All The Way To Galway

Source: Rich Castner; published in English Dance & Song, November/December, 1955. Vol XX. No. 2
Formation: Longways; Improper

A1 #1s Lead Down the Middle past Two Couples, Separate
Cast Back up the Outside to Place
A2 Partner (or #1s only) Dosido; Neighbour Dosido
B1 Neighbour Balance & Swing
B2 Half Promenade; Right & Left Through

Music:
Own tune, or "Road to Boston", which is another name for this dance, or any suitable 32 bar tune.

Notes:
The dance appears as in the article in Community Dances Manual 5 (1957), but Zesty Contras and later versions of the CDM specify that you pass two couples as you go down the middle. Zesty Contras has only the #1s doing the Partner Dosido, this is common in crowded contra dances when space down the line is limited.

When you swing in traditional English dances you usually finish where you started. In American contras you usually finish as a couple with the man on the left and the lady on the right. This concept was obviously not well enough known in the 1950s, so Keith published a clarification a few months later, as can be seen below.

The article mentions lots of people, with extra information about Ralph Page, so you might think Ralph had written the dance; later CDMs and Zesty Contras make it clear that the actual choreographer was Rich Castner.


Original pages from English Dance & Song, November/December, 1955


All The Way To Galway

All The Way To Galway

Original pages from English Dance & Song, March/April 1956


All The Way To Galway

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