Square Dances

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By category:

See also Squares from Northern Junket — I'm not adding links to those squares here because there are just so many of them!

Alphabetically:

Links to dances on other pages

My convention with squares is that words in bold are those which change in later turns of the dance, such as Heads, Sides, First, across.

Click the photos on the right to hear Lisa Greenleaf enthusing about calling American Squares and to see a great video about traditional square dancing.

Types of American Square

David Millstone has recorded some excellent videos as part of his Square Dance History Project:

• Tony Parkes: Quadrilles and Visiting Couple Squares
• Tony Parkes: New England Squares
• Tony Parkes: Changes in New England Squares
• Phil Jamison: Southern Appalachian Squares
• Phil Jamison: The Caller's Role in Southern Squares
• Bill Litchman: Traditional Western Squares
• Jim Mayo: Early Years of Modern Square Dance
• Jim Mayo: Key Elements of Modern Square Dance

A Break is something you put at the beginning of a square, then after the heads have led the figure twice (when people will usually be with their opposite) and then at the end (when they should certainly be back with their partner).  I've put lots of breaks into my books Squares with a Difference Volume 1 and Volume 2, but I still seem to have a few left.  You can also find some more breaks (plus dances and advice) on the Session 8 page of my Training Sessions, and the following blue buttons are links to these.

Break: Easy  Break: Simple 2  Break: Harder  Break: All Eight Chain  Break: Triple Allemande  Break: Cross and Swing  Break: Unphrased  

Button-hook Chain           Added 29-May-24

Format: Square.  Music: This should fit 32 bars, but it's mainly in 6-bar phrases!

You first need to establish the directions Forward and Back in the dancers' heads.

	Partner allemande right, go back, corner allemande left, go forward, pass your partner right shoulder.
	The same three more times, to meet partner half-way round the square.
	Swing partner.  Promenade home.

See people dancing to Lisa Greenleaf calling this break at youtube.com/watch?v=bruiC0_myFU&t=38s

One good approach is to use a set of three related breaks, as I've done in “Texas Star”, possibly giving more complicated variations on the same basic move.  This may also persuade callers not to use the same break all three times, though I sometimes use the same one at the beginning and end with something different for the middle break.  And one thing I say in both my books is Don't walk the break through. I've danced my own squares called by people who have obviously read the books and say “Colin says don't walk the breaks through… but I'm going to anyway”.  I don't get it.  Are they lacking confidence in the dancers or in themselves?  I've heard David Wright say “Colin says don't walk the break through… so I'll talk it through”.  He then taught a break which I would have done at the “Beginners” session at Cecil Sharp House without a walkthrough and they would all have got right.

Grand Galaxy           Added 20-Jul-24

Format: Square.     Music: 32-bar reels.

A1:	Heads lead in and star through with opposite, sides divide; heads fall back as sides meet opposite in head place and star through.  Same — all half-way round.
A2:	Same.  Same — all home.
B1/2:	Whatever.

Created by Pat Murphy in discussion with Geoff Cubitt.

You're not just going round a little square on your own corner as in Grand Square; you're doing a diagonal figure of 8 round the whole square.  Every time you go forward you star through in the same 4 beats, so it's a busy figure.  And there's no “reverse” — Grand Square needs that because you're all back home at the end of A1 and there's no point in repeating the figure, whereas with Grand Galaxy you're half-way round at the end of A1 and you just keep going.

Grand Parade           Added 21-Jul-24

Format: Square.     Music: 32-bar reels.
Choreographer: Mort Simpson 1974

A1:	Heads step to a wave, right-hand turn half-way.  All move: men left-hand turn ¾, side ladies move right, head ladies move out to side man who courtesy turns them while head men pick up a side lady — all promenade half-way so head men are home, side men are opposite home place — ladies have moved one place left.
A2:	Repeat for heads — men are home, ladies opposite home.
B1/2:	Repeat twice more for sides — all home.

A break from Modern Western Square Dancing — and why not?  My thanks to Keith Rowden for calling this break so that I could understand it, and for the vital instruction “All move” — otherwise the ladies not involved in the wave tend not to!

Grand Sweep  

Half Grand Square       

Format: Square.     Music: 32-bar reels.  1997.

A1:	Sides face: Grand Square, just 8 steps.  Swing the one you're with (original opposite) and square the set — ladies have moved one place to the right and men one place to the left.
A2:	New sides face: Grand Square 8 steps.  Swing partner.
B1:	Allemande left corner, grand chain home.
B2:	Do-si-do partner.  Swing.

Or you could do the same thing four times.

Mix and Unmix       

Format: Square.     Music: 32-bar reels.  1983.

A1:	Circle left (half-way).  Allemande left corner.
A2:	Grand chain.
B1:	Do-si-do partner.  Swing corner.
B2:	Promenade to the man's place.
A1:	Circle left.  Circle right.
A2:	In to the middle and back.  And again.
B1:	All four ladies chain.  All four ladies chain ¾.
B2:	Promenade original partner.

