Nick Walden, our caller, has written these dance descriptions for the tune sets on It's about time. You can also read dance descriptions for the tunes on first CD Dancemusic. You could try dancing to the CD, but it's a lot more fun coming to one of our ceilidhs!
Dance: T.A.G. (Roger Whynot)
Set: 4 couples longways
A1: 1st couple gallop to the bottom of the set and back.
A2, B1 & B2: 1st couple cast out, man into left hand star on men's side, woman into right hand star
on women's side. All go round once in stars, before crossing over (women first) into other star. All once
round in star on the other side, then cross back into the original star. Once more round in the original
star, then meet partners, promenade up the middle of the set, cast out, 1st couples make an arch at the
bottom, others under and swing.
Dance: La Russe
Set: Square
A1: All pass partner, balance twice and swing with corner person.
A2: All return to partner, balance and swing.
B1: 1st couple keep swinging.
B2: 1st couple go to 2nd 3rd and 4th couples, greeting each in turn.
A1: Head couples cross over, 1st couples making an arch, then sides cross over, 2nd making an arch. Heads
cross back, sides cross back.
A2: That again.
B1: All circle left.
B2: All promenade back to place.
2nd time through the dance, 2nd couple keep swinging, side couples start the cross over. 5th time, 1st and
3rd couples keep swinging. 6th time, 2nd and 4th.
Dance: The Country bumpkin (Mike Barraclough)
Set: 5 couples longways
A1: Lines of 5 forward and back, cross over.
A2: 1st couple step to the bottom of the set and back.
B1 & B2: Head couples start a grand chain across the top of the set. All chain up the set, across the
top, down the other side of the set, and under the arch which the 1st couple make when they reach the bottom.
All swing.
Dance: Waves of Tory
Set: 5 couples longways
A1: Lines of 5 forward and back. 1st 2 couples right hand star, 2nd 2 couples right hand star, bottom
couple right hand turn.
A2: The same, left hand turn/star.
B1: Top couple gallop to the bottom of the set and back.
B2: Top couple cast out at the top, everyone follow, under arch at the bottom.
C1 & C2: All dip and dive up and down set, starting with 2nd couple dipping under single handed arch made
by the 3rd couple when they get back to place. Swing if there's time.
Dance: The Cornish 6-hand reel
Set: 3 couples in a line, facing down the room.
A1: 8 steps down the room in lines of 6, balance 4.
A2: Turn round, 8 steps back, balance 4.
B1 & B2: Reel of 6.
A1: Right hand turn partner, left hand turn partner.
A2: 2 hand turn partner, back to back partner.
B1 & 2: Promenade left, double cast around, 1st couple arch, others under and swing.
Dance: Quarndon Hill gallop (Roger Watson)
Set: Sicilian Circle
A1: 1st couples gallop 8 steps round the set and back.
A2: 2nd couples the same.
B1: Right and left hand stars.
B2: Forward and back, 1st couple arches, move on to new opposite couple.
We don't have a dance for these tunes at the moment!
Dance: The Ideal schottische
Set: Couple Dance
2 Hands with partner, chassé ballroom direction 2 steps, let go trailing hands and turn back to back for
2 more chassé steps in same direction. 2 steps back the other way, let go trailing hands, and turn to face
for 2 more steps.
2 steps into the middle of the room, 2 steps out, swing for 4 steps. All that in 8 bars!
Dance: Fisher's hornpipe
Set: Double circle, men on the inside, women outside
A1: chassé 4 steps to men's right, 4 steps back, 2 steps right, 2 steps back. Clap hands together,
clap right with partner, together, left with partner, both hands across your body, both hands with
partner.
B1: Right arm turn partner 8 steps, left hand turn new partner, to the left of your current partner.
Dance: Maid of the mill
Set: Longways
A1: 1st couple right hand turn twice round, cast out behind 2nd couple, in between them into line of
4.
A2: Lines of 4 8 steps up the room and back, and again.
B1: Join up ends of line and circle left and right.
B2: Right and left hand stars.
Dance: Twelve meet
Set: Square sets, 3 people on each side.
A1: Head lines forward and back, forward again, side people swap over to opposite line, back in new
lines.
A2: Side lines the same.
B1: In each line of 3, middle person right hand turn person on the right, left hand turn person on the
left.
B2: Each line reel of 3, middle people jump round to end in middle of line of 3 to the right.
Dance: Waltz country dance
Set: Sicilian Circle
A1 & A2: In circles, sway in and out, men pass left hand woman to right hand. And again 3 more
times.
B1: 2 hands with partner, sway towards others in and out, and turn right over towards inside. (easier to
demonstrate than to describe!) Sway out and in, turn over outside.
B2: chassé 2 steps to men's left then right, and waltz on 4 steps to meet new couple.
Dance: The Stoke Golding country dance
Set: 4 couples longways
1st corners (top man and bottom woman) swing for as long as they like.
2nd corners swing for as long as they like.
Top couple strip the willow to the bottom of the set, then take a single handed arch up over the heads of the
women, and down over the heads of the men.
Dance: Tea kettles
Set: Square
A1: Head couples forward and back, cross over, cast around behind side couples, back to place.
A2: Head couples split up, join nearest side couple, lines of 4 forward and back, cross over.
B1: 1st couple gallop down the set and back, cast out 1 place, and fit in below 2nd couple.
B2: All balance 4 and swing opposite person.
C1 & C2: All face up, towards 1st couple's position, men on the left, women on the right, and cast
out. Leading couple start grand chain when they meet at bottom of set, all keep chaining until everyone meets
their partner. Swing.
2nd time through the dance, sides forward and back, 2nd couple gallop down the set, all face 2nd position and
cast, and so on.
If anyone has any problems with any of these dances, please email Nick Walden
Page created by Martin Nail. Last revised 18th January 2004