These are usually couple facing couple. Some are 3 facing 3 or 4 facing 4. The number 1 couples are those facing anticlockwiswe.
If the hall is crowded then these dances can usually be done in columns instead.
In the descriptions, numbers in parentheses are beat counts. Except for waltzes, when they are bar counts (yes, that's inconsistent. Deal with it).
Last update: 11 April 2023
Back and Forth
Peter Foster 6 May 2019
32 bar waltz
Sicilian circle
The opposite sex person you are facing is your neighbour (you do
a fair bit of the dance with this neighbour)
A1 (2) In a circle of 4, balance forward and back
(4) Circle left 3 places
(2) Two hand half turn with neighbour, open out facing the other couple
(men are home, women have swapped places)
A2 (2) Pass through (right shoulder)
(2) Take left hand with neighbour and swap places, women twirling under.
Finish in ballroom hold facing the other couple (so facing partner)
(4) Waltz past this couple to meet a new couple (now facing a shadow)
B1 (4) Repeat the pass through and twirl neighbour to ballroom hold, facing this couple
(4) Waltz past this couple to meet partner again
B2 (4) Half ladies chain (to partner), ladies twirling under to ballroom hold
(4) Waltz past this couple to meet a new couple
The pass through and twirl to ballroom hold is a modified half rights and lefts: the pass through
(without hands) means that the woman can easily turn toward neighbour, left hand at the ready, for the twirl.
At the start of B1 you will be facing a shadow. That is, you will always see this person at this part of the dance.
Belgian Waltz
48 bar waltz
Sicilian circle
A1 (2) Take 2 hands with partner, sway toward and away from the other couple
(2) Drop hands and solo twirl through the other couple (women through the middle)
(2) Take right hand with partner, balance forward and back
(2) Swap with partner, women turning under
A2 (8) Repeat back to place
Now repeat with opposite, except starting with the balance:
B1 (2) Take right hand with opposite, balance forward and back
(2) Swap with opposite, women turning under
(2) Take 2 hands with opposite, sway toward and away from the other couple
(2) Drop hands and solo twirl through the other couple (women through the middle)
B2 (8) Repeat back to place
C1 (4) Right hand star
(2) Clapping: do a clap, clap-clap
(two bars contain 6 beats, the claps occur on beats 1, 3 and 4)
(2) Turn single over right shoulder
C2 (4) Left hand star
(4) Waltz on to a new couple
Chain Double Quadrille
Double sicilian circle (2 couples facing 2 couples)
48 bar reel
Medium
A1 (8) Centre 4 people (centre 2 people in each line) right hand star
(8) Left hand turn partner 1+1/2 to put the others in the centre
A2 (8) New centre 4 right hand star
(8) Left hand turn partner 1+1/2
B1 (8) Set to partner, twice
(8) Swing partner, finish in your line of 4 facing the other line of 4
Now the ladies chain around the set:
B2 (8) Ladies chain with the couple across, courtesy turn either 3/4 or 1+1/4
to finish facing the other couple in your line
(8) Ladies chain along the line, again turn either 3/4 or 1+1/4
C1 (8) Ladies chain with the couple across
(8) Ladies chain along the line (to original partner)
C2 (8) Lines advance and retire
(8) Pass through to a new foursome
Circassian Circle part 1
Sicilian circle
32 bar jig or reel
Medium
A1 (16) Right and lefts (all the way)
A2 (8) Set to partner, twice
(8) Swing partner
B1 (16) Ladies chain across and back. Stay in
the ladies chain hold
B2 (16) Promenade around the other couple and then
continue on, passing them to progress to a
new couple
Circle Galop
Sicilian circle (can't really be done in columns)
32 bar jig or reel
Easy
A1 (8) 2s separate, 1s take both hands and galop
anticlockwise through the stationary 2s
(8) 1s galop back
A2 (16) 2s repeat, starting by galoping clockwise
B1 (16) In your foursomes, circle left and right
B2 (4) 1s arch, pass through (2s go under the arch),
do not turn around
(4) 2s arch, everyone back up (1s go backwards under the arch)
(8) 1s arch, pass through (2s go under the arch) to a new couple
Diane's Waltz
by Peter Foster
32 bar waltz (eg Fanny Power, Planxty Irwin)
Sicilian circle
A1 (2) Advance, drop partner's hand, face partner, take inside hands on the side
(2) Retire (away from partner)
(2) Advance, drop hands, take partner's hand again, face opposite couple
(2) Retire (but don’t go too far back)
A2 (4) Right hand star
(4) Half ladies chain
B1 (4) Left hand star
(2) Gents turn left hand one quarter (which is not very far),
while ladies cast right, take partner's right hand in a line of four in balance in line formation
(lines are like the spokes of a wheel)
(2) Balance in line (ie rock forward and back)
B2 (2) Let go of partner, gents turn left hand three quarters,
ladies move clockwise one quarter,
again take partner's right hand, ready for another balance in line
(everyone facing in or out of the centre of the room, these lines are along the line of dance).