This is just a break I use when I'm calling a non-progressive dance and I decide they really ought to try it with a different partner.  The first break gives you your corner as partner; the second reunites you with your original partner.

Nothing to it       

Format: Square.     Music: 32-bar reels.  1992.

A1:	Circle left (half-way).  Circle right half-way.
A2:	In to the middle and back.  And again.
B1:	Allemande left corner, allemande right partner, allemande left corner.
B2:	Balance and swing partner.

Just a simple break, and very suitable for positional calling as there's no mention of men and women.

Positional Promenade           Added 29-May-24

Format: Square.     Music: 32 bar reels.
Colin Hume, 2023

First figure:
A1:	Honour partner and corner.  Do-si-do partner — stay facing.
A2:	Those who can, left-hand star.  Pick up partner round the waist: star promenade half-way round.
B1:	Middles back out, outsides forward, wheel 1½.  Right hands in: star promenade home.
B2:	Open up to one big circle, go in to the middle and back.  Swing partner.
Second figure:
A1:	Allemande left corner, grand chain half-way round.
A2:	Do-si-do partner — stay facing.  Those who can, right-hand star.
B1:	Pick up partner: star promenade home.
B2:	Middles back out, outsides forward, wheel around, then turn it into a swing.
Third figure:
A1:	Allemande left your corner.  Do-si-do your partner — stay facing.
A2:	Those who can, left-hand star half-way.  Pick up your opposite, star promenade half-way, then middles back out, outsides move forwards.
B1:	Those who can, star chain across to your partner.  [Home]  Same four chain three-quarters, to your corner.
B2:	All join hands, go in to the middle and back.  Circle left half-way.
A3:	Allemande left your corner, walk past one, swing your original partner.
A4:	Original heads forward and back; sides forward and back.  Heads right and left through.
B3:	Sides right and left through.  Allemande left your corner.
B4:	Promenade all the way home.

Here by contrast is one which I specifically put together to be called positionally.  As you can see, it builds up — the final break is double-length.  When I called this I learnt that you must say “stay facing” after the do-si-do or some people will face into the set and “those who can” loses its meaning.  To learn much more, see my Positional American Squares page.

Texas Star       

Format: Square.     Music: Unphrased reels.  2006.

	Ladies to the centre and back to the bar; Four gents in with a right-hand star.  Now back with a left-hand star.  Pick up your (current) partner: star promenade…
1	The gents swing out and the ladies in, Turn one and a half, ladies right hands in: star promenade.  Ladies swing out and the gents swing in, Turn one and a quarter, all join hands and circle left.  Allemande left corner, grand chain.  Promenade.
2	Ladies roll back, gents keep the star going with this new lady.  Ladies roll back again (to original partner).  The gents swing out and the ladies in: star promenade.  All four ladies chain across (to original opposite).  Promenade to the gent's place.  Swing.
3	Ladies roll back, allemande left corner, allemande right partner, left pull by corner, swing the next (original opposite).  Form that Texas Star again.  The gents swing out and the ladies in: star promenade.  Gents roll back, ladies keep the star going with this new man.  Ladies swing out and the gents swing in: star promenade.  Ladies roll back, swing your partner.  Promenade.

I put this one together as a result of a posting on the Traditional Dance Callers' List by Erik Hoffman who gave the traditional dance “Texas Star” and one or two variations he uses.  The basic dance was published in “Old Square Dances of America” by Neva L. Boyd and Tressie M. Dunlavy, Chicago, 1925.  It's a mixer — the men star one more place to “pick up the next one on the sly” (or “on the fly”) and I've called it several times: it goes down well at a Barn Dance.  I was inspired to put together a set of breaks on this theme, though without picking up the next one on the sly — I'm doing enough switching around without needing that as well.

Now here are links to some breaks on my MWSD page (and a dance to go with one of them):

Teacup Chain  Beermug Chain  Alternating Teacup Chain  Double Teacup Chain  Tea for Two  Island Chain  All Four Ladies Teacup Chain  All Four Men Beermug Chain  Grand Tea Mug Chain  

These are all on a separate page but I'm putting links here on the principle that you can find all the dances on my site by going through the Instructions pages.

Basic 1: English figures  Basic 1A: English figures  Basic 2: Bend the line, Pass …Basic 2: Bend the line, Pass through  Basic 3: Square/Star/Dive t…Basic 3: Square/Star/Dive through  Basic 3A: Eight Chain  Basic 4: Revision  Basic 5: Swing through  Basic 6: Wheel around, Flutt…Basic 6: Wheel around, Flutter Wheel  Basic 7: Wheel and Deal fro…Basic 7: Wheel and Deal from a two-faced line, Double pass through  Basic 7A: Wheel & Deal fro…Basic 7A: Wheel & Deal from a line  Basic 7B: Wheel and Deal (b…Basic 7B: Wheel and Deal (both formations)  Count-down  Double-Dealing  Triple Zero  All A-Flutter  The Slender Chain  

I'm very pleased that Ron Buchanan has allowed me to put some of his squares on this page:
Country Corners Canon, Hey-mania, Jigsaw and Kathy's Balance.

