Festival Square

Source: Stan Chart; published in English Dance & Song, Summer 1969. Volume XXXI. No. 2
Formation: Square

	Introduction
A1	Heads Right & Left Through - the Courtesy Turn is either 1/4 or a Power Turn 1 & 1/4 to face the Side Couple Heads Promenade Home taking an Arch over the Side Couple
A2	Head Ladies' Chain Sides Right & Left Through - the Courtesy Turn is either 1/4 or a Power Turn 1 & 1/4 to face the Head Couple
B1	Sides Promenade Home taking an Arch over the Head Couple Side Ladies' Chain
B2	Corner Allemande Left All Four Ladies Chain Half Way

	Figure
A1	Heads Promenade nearly Half Way - go round two people and finish in Side Lines of four with them Lines of Four Go Forward & Back (Yearn Left Diagonally) so that you finish with Four Facing Four
A2	In Fours: Right & Left Through x2
B1	In Fours: Circle Left; Circle Right
B2	In Fours: Star Left; Star Right - Men Drop Out

	Chorus
A1	In Fours: Ladies' Chain to your Neighbour All Four Ladies Chain Half Way
A2	In Fours: Ladies' Chain to your Neighbour All Four Ladies Chain Half Way - Men adjust so that you are back in a square, though it is on a diagonal in the first Chorus
B1	Partner Allemande Left; Grand Chain: Partner Pull by Left, Next Pull by Right, Next (original Opposite) give Left Hand Allemande Left 1/2 - keep hold and the Men make a Right Hand Star
B2	Turn the Thar (Men Backwards, Ladies Forwards) Half Way Allemande Left 1/2 and step Forwards (Shoot the Star), Pull By Right with the Next, give Left Hand to Next (Original Partner) Partner Allemande Left and Square the Set (which may still be on a diagonal after the first chorus!)

	Finale
A1	All Eight Circle Left Half Way Ladies into the Middle and Back
A2	Men Star Right WHILE Ladies Cast Left and dance AC around the Square - Pass Your Partner
B1	Meet Your Partner: Allemande Left 1/2; Ladies Star Right WHILE Men dance AC around the Square - Pass Your Partner
B2	Meet Your Partner: Allemande Left; Promenade Home

Music:
32 bars. Although Stan specifies Arkansas Traveller any suitable tune will work.

Notes:
Starting from lines of four, as the men adjust their position for the second All Four Ladies Chain Half Way, it looks to me as though the square then ends up on the diagonal. In fact the set ends up in numerous different positions and orientations; when the men turn "partner into place" they are unlikely to be at home. (Or maybe you could make the Lines of Four on the diagonal so that you end up back in a square?)

Allemande X used to be "Allemande left and allemande X, Go right and left and swing the next." These days it is more likely to be "Allemande left like an allemande X. Pass your partner, swing the next." So the move in this dance is not quite an Allemande X.

Modern styling would be to use forearm holds for the Allemandes, especially the one into the Thar and during the Thar. The Men's Star would be a Wrist-Lock Star.

Modern calls for some of the moves in this dance are "Allemande Left To An Allemande Thar, Go Right And Left And Form A Star" and "Shoot The Star; Right And Left Grand".

Modern squares tend to have the format: Break; Figure; Figure; Break; Figure; Figure; Break. The caller chooses any Break they wish to match with the Figure and may not even walk it through, using moves that they know the dancers can handle on the fly. The Figure is usually the most complex part of the dance and is the main focus of the Walk Through. This dance has a very simple Figure, but three different Breaks. A full Walk Through for Heads and Sides would take a long time! Reg Battle tells me that it was used as a display dance. That makes a lot of sense as the dancers would have learnt the dance aleady and not need a Walk Through.

Original page from English Dance & Song, Summer 1969

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