM: duke of grafton)
32 jig
“True Square” formed by couples shifting left.
variation on Keith Wright’s “Canadian Pacific Dream”
[] Reels of 3 up and down
(spare dancers move forward and back and either do-si-do or change places)
[] Same across
[] 4 Ladies star chain (full)
[] Pull by partner (left hand), balance and swing the next
If taking do-si-do option, men progress one place counter-clockwise and ladies one place clockwise; if taking the change places option, the pattern is a little more complicated
CANADIAN PACIFIC C-4-4
square set 6 couples
32 bar jig (KLOF: whose jig)
“True Square” formed by couples shifting left.
[] Reels of 4 across
(remaining dancers Right & Left Through, starting with person opposite)
[] Same up and down
[] In the corners, three-handed stars right and left
[] Men honour partner and pass by left shoulders to progress; then ladies do likewise
CHELWEAVER
square set
64 bar american reels (MACLEOD: circassian circle; waverly steps; breakdown)
[] allemande left Corner;weave half-way (start passsing partner by right shoulder)
[] do-si-do; swing
[] grand weave
[] (continued)
[] (continued)
[] (continued)
[] 4 ladies’ star chain
[] promenade half-way; swing
<sequence> grand weave; reverse grand weave; grand weqve; reverse grand weave
GRAND WEAVE: Ladies loop around Corner clockwise¾,Men pass through followed by Ladies,Men turn around for star through,promenade one place anti-clockwise
REVERSE GRAND WEAVE: Men loop around Corner anti-clockwise¾ etc
CORNICE
chevron 4 couples
32 bar march (RODNEY MILLER: fred barrell; jigjazz)
Chevron set for four couples (arranged around a corner, with 3 dancers on the inside angle and 5 on the outside angle)
[] Four middle dancers star right & left WHILE dancers at ends do right hand turn & left-hand turn (this may be with partner or with corner)
[] The three pairs of same-sex diagonal dancers set and cross WHILE the 2 extreme dancers set and turn single; Repeat to home places
[] Grand Chain three movements (start right-hand with partner);
two-hand turn the next person (new partner)
[] With this new partner, do-si-do and swing
GRAND FETE
square set
48 bar jig (BISMARCKS: liberty bodice)
[] Heads star right half-way and chase outside the set half-way (men clockwise and ladies counter-clockwise) to finish at home position improper
WHILE Sides chase first, then star left halfway
[] Heads star left half-way etc ...
[] Heads balance and swing WHILE Sides Ladies Chain (complete)
[] Heads Ladies Chain (complete) WHILE Sides balance and swing
[] Allemande left with Corner; Face partner for Grand Chain half-way
[] Promenade three-quarters (to end one position counter-clockwise around the Square from original position); All in to the centre and back
HERBIE’S DELIGHT
becket threesomes
32 bar reel (MCQUILLEN: april’s)
[] Lines go forward a double, then in sixsomes circle left and fall back to place
[] Men do full reel of three across the set with their right-hand partner and her
opposite (start by man passing that opposite lady by the left shoulder)
[] In original threes, reel along the set half-way (start by men passing their left-hand partner by the left shoulder); Men then move counter-clockwise outside the set to the next man’s place WHILE ladies do-si-do the lady behind them (i.e. from the neighbouring threesome, in the “corner” position)
[] Men swing their new right-hand partner WHILE other ladies do right-hand turn 1½ with the lady diagonally opposite (i.e. on the right diagonal)
HORATIO
longways 3 couples
40 bar reel (CELTICDANCE: miss murphy)
[] Active (top) couple face down and hold nearer hands: lead down to middle place and florida twirl to face up; Teapots (Active man right-hand star on ladies’ side WHILE active lady left-hand star on men’s side)
[] Active couple lead up to top and cast down to invert the set (3rd and 2nd couples following), active couple cast up to middle place.
