Witch Doctor & Pussy Cat

Go to Pussy Cat

Witch Doctor

Source: Let's Go Square Dancing, NSW, Australia; contributed by Peter Fricke; published in English Dance & Song, September 1959. Vol XXIII. No. 4
Formation: Square Dance: HSHS

Figure
A1	Heads Cross Trail; Go Round One to Side Lines Forward Up Eight & Eight Fall Back
A2	Right & Left Through Ladies' Chain - Power Turn to face along your line
B1	Ladies' Chain Down the Line - as you finish the Courtesy Turn the Lady steps in front of the Man Single File Promenade - Ladies in Front; Men Back Track
B2	Now facing your Original Opposite: Wrong Way Grand Two Changes Original Partner Swing; Promenade Home
Tom Hind's B2	Now facing your Original Opposite: Wrong Way Grand Six Changes (should take you Home if called at the right time) Original Partner Swing

Break
A1	All Four Ladies Chain Half Way; Head Ladies Chain Back
A2	Heads Promenade 3/4 to behind Sides Sides Right & Left Through with Power Turn to face the Heads
B1	Corner Allemande Left; Partner Swing (short) Men Star Left
B2	Partner Dosido; Promenade Home

Music:
"Witch Doctor" by David Seville (later Alvin) and the Chipmunks (1958), but can be danced to any 32 bar tune. I counted the bars in the original song and there are only 152. I think you need at least 180 even if you do a short intro and no break at the end. So I wouldn't recommend trying to fit it to the original recording, which is also rather fast at 144bpm!

Notes:
This is my attempt to put the dance into my words. Any clarification would be much appreciated.

B2 in the figure says, "gents reach back and pull the ladies thro', Go right and left grand". I have interpreted this as Two Changes of a Wrong Way Grand so that you meet your partner, then Swing and Promenade Home which is a default thing to do when the caller sings gibberish and doesn't tell you what to do. If anyone has any useful information then please let me know.

Tom Hinds says, "If it was an American choreography I would bet that the grand right and left was six hands, getting all the dancers home. I say this because the American western callers were and are very big into gimmicks. It would be interesting to know if the Australians thought that way too. Of course the men reaching back would have to be called when the men are 1/4 to the right of home."

Not quite sure about the timing of the break. When you Allemande Left your Corner and go back to your Partner for a Swing you are one place clockwise around the square, so does it really mean "go home"? If you do swing in your current position then the Promenade is only one place. But unless the Sides start their Right & Left Through very early there won't be time for a full Promenade.

Pussy Cat

Source: Let's Go Square Dancing, NSW, Australia; written by Gary Cohen, contributed by Peter Fricke; published in English Dance & Song, September 1959. Vol XXIII. No. 4
Formation: Square Dance Mixer: HHSS

Figure
A1	Heads Pass Through, Go Round One & Into the Middle Heads Square Through Two, Go Round One
A2	Into the Middle & Box the Gnat Turn Around; Corner Allemande Left
B1	Grand Chain Four Changes Partner Promenade - Face In
B2	Roll Away with a Half Sashay; Swing the Next Promenade to the Man's Home

Break
A1	Corner Allemande Left; Partner Dosido Men Star Left
A2	Partner Box the Gnat; Pull By; Corner Allemande Left
B1	Partner Promenade
B2	(Partner Swing) Corner Gypsy; Partner Left Shoulder Gypsy Partner Swing

Music:
"Pussy Cat" by The Ames Brothers (1958). This has a main sequence of 38 bars. I have removed a Partner Swing at the beginning of B2 in the Break to see if I can fit it into a 32 bar tune.

Notes:
This is my attempt to put the dance into my words. Any clarification would be much appreciated.

The Box the Gnat in A2 of the Figure leaves you facing the wrong way so you have to do an awkward turn around into the Allemande. My dancers didn't like that so we substiuted a Right Pull By.

Original pages from English Dance & Song, September 1959

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