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Dances in Unusual Formations

These are dances referred to on the Formations page. Where I can't find the notation on the Web I have included it below. I have not been able to contact all the choreographers. My apologies if you would rather your choreography were not listed here; please contact John Sweeney if you would like it removed or updated. Thank you.

Lark Trio
Source: Composed by Alan Winston
Formation: Three Dancers in a Line. Waltz time.

The Moon & Seven Stars Source: Composed by Jim McKinney Formation: Seven Dancers In Two Lines of Three with One Dancer at the Top A1 All Stars are for three people. #7 is at the Top, Facing Down #7: Star Right on the Right, Star Left on the Left; move down A2 #7: Star Right on the Right, Star Left on the Left; move below the set and Face Up at the Bottom B1 #7: Star Right with the Bottoms; Star Left with the Middles B2 #7 Star Right with the Tops, step through to the Top and Face Down All: Balance the Ring & Petronella Turn one place to the Right Music: 32 bars. Notes: Make sure you turn all the stars all the way, then step through quickly; at the bottom and the top turn quickly to face back so that you are ready for the next move. Six Plus One Source: Composed by ? Formation: Seven Dancers in a Square, but Singleton Heads and a Kingpin in the Middle Facing Up A1 Kingpin: Right Hand Star for Three with the Right Hand Sides Kingpin: Left Hand Star for Three with the Left Hand Sides A2 Kingpin & Heads: Full Hey - Kingpin pass Top by Left Shoulder B1 Into the Middle and Back going "Oooooh!" - plenty of time Balance the Ring; Petronella - Spin one Place to the Right Alt B1: All (except Kingpin) Circle Left, Circle Right, but stop one place early so everyone has progressed to the Left B2 Kingpin Allemande Right the new Bottom Person Kingpin Allemande Left the new Top Person 1 & 1/2 to make a New Kingpin, who faces Up Music: 32 bars. Notes: T for Truro Source: Composed by Beryl Jukes Formation: Make a four couple Becket set then get the top man to lead his line up and left to make the top of the T. A1 Top Line and Stem both dance Hey for Four - start right shoulder with Partner A2 #1 Lady Leads the Top Line Down to Face the Stem Opposite Dosido - Two Middle Ladies identify yourselves - you will lead the circles in B1 B1 In Fours: Circle Left; Circle Right, but... #2 Lady releases her Right Hand and Leads her line out to the Right to make the new Top Line WHILE #4 Lady releases her Right Hand and Leads her line Up to make the new Stem B2 Partner Balance & Swing Music: 32 bars. Beryl says, "I found Sound Company’s track "Songs without Words" suited the dance well." Notes: The callers at Truro club were asked to write a dance for their Ruby Anniversary and this is it! Westward Ho! Source: Composed by Chris Turner Formation: Nine Dancers in a Three by Three Grid A1 "Kingpin" is the person right in the middle; "Middles" are in the middle of the four outside edges of the square; 1st Corner is at top right; 2nd Corner is at top left Up a Double & Back; Front Row turn Right to face the others Half Hey for Three (three of them in parallel columns) - all turn to the Right to face "West". The caller shouts, "Westward", the dancers shout, "Ho!" A2 Up a Double & Back; Front Row turn Right to face the others Half Hey for Three (three of them in parallel rows) - all face the Kingpin B1 Cloverleaf: Kingpin by Right to C1; new Kingpin by Right to C2; new Kingpin by Right to C3; new Kingpin by Right to C4 B2 Middles Set & Move Left to the next Middle Position All Set; All Single File Promenade one place to the Left - Face Up Music: 32 bars. Notes: There are multiple variations on the B2. The one described here is the most recent that Chris has taught me. Here is Chris's published version: Treis Tria Source: Composed by John Sweeney Formation: Three Lines of Three Like the Spokes of a Wheel A1 Promenade AC (8) (optional: Middles move forwards to the next line) Middle: Left Hand High, Right Hand Low - End dancers change ends; Right Hand High, Left Hand Low - End dancers change ends and flow into: A2 Circle Left 3/4 (6); Shoot the Owl (2): Ends Arch and send Middle person into the Middle of the Set The Three Middles Star Right in the Middle of the Set WHILE Ends Two Hand Turn (or Swing) - rejoin into Circles of Three B1 Polka Swing B2 Balance the Ring into a Basket; Spin the Basket Open to a Line of Three (optional: put someone different in the Middle of the Line) Music: 32 bars. Notes: Don't grip during the "Left Hand High, Right Hand Low" moves as the middle dancer has to follow the end dancer through the arch. Shoot the Owl: The end dancers make an arch and propel the middle dancer through it. Polka Swing: Travel anti-clockwise around the whole set while circling left (i.e. clockwise) in your threes. One person pauses and rotates the other two around them, then the next person pauses, and so on. Basket: Inside Basket is optional: cross your hands and hold hands in a circle. Re-eleven. Source: Composed by Phil Preen Formation: A1 A, B, C are the Middles Middles Face Down: Heys for Three on the First Diagonal - start by passing the dancer on the Left by the Left Shoulder (2 & 7 stand still) (16) C finishes the Hey by curving to the Left to face B; A & B Face Down A2 Middles: Hey for