Ladies may also join left hands to make a large circle around the room
(2) Balance in line
(4) Take ballroom hold and waltz on to a new couple
Written for my wife
Margarets Waltz
by Pat Shaw
Sicilian circle
32 bar waltz
Medium
(numbers in parentheses are bar counts)
A1 (4) Advance and retire
(4) Turn opposite right hand
A2 (4) Turn partner left hand
(4) Ladies chain across only. Stay in the ladies
chain hold
B1 (2) Slide 2 steps diagonally forward and right, so
that the men are standing left shoulder to left shoulder
(2) Slide 2 steps diagonally forward and left, so
that the couple you are dancing with is behind you
(4) Right hand star with that couple until you get back
to where you started the dance (actually 3/4 of the
way around)
B2 (4) Do si do opposite
(4) Waltz with partner on to a new couple
McCanns Galop
Peter Foster 10 March 2019
Sicilian circle
32 bar galop
Easy
The 1s are those facing anticlockwise around the room
A1 (8) 2s separate, 1s take both hands and galop
anticlockwise through the stationary 2s
(8) 1s galop back
A2 (16) 2s repeat, starting by galoping clockwise
B1 (8) Turn on the side, using the hand that takes the 2s through the middle
(so man 2/woman 1 use left hand, woman 2/man 1 right hand)
(8) Turn with the other hand, about 1+1/4 to finish in a line of 4,
1s in the middle, all facing anticlockwise
B2 (8) In a line of 4, march around anticlockwise
(8) 1s make an arch, the 2s go through to meet a new couple.
2s need to immediately separate again for the restart
B2 is from McCanns Reel by Dave Ball.
In B1, the turns are fairly intuitive: after the 2s finish galloping, they open out to face the 1s.
The 2s spare hand is the one they use to turn the 1s, and the turn takes the 2s back through the
middle of the 1s. The following turn (by the other hand) allows the 1s to naturally finish in the
middle of the line of 4.
Nevada Waltz
Sicilian circle
32 bar waltz
Peter Foster 30 March 2016
The opposite sex person you are facing is your neighbour (terminology
borrowed from contra)
(numbers in parentheses are bar counts)
A1 (2) Balance the circle
(2) Nevada twirl with neighbour, to a ballroom hold facing the other couple
(4) Waltz half way around the other couple
A2 (4) Partner left shoulder dosido
(4) Left hand star
B1 (4) Right hand star
(4) Neighbour dosido (right shoulder)
B2 (2) Balance the circle
(2) Nevada twirl with partner, to a ballroom hold facing the other couple
(4) Waltz on to a new couple
A Nevada twirl is a California twirl but with the other hand. That is, it starts
with the man on the right, woman on the left. The man and woman swap places, woman
twirling under the joined arms. Normally this would result in facing the other direction,
but in this case you instead finish in a ballroom hold, facing the other couple.
The men will probably need to be told that they need to MOVE during the Nevada twirl. Normally,
twirling the woman to a ballroom hold involves the woman doing the moving while the man
keeps fairly still. In this case however, the men need to move as well, so that you finish
in the appropriate place for the waltz around.
