07534240789
THE ECLECTIC CALLER
MYSTERIES
VIDEO: https://youtu.be/5sXvDjFqxyc
119
longways duple improper (double progression)
32 bar reel (WILD ASPARAGUS: congress reel; fisherman's island; return to milltown)
[] Circle left ¾, pass the ocean to border hold; Border swing 1½
[] Reel just under ½, start men passing left shoulder;
On meeting partner at other end of line, gypsy and melt into swing
[] On the right diagonal, right & left (2 changes); Then same across with new couple
[] Ladies Chain half-way; Set to partner & star through
Border hold: Couples side by side with right arm around partner’s waist
COUNTLESS MOMENTS
longways 5 couples
32 bar reel (CELTICDANCE: silver spire)
[] Top 3 couples do grimstock hey
WHILE bottom two couples do right-and-left through
[] Middle 3 couples do morris hey WHILE end couples do-si-do and gypsy with partners
[] Bottom 3 couples do grimstock hey
WHILE top two couples do right-and-left through
[] Top couple cast to bottom WHILE others lead up one place and set; All swing partner
EVENING SONG
longways 4 couple
32 bar waltz (AIRDANCE: brimstone corner)
[] In fours, star right; In same fours, shuttle to change places
[] Middle four star left WHILE others step-set and turn single;
In original fours, chase clockwise halfway, join hands in circles of four and balance in and out
[] In fours, half-double-figure-eight (start with 1s and 3s crossing down), then 1s and
3s lead down one place WHILE others cast up one place;
Couples now in middle stand WHILE end couples start full capstan to change
[] Finish full-capstan; All gypsy with partner
Shuttle:
Continue in direction of movement from star, dance out single-file to wall, turn with slight shift to the right, dance in to set having moved one place up or down
Step-Set:
A six-step setting for waltz time. Start on right foot and step to right, left foot across (in front), step on right, left foot to side, right foot across, step on left
Full-capstan:
Top couple lead down top bottom, cast up to top and lead down to bottom WHILE bottom couple cast up to top, lead down to bottom and cast up to top
FINAL MEASURE
longways 3 couples
64 bar waltz (RODNEY& RANDY MILLER: nerissa; larry’s waltzes)
[] Active (1st) lady casts to second place; Active lady turns 3rd man, two-hands.
[] Active (1st) man same (with 3rd lady)
[] Reels of three across the set
(Active man with 2nd couple at the top, active lady with bottom couple)
[] Active couple cross over to reel with other couple. End facing 1st corners
[] 1st corners pass & turn; same with 2nd corners
[] 3rd corners reel of four halfway; same with 4th corners
[] Four dancers who have somebody on the right diagonal do 2 changes (right on the
diagonal, left along the line); Four dancers who have somebody on the left diagonal
do the same (Active couple will be in both halves of this figure)
[] Active couple lead up to the top and cast down to the bottom; All swing partner
Pass & turn:
Active dancers move out to corner position (pass right shoulder) WHILE corner dancers move in and turn each other (right-hand) and return to place as active dancers move in (pass right shoulder) and loop around each other (right shoulder) to face next corner
FOREST WAVES
longways becket
32 bar reel (MOVING VIOLATIONS: briul de la fagaras; carpathian tune)
[] Yearn (progressing clockwise 2 places); With new couple opposite, circle left
[] Pass-the-Ocean, balance; Move forward to the next wave, balance (neutrals wait)
[] Right-hand turn half-way and reform wave, balance; Move forward to original wave
and turn partner with the right hand, end facing partner in line of four across
[] Reel half-way (start by pulling past partner by the right); Swing partner
Yearn:
This figure was devised, it is claimed, by American contra caller George Walker. Couples move forward diagonally to meet couple who are diagonally to their left, then fall back diagonally to the left to end opposite the next couple. At the ends, if there is no couple on the left diagonal, couples cross over and wheel round to face their new contraries.
Pass-the-Ocean:
A combination of “pass through” and “ocean wave”: Pass through the facing couple, passing the opposite person (or “contrary”) by the right; as the two ladies pass, they take left-hands and turn one-quarter to the right; men continue to the end of the lines, taking right-hands with partner.
MISSED OPPORTUNITIES
big circle (triple progression)
32 bar reel (AIRDANCE: macarthur road)
[] All in to centre and back; With current partner, balance together and away, then roll
away with half-sashay (1st progression)
[] Repeat A1 (2nd progression)
[] Gypsy current partner;
Gypsy counter-clockwise with Corner (previous partner) facing outwards.
[] Pass current partner (right shoulders) and set to the next (3rd progression); Swing
MYSTERIES OF PEACE
longways 4 couples
48 bar reel (TOKEN WOMEN: earl of mansfield)
[] Set, turn single; Right-hand turn partner into allemande hold
[] Following top couple, all promenade up and turn left to sweep across towards men’s
wall; then make a “U” turn and continue towards ladies’ wall
(set now across the room)
[] 4th couple swing WHILE others promenade reel half-way (1st & 2nd couples pass left
to start) and swing. End facing men’s wall
[] Morris hey, but with two centre dancers in each line acting as single units and turning
dolphin-fashion at ends
[] Lines of four pass through (without turning), hold hands in line.