[] Active man and 2nd couple reel half-way across the top of the set (start with men passing left shoulder); Active man collects partner in promenade hold to continue the reel
[] Active couple (still in promenade hold) continue to reel across with 3rd couple (start by passing 3rd man right shoulder) half-way; Active man drops out in middle place (proper) WHILE active lady continues the reel to end in middle place (proper)
[] Lines set, all cross (passing right shoulder); Circle left half-way
Florida Twirl: This is a California Twirl using the opposite hands (Florida is “opposite” California coastwise). Inventing the name is probably the closest I’ll get to the Disney State.
Teapots: This is the term I use for three-handed stars which are going in opposite directions. Other callers may use it differently.
JESSICA’S WHIRLIGIG
longways duple proper (double progression)
32 bar polka (WHAPWEASEL: jessica’s welcome)
[] Whirligig progression, face next couple (first progression)
[] 1st Corners do-si-do WHILE 2nd Corners set and turn single;
1st Corners chase clockwise half-way to change places
WHILE 2nd Corners do-si-do
[] 1st Corners left-hand turn WHILE 2nd Corners chase clockwise half-way to change places; 1st Corners set and turn single WHILE 2nd Corners left-hand turn.
[] 1st couple do half-figure-eight through couple below (this is the second progression); 2nd couple same through 1st couple above.
Whirligig progression:
1- 2 1s right-hand turn three-quarters as 2s left-hand turn three-quarters, end in promenade hold with 1s facing Mens side & 2s facing Ladies side
3- 6 1s & 2s promenade round (Men keeping left shoulder to left shoulder)
7- 8 2s left-hand turn to own side (2nd place) & dance up to 1st place
WHILE 1s left-hand turn moving down to 2nd place on own side
REEVES CORNER
longways 3 couples
32 bar jig (OLD SWAN BAND: swedish dance)
Active dancers are 1st man and 3rd lady (1st long corners)
[] Active dancers left-hand turn once-and-a-half WHILE others set and cast
individually one place up (men) or down (ladies);
Three-handed star right half-way (i.e. 1st man with 2nd and 1st ladies, 3rd lady with 2nd and 3rd men) and active dancers chase clockwise to their home places followed by the other two in their star.
[] Active dancers repeat the figure with others casting down (men) or up (ladies) – this time, the stars will be same-sex dancers, and all end in home places.
[] 1st couple cross over, cast down one place, cross over and cast to bottom
[] All swing partner
ROCHFORD ROMP
longways duple improper (RODNEY MILLER: morning star; paddy fahey's; alex menzie's)
32 bar american reel
[] 1st couple do full figure-of-eight around 2nd couple
[] 2nd couple same around 1st couple
[] Ladies Chain (complete) up and down the set
[] Chain & Turn
Chain & Turn:
1-4 1st Corners right-hand turn three-quarters to end in diagonal line between
2nd corners, Left-hand turn half-way with same-sex neighbour
5-8 2nd Corners right-hand turn once-and-a-quarter to progressed positions.
SHEEPSKIN BOOTS
longways 3 couples
32 bar reel (LOTHIAN: crossing the line)
[] Lines go forward and back; Turn with partner once round (see sequence below),
leading into
[] Sheepskin Hey (see sequence below)
[] ... continued
[] ... then top couple swing to bottom, and all swing partners
Sequence:
1: Right-hand turn followed by men hey, led by original 1st man
2: Left-hand turn followed by ladies hey, led by original 2nd lady
3: Right-hand turn followed by men hey, led by original 3rd man
4: Left-hand turn followed by ladies hey, led by original 1st lady
5: Right-hand turn followed by men hey, led by original 2nd man
6: Left-hand turn followed by ladies hey, led by original 3rd lady
Sheepskin Hey:
Working line weaves down and up standing line twice, then casts down outside and up on own side to place. When weaving, the person currently last in line loops around middle person so becoming first in line weaving the other way.
ST GEORGE & THE DRAGON
longways 5 couples
32 bar reel (WOODLANDERS: get the car; who's driving?)