Specifically:
- after the first Nevada twirl you are with neighbour, one couple is on the outside,
one on the inside (you then waltz halfway around the other couple to swap places)
- after the second Nevada twirl, you are back with your partner in your original places,
ready for the waltz on to a new couple
The Terraces 32 bar jig or reel Sicilian circle A1 (16) Right hand star, left hand star A2 (16) Circle left and right B1 (8) Dosido partner (8) Dosido opposite B2 (8) Advance and retire (8) Pass through to a new couple This is a simple variation of The Cottages, replacing the basket with dosidos
Name?
by Peter Foster
Sicilian circle
32 bar waltz
Medium
(numbers in parentheses are bar counts)
A1 (2) Advance, take neighbour with both hands
(2) Men take the women back with them (men going
backwards, women forwards). Take ballroom hold
(4) Waltz half way around the other couple, face them
A2 (4) Men's chain: men cross by the left hand, turn partner right
hand and take a low promenade hold (ie right in
right, left in left, arms crossed in front, the so called
skater's hold)
(2) Slide 2 steps diagonally forward and right
(2) Slide 2 steps diagonally forward and left, to face a
new couple
B1 (4) Right hand star halfway. Again, take a low promenade hold
with partner
(2) Slide 2 steps diagonally forward and left
(2) Slide 2 steps diagonally forward and right, to face
your original couple
B2 (4) Left hand star halfway, take ballroom hold with partner
(4) Waltz on to a new couple
The zigzag/stars sequence is from
Beauty In Tears by Barry Moule.
It's an interesting sequence, but 4 bars is a bit too much time to
star just halfway. Starring 3/4 would fill the time better, but it
makes a more complicated dance - see The Mother In Law.
The Mother In Law
by Peter Foster
Sicilian circle (double progression)
32 bar waltz
Medium
(numbers in parentheses are bar counts)
A1 (2) Circle left just 1/4
(2) 2 hand half turn with neighbour, take a ballroom hold
(4) Waltz on (past your partner), face a new couple
A2 (4) Men's chain: men cross by the left hand, turn the other
woman right hand and take a low promenade hold (ie right in
right, left in left, arms crossed in front, the so called
skater's hold). Everyone is now facing in their original
direction, although they are not with their partner
(2) Slide 2 steps diagonally forward and right
(2) Slide 2 steps diagonally forward and left, to face a
new couple
B1 (4) Right hand star 3/4. Finish as couple facing couple around
the room with a new person next to you (man on the right,
woman on the left). Take a low promenade hold with this new
person
(2) Slide 2 steps diagonally forward and left
(2) Slide 2 steps diagonally forward and right, to face
another new couple that includes your partner
B2 (4) Left hand star 3/4, take ballroom hold with partner
(4) Waltz on to another new couple
The zigzag slides and the 3/4 stars can be a bit disorienting:
during this part, the men always go in the same direction around
the room, but the women shuffle back and forth (for the women,
the second zigzag brings them back the other way). You could
say it's easier for the men but more interesting for the women.
In A2, after the men's chain you are with your shadow. That is,
you will always be with this person at this part of the dance
(it's a bit like a secondary partner). A dance should avoid
having too much interaction with a shadow, as you don't choose
your shadow but you are stuck with them for the entire dance. In
this dance the shadow becomes a feature. Here is how I described it:
"Look at the person you are now with. At this part of the dance,
you are always going to be with this person. You will be returning
to your partner each time through, but you will also keep running
into this person. It's a bit like getting married: you don't just
get a partner, you get a whole family as well. So men, if you think
of your partner as your wife then think of this woman as your
mother-in-law".
First danced at Bob and Margaret's wedding. And yes, I made sure
the groom's mother-in-law was in the appropriate place.
Numeralla Jig
3 facing 3 around the room
32 bar jig
Easy
A1 (16) All 6 people, circle left and right
A2 (8) Centre people right hand star with the 2
people on their right (includes one person
from the other line)
(8) Centre people left hand star with the 2
people on their left
B1 (8) Arches: take hands in your original lines of 3,
arch on the left hand side and person on the right
go through that arch and around the centre person
to place (centres will need to turn under their
own arm)
(8) Arch on the other side, left person go through
B2 (8) Lines of 3 advance and retire
(8) Pass through to progress
In B1, experienced dancers can do the arches a lot more than just once
Named for the village of Numeralla, site of an annual folk festival.