Right-hand person threads the needle as left-hand person pivots on spot.
Lines move forward to meet
(set now in original orientation, progressed in order 4123)
[] In fours, circle left. Partners two-hand turn
OCTOBER 9th
longways 3 couples
40 bar reel (METRIC FOOT: up the bray)
[] Active (1st) couple right-hand turn and cast to 2nd place;
Active couple left-hand turn once-and-a-half and face 1st corners
[] Relay reel along 1st corner diagonal. Active couple end by passing left shoulders for ..
[] Three-handed stars (right) - men at bottom of set and ladies at top;
Active couple left-hand turn twice (nearly) to face 4th corner positions.
[] Relay reel along 4th corner diagonal. All end improper in order 312
[] Lines go forward and back; All cross over, passing partner by the right shoulder.
Relay reel:
Active couple do diagonal reel of four in usual way (but will find the other two in the reel have changed half-way through).
1st corners do diagonal reel half-way, cast clockwise round the outside one place and set
Others set and cast clockwise round the outside one place, then replace the 1st corners for the second half of the reel
Corners:
These are numbered counter-clockwise around the set, starting on the right diagonal. So, for the active man, 1st corner is in bottom lady’s position, 4th corner is in bottom man’s position. For the active lady, 1st corner is in top man’s position, 4th corner is in top lady’s position
SCATTERPETAL
circle 3 couples
32 bar reel (SWALLOWTAIL: irish-american reel)
FIRST FIGURE
[] In circle, all in to centre and back; Set, turn single
[] Two changes (start right-hand to Partner), turn next person (original Corner) right-
hand (full turn)*; Repeat (starting right-hand with original Corner)
[] Two changes (start right-hand), turn Partner right-hand*, end with ladies facing out;
Start Schiehallion reel
[] Continue Schiehallion reel to places
SECOND FIGURE
Same as [1] except start with left-hand and Schiehallion reel clockwise (so men start facing out and ladies lead)
THIRD FIGURE
[] As FIRST FIGURE
[] Two-hand turn Partner; Two-hand turn Corner counter-clockwise
[] Two-hand turn Partner; Weave the ring (pass Partner by right shoulder to start)
[] Complete the weave; Swing
*An easier option in the modified grand chains is to replace the full turns with a balance forward and back
Schiehallion reel:
Dancers follow track of a clover figure – men start curling in to centre and curve right to next lady’s position, then loop right to her man’s position, and continue in this fashion to home place. Ladies start by looping right to partner’s place – in effect, then following the track of her partner. All moves are curling or looping to the right. BUT ... this is reversed in the second figure!
SECRETS
longways 4 couples (2s & 4s improper)
48 bar mazurka (TOKEN WOMEN: mikenda one)
OR reel (PORTLAND SELECTION: green apple quickstep)
[] In fours, star right; Then top man leads his star clockwise down ladies side (“snake”)
WHILE bottom man leads his star up man’s side
[] Lines go forward and back;
Pass opposite person and turn into a square set (men turn to left, ladies to right).
[] Ladies star-chain halfway; All promenade current partner ...
[] Continue promenade to starting places; Swing current partner
[] Side couples move in to form lines of four and face end-neighbour and all set;
In fours, right-and-left 2 changes (start with neighbour)
[] Facing this same neighbour, lines of four reel halfway (start passing right shoulder);
Turn this same neighbour with the right-hand
SEPTEMBER
longways 3 couples
32 bar reel (METRIC FOOT: fat tilley)
[] Top couple lead lines in cast to bottom and up centre to place,
ending with 1st couple casting to 2nd place
[] All left-hand turn with partner 1¼ to end in line of six along the centre;
Those who can, turn your neighbour (behind) 1½ and stay facing this neighbour
[] Reel of four (starting right shoulder):
1st and 2nd ladies dance as a single unit, turn “dolphin” fashion at bottom end and
stay facing up when getting back to starting positions.
1st and 3rd men also dance as a single unit, turn “dolphin” fashion at top end and
stay facing down when getting to starting positions
2nd man and 3rd lady (in the centre positions) dance as individuals, omit the final
pass in the centre and turn to face the other way.
[] End dancers lead casts to the right, men moving up the set and ladies moving down to
progressed places; Swing partner
SOLENT CHAIN
longways duple (2s improper) – double progression
32 bar reel (PORTLAND SELECTION: mad river)
[] With neighbour (contrary), set and link;
Grand Chain up or down room 4 changes, starting with that same neighbour (crossing over if reaching the end)
[] Ladies Chain half-way across the set (so now with own partner) – neutrals gypsy left;
Promenade partner back to man’s home position and face across the set
[] Right-and-Left half-way; Swing partner
[] In fours, circle left three-quarters; face neighbour, and pass two people (passing both by right shoulder), take partner’s nearer hand and roll away with half-chassay
Set and link:
Holding hands with neighbour, facing across the set, set right and left; change places with neighbour, both dancers moving clockwise, so lady starts with a cast (do not turn this into a half-gypsy!). End facing this same neighbour.
Roll away with half-chassay:
Lady rolls across to partner’s place turning counter-clockwise WHILE man slides across to his right. All couples are now side by side on the wrong side, which is the right side for the next turn of the dance, facing a new couple.