Thee - C & B pass Left Shoulder to start (16) B1 All Face Up: Middles Move Up to make a Line of Three (Trio) with the couple in front and make Arches WHILE Bottom Couples Dance Up through the Arches to the Top (8) All: Dance Up Four Steps, Middles moving Forward to the next couple to make new Trios (4) All: Balance & Kick x2 (4) B2 Middles Face Left: Pull By Right (4); New Middles with the third member of the Trio: Pull by Left (4) All Face Down, Trios hold hands in Lines: Four Steps Down (4) Balance & Kick x2 (4) New Middles move Down turning slightly to their Left to start the next set of Heys Music: 32 bars. Notes: Alt. B1: Change Balance & Kick to Turn Single Alt. B: Change second half of each B to Eight Steps and leave out the Balance & Kick The title is a play on "Reel", another name for a Hey. Double Take Source: Composed by Beryl Jukes Formation: Four Trios (Lady, Man, Lady) in a Square A1 Heads Go Forward & Back; Sides Go Forward & Back All that again (Sides are going F WHILE Heads are going B) A2 Men: Turn Right - Full Hey for Three B1 Men: Allemande Right the Lady on the Right; Swing the Lady on the Left Finish facing in with that Lady on the Right, so your two partners are now side by side B2 Men: Dosido your Corner (the next Lady) With this Lady & the one you swung: Three Hands Circle Left or Basket to the Man's Home (Optional: if circling the Man can raise his Right Hand to make it easier for the Lady on the Right to get Home.) Music: 32 bars. Notes: The ladies move one place AC each time; eight times through gets you home. Square --- NOT! Source: Composed by Peter Stix Formation: Six Couples in Three Lines of Four, in a Triangle. A1 Lines of Four Fall Back & Come Forward Partner Dosido A2 Hey for Four along the lines - start Right Shoulder with Partner B1 Partner Balance & Swing B2 All Six Ladies Chain Five places, the Men Courtesy Turn them once or twice. You have a New Partner, remake the Triangle. Music: 32 bars. Notes: In the Ladies' Chain the Ladies all Star Right all the way to their Corner. Pass five men, counting your partner as number one. It is easier for the men to just work out which lady is in front of their current partner - take her out and turn her - she is your new partner. The men don't move from their home position, so it is their responsibility to remake the lines correctly. Something Elsche Source: Composed by Ægle Hoekstra Formation: Six Couple Square - Two Couples in a Line on each Side. A1 Grand Square: Side Couples give Two Hands to Partner and act as a single unit. Nobody turns; all sideways movements are Slip Steps; when Heads meet they hold Two Hands A2 Reverse B1 Men Star Left Two Places (pass Partner & one more); with the next Allemande Right (Forearm Turn) Repeat B2 Ladies Move On One Place (CW) to New Partner (square up) New Partner Balance & Swing Music: 32 bars. Notes: Ladies dance in all six places; Men are home after three times through. Severn Bore Source: Composed by ? Formation: Longways for Seven Couples A1 Top Three Couples Gallop Up & Back making a lot of noise ("raaaa!") A2 All Gallop Up and Back B1 #4s Cross and Cast - both turning Left - to the ends of the set Peep down the set at each other; rush to the Middle to meet B2 #4s Meet & Swing to the Bottom, make a Two-Handed Arch WHILE Tops Peel the Banana (Single Cast for everyone), meet and Lead Up through the Arch C1/C2 As each couple goes through the Arch(es) they stop and make an Arch, inverting the Set Partner Swing Music: 48 bars. Notes: Start with lots of space above the set! This would normally be a symmetrical ceilidh swing rather than a ballroom-hold swing. Val's Heptagon Source: Composed by Chris Turner Formation: Seven Couples in a Circle Here is Chris's published version: Double Trouble Source: Sets in Order? Formation: Square A1 Side Ladies Chain Heads Forward & Back, Rolling the Ladies Away with a Half Sashay A2 Heads Pass Through, Separate, Go Round Two to Side Lines (MMLL) Lines Go Forward & Back - during which each pair of Men and each pair of Ladies put their arms around each other's waists to make a single "Man" or "Lady" The next moves are done as "doubles" B1 Doubled: Ladies' Chain x 2 B2 Doubled: Dosido - then separate Each by themselves: Partner Dosido C1 Partner Swing - finish facing the couple you were doubled with In Fours: Circle Left; Head Men Break to a Circle of Eight C2 Eight Hands Circle Left to Home Music: 48 bars. Notes: Can also do Doubled R&L Through; Hey for Four Doubles; etc. Ladies Walk Around Their Contra Source: ? Formation: Becket Trios: Lady-Man-Lady facing Lady-Man-Lady A1 Long Lines Go Forward & Back Ladies Dosido A2 All Six: Star Left; Star Right B1 Men: Single File Promenade CW around the Whole Set, Turn Alone Promenade Back - finish facing the Right-Hand Lady B2 Full Hey for Three in your Trio - the Man starts by passing the Right-Hand Lady by the Right Shoulder C1 Men Dosido WHILE Ladies Single File Promenade One Place AC around the Whole Set Men Swing New Right-Hand Lady Music: 40 bars. Notes: It is important to make the dancers understand that the Promenades are around the whole set. All Dosidos are across the set. Back to Formations Page I'd love to hear from you if you try this dance. Feedback is very welcome on any aspect of these dances or Web pages. Please contact John Sweeney with your comments.