All except top couple take “coach & horses” hold: promenade hold but with partners holding hands behind their backs
[] 1st lady chases counter-clockwise around the set followed (pursued) by the other four couples (so to be accurate, the 1st lady is not chasing, but you know what I mean)
[] 1st man chases clockwise around the set followed (pursued) by the other four
couples
[] 1st man charges down the centre of the set as other couples fall back to their own sides; 1st lady advances down the centre and rewards her man with a kiss
[] All swing partner
STAGGERED REEL
square set
48 bar reel (COLIN DEWAR: distillery reel; archie menzies; blayden flats; rattigans )
[] First couple lead across the set, through 3rd couple, separate and cast round outside to place
[] Side couples Right & Left Through and back again, Head couples same after 2 bars (i.e. between Side Couples)
[] Side couples Ladies’ Chain (complete), Head couples same after 2 bars
[] Side couples cross with arches and back (Second couple under first),
Head couples same after 2 bars (First couple under first)
[] Side couples star left three-quarters, then star right half-way with nearer Head couple, then Head couples star left three-quarters to progressed positions
[] All swing partner
STRINGS
longways 5 couples
32 bar polka (YANKEE INGENUITY: jesucita en chihuahua)
[] Men thread the needle
[] Ladies thread the needle
[] Top couple shuck the corn (easier option: break the chicken’s neck)
[] Top couple gallop to bottom of set; All swing partner
Thread the needle:
Join hands in circle, top couple break hold (but keep hold of neighbour’s hand). Top two ladies make arch and top man leads everybody through the arch and clockwise round the outside back to place (A1) ... or
Top two men make arch and top lady leads everybody through the arch and counter-clockwise round the outside back to place (A2)
Shuck The Corn:
Join hands in circle (unbroken); bottom couple make arch and top couple lead everybody through, then the top couple twist away from each other to come back over the heads of the other dancers – nobody lets go hands at any point! (Bottom couple will need to twirl to avoid their arms being wrenched from their sockets)
Break The Chicken’s Neck:
This is the same as Shuck The Corn, except that the top couple let go hands after going under the bottom couple’s arch, and bring the lines round the outside back to place.
SUMPTERS WAY https://youtu.be/l9cOYJ9_Onc
longways 6 couples
48 bar jig (STEAMCHICKEN: farewell to gibraltar)
Dancing as though in two 3-couple sets
[] Bottom couple lead to top and cast down to middle place;
Lines go forward and back
[] Three-hand star right (middle ladies with couple above and middle men with couple below); Middle dancers cross for left-hand star with other couple
[] New bottom couple lead to top and cast down to middle place;
Lines go forward and back
[] Reels of three across the set (middle man with couple above and middle lady with couple below, start by passing right shoulder)
Dancing as one 6-couple set
[] Top couple cast to bottom and make arch WHILE others follow and lead up through the arch to progressed positions
[] Swing partner
SURREY POST
longways 4 couples (1s & 3s improper)
48 bar jig (POSH BAND: valiant)
variation on Roy Clowes’ “Postie’s Jig”
[] In fours, star right and left
[] In same fours, men cross then ladies cross; Couples now at ends turn partner (two-hands) WHILE middle men cross and middle ladies cross
[] [] Middle couples do “postie” figure, arching when coming from men’s side or from bottom of set (end persons gate the actives round, i.e. facing in the same direction as the active person)
[] In fours, right & left (complete)
[] In lines along the set, reel of four
(start with middle neighbours passing right shoulder)
TRIP TO HASTINGS
longways triple proper
32 bar jig (SWALLOWTAIL: tar road to sligo)
[] Active (top) couples cross and cast to 2nd place;
Active couple do half-figure-of-eight through 3rd couple
[] Active couple do half-figure-eight through 2nd couple;
Active couple two-hand turn and fall back to middle places (improper) and face
first corners (on the right)
[] Active dancers pass 1st corners (right shoulder), then cross diagonally with partner (giving left hands) WHILE others pass their neighbours (giving left hands);
Active dancers pass their current neighbour along the line (left shoulder), lines fall back
[] All cross over; turn to right and chase clockwise half-way, all set
Note: In the B1 figure, the passes are right-left-left.