The Old Bark Hut
by Peter Foster, version 5 April 2014
3 facing 3 around the room
32 bar jig (note that if you play the tune The Old Bark Hut then you will
need to play the chorus twice to make 32 bars)
A1 (16) Centres turn contra corners. Finish on the other side (between your corners)
A2 (16) Reel of 3 in the lines, starting right shoulder to your first corner.
Middles finish in their original place (so cross back to own side at the end, facing them ready for...)
B1 (16) Basket for 3 people. Optionally, finish with a different person in the middle
B2 (8) Lines forward and back
(8) Pass through to a new line of three
Contra Corners:
- middle people drive the figure, the other people are corners
- first corner is on your right diagonal
- second corner is on your left diagonal
The figure involves 4 hand turns and takes 16 beats:
- middles turn by the right, just over halfway
- middles turn first corner by the left
- middles turn each other right hand, 3/4 around
- middles turn second corner by the left
After the contra corners, the middles stay on the other side of the set. So middles do the subsequent reel of three in
the other line. At the end of the reel of three (actually, just before finishing it) they cross back to their
original line. But they don't rejoin their line, they face their line. This way they can go straight into a basket. Note
that, after the basket, if the same person finishes in the middle then the 2 end people will be swapped.
This dance is a 32 bar variant on Walpole Cottage
Orion's Belt
by Peter Foster 13 April 2013
Sicilian circle (progresses backwards!)
32 bar waltz
Medium
(numbers in parentheses are bar counts)
A1 (2) Advance to the other couple
(2) Take 2 hands with opposite, men bring the women back with them (so women forward, men back)
During this, take a ballroom hold, facing the other couple
(4) Waltz halfway around that couple, finish facing them (so facing your partner)
A2 (4) Left hand star 3/4. Then you and your partner face a new couple for...
(4) Right hand star all the way with this new couple. Finish facing this same couple, in a low promenade hold with partner
B1 (2) 2 sliding steps forward and left (so that the women are standing right shoulder to right shoulder)
(2) 2 sliding steps forward and right, to face a new couple
(4) Left hand star once around with this couple
B2 (8) Waltz once around this couple, finish facing away from them (in your original direction)
The finish is a fairly leisurely 8 bar waltz around the other couple. Caution the dancers not to rush this waltz (there is
plenty of time).
The progression is 2 steps backward, one step forward. So you get a bit of a sneak preview of the next people you will be dancing with.
This is another variant of the Mother In Law (and Beauty In Tears), this time with the stars going all the way around.
The name refers to the constellation of Orion: the dance has three stars, and in the constellation of Orion, the belt comprises 3 stars.
Prince of Orange
Sicilian circle
32 bar reel (dance is just 16 bars)
Easy
Figure
A1 (8) Advance and retire
(8) Advance and retire again
Chorus
A2 (8) Individually clap, clap, clap-clap-clap,
stamp, stamp, stamp-stamp-stamp
(8) Pass through to a new couple
The figure can be anything: star, circle, rights and lefts,
ladies chain, do si do opposite then partner, basket, etc.
The first few times through the caller can specify the figure. After
a while, allow each foursome to individually decide what they would like
to do.
I sometimes use this dance fairly early in the evening to teach a number
of figures.
Soldiers Joy
Sicilian circle
32 bar reel
Medium
A1 (8) Advance and retire
(8) Swing opposite in a ballroom hold. Finish
in a line of 4 across the set with the men
back to back in the middle
A2 (8) Men turn over their left shoulder to their
partner, swing partner in a ballroom hold in
the "wrong" direction (anticlockwise)
(8) Swing partner in the proper direction. During
this swing get back to your original place
B1 (16) Ladies chain across and back. Stay in
the ladies chain hold
B2 (16) Promenade around the other couple and then
continue on, passing them to progress to a
new couple
Waving Around
by Peter Foster
Sicilian circle
32 bar jig or reel
A1 (8) Circle left
(8) Star right (still in same direction!)
A2 (16) Ladies chain, across and back
B1 (8) Left hand star
(8) Circle right
B2 (16) Dip and dive past four couples (those facing
clockwise make the first arch)
A bit quick - you need to move the circles and stars all the
way, as they continue in the same direction rather than coming
back the other way. Not a dance for a fast tune.
Any comments - email pfoster@pcug.org.au