Dances for June 7, 2018

May the 4th be With you
A 32-bar reel for three couples in a four-couple set

1 – 8 1st and 2nd couples dance four hands once round to the left then dance right hands across once round.

9 – 16 1st couple set, cast off one place, set then set advancing, pulling back by the right, to finish back to back in the middle of the set facing own sides. 2nd couple step up on bars 11-12.

17 – 24 2nd, 1st and 3rd couples dance double triangles.

25 – 32 1st and 3rd couples dance left hands across once round then dance four hands once round to the right.

Repeat, having passed a couple.

Notes:
1. Hands are not released between the first and second times through so that bars 29-32 and bars 1-4 are treated as in four hands round to the right and back.
2. It is suggested that on the third time through, the 1st and- 4t’1 couples may change places by dancing bars 1-12.

Devised by Antoine Rousseau. A simple teaching dance devised on. the 4th of May 2015
for the beginners’ class and dedicated to the Paris Branch beginners.

Music by Aliénor Latour: The 4th of May.

 

Jenny’s Bawbee
24-bar strathspey for two couples in a four-couple longwise set

Bars Description

1 – 4 1st and 2nd couples set and dance half rights and lefts.
5 – 8 2nd and 1st couples set and dance half rights and lefts back to original places.

9 – 16 1st couple lead down the middle and up to finish in the middle of the set in first place facing up. 2nd couple step in.

17 – 24 1st and 2nd couples dance an allemande.

Repeat, having passed a couple.

Thomas Wilson: A Companion to the Ballroom, London, 1816.

Original tune: Jenny’s Bawbee (Gow’s Collection, earlier from
Joshua Campbell, 1778)

Video: The Somerset Children’s Reel
Video: The Somerset Children’s Reel – They modified the dance to make it a 4 couple dance

The Somerset Children’s Reel
32-bar reel for three couples in a four-couple longwise set

Bars Description

1 – 8 1st and 2nd couples dance right hands across and left hands back.

9 – 16 1st couple lead down for two steps, set to each other retaining right hands, lead up to the top, and cast off to second place. 2nd couple step up on bars 15—16.

17 – 24 1st and 3rd couples dance a double figure of eight. To begin, 1st couple cross down while 3rd couple dance up the sides.

25 – 32 2nd, 1st and 3rd couples dance six hands round and back.

Repeat, having passed a couple.

Devised by Elizabeth Beckinsale, RSCDS Somerset Branch, October 2015.

Dedicated to the children’s class of the RSCDS Somerset Branch. This dance includes the
children’s favourite formations. The children also helped to choose the name of the dance.