Arkansas Traveller  Bouquet Waltz  

Bromyard Square       

Format: Square.     Dance: Colin Hume, 1998.     Music: 7 x 32 bar reels.

A1:	First couple left-hand turn, the other three ladies chain (pass one, miss one, grab one).  Second couple the same.
A2:	Third couple the same.  Fourth couple the same, and you should have your partner back.
B1:	Men left-hand star ¾, right-hand turn corner all the way and a little bit more, face partner.
B2:	Pass partner left shoulder, promenade the next (new partner) to the man's place.
Each man in turn leads the figure.  Ladies have moved left.

First called Bromyard Festival in 1998, using a swing rather than a left-hand turn in A1 and A2.  It was fairly chaotic, which is why I changed it, though it's still a very busy figure.  Keep the set small.  Men help the ladies in and out of the three ladies chain — just because you're a man doesn't absolve you of all responsibility, simply waiting to see whether you'll get one this time!

Buffalo Gap Square       

Format: Square.     Dance: Colin Hume, 2004.     Music: 4 x 48 bar reels.

A1:	Heads right and left through; sides right and left through.  Heads right and left through; side ladies chain.
A2:	Heads promenade half-way.  Heads face right: do-si-do this person all the way and a quarter more to finish right shoulder to right in a diagonal wave of eight.
B1:	Balance the wave; swing through (half a right-hand turn, those who can half a left-hand turn — your original partner is now in your right hand).  Again balance the wave and swing through, making sure you remake the wave for just an instant.
B2:	Pass through (just step forward out of the wave); California twirl (man with the woman on his right, as usual) to face back the way you came.  Diagonal lines of four go forward and back.
C1:	With the opposite couple, ladies chain.  With the person you're now facing (the one you did the California twirl with), Star through (man's right hand to lady's left, change places with the lady going under the man's arm to finish side-by-side at 90º to where you started), insides arch, outsides dive through and the archers do an automatic California twirl to finish facing into the set with the man on the left, middles pass through.
C2:	Swing the next.  Promenade to the man's place (about half-way).
Ladies have moved Right.

I was calling at English-American week at Buffalo Gap Camp in West Virginia in 2004, and Kathy Anderson called a square with a movement I particularly liked.  The next morning after my first workshop I was marooned in Swisher Hall all on my own by a torrential downpour.  Rather than sit around feeling sorry for myself I started to write a dance with the move I liked as A2, and called it that evening.  Originally I had the ladies chain before the lines forward and back, but people were disorientated after the pass through and California twirl so they needed something to cling on to!  It's still a tricky dance; B1 is very busy.

Busy, Busy, Busy       

Format: Square.     Dance: Colin Hume, 2005.     Music: 7 x 32 bar reels.

A1:	Heads forward and back.  Pass through, turn right, lady go round two people, man round one, to side lines with the men in the middle.
A2:	Lines forward and back.  In fours, flutter-wheel and sweep a quarter more, so the men are on the outside.
B1:	Step to a wave, swing through, pass through, swing the next (corner).
B2:	New heads right and left through.  New heads to the left: right and left through.
Ladies have moved Right.
or
B2:	Promenade to the lady's place (all the way).
Men have moved Left.

“Pass through” in B1 just means all take one step forward so in the middle of the set 3M and 2W are facing, 1M and 4W are facing.  Those on the outside turn to face the person who has just moved out alongside them, so you're all facing your corner.

Carol Ormand's Delight           Added 24-Jan-24

Format: Square.     Dance: Tom Hinds, 2016.     Music: 7 x 32 bar reels.

Here are two versions of the same dance.  Tom Hinds says,

It doesn't really matter to me which version you use.  I've always been disappointed that most callers don't see choreography as clay to mold as the occasion merits.

Tom is a caller from Charlottesville, Virginia — he also step-dances and plays piano, and has published several books of his own dances.  He's been calling squares and contras since 1984.  He called at Sidmouth Folk Festival in 2015 and was a major hit!  He wrote this figure for Carol who very much enjoyed the dance.  Here's how he calls it:

A1:	Heads forward and back.  Right and left through.
A2:	Swing opposite, end facing in (towards partner).  Circle left.
B1:	Square through three hands.  With the outside two, left square through three hands (home).
B2:	Give right to partner: wrong way grand chain half-way *.  Swing partner (opposite home place).

The heads then repeat the figure, starting from opposite place, all ending home.  So Tom's sequence would be: Break, Figure twice for Heads, Break, Figure twice for Sides, Break.

* This is a dance with no mention of gender, so you can call it positionally and indeed I did in my Positional American Squares workshop at Chippenham, but in that case don't say “wrong way” because that may confuse people who regularly switch roles and may not remember which is the “right” way.  I would just emphasise “grand chain this way” to reassure the doubters.

Tom used to call MWSD so he throws in a left square through which you won't often see in traditional-style dances.  Just remember that with a square through (right or left) you don't turn in after the final change, just pull by to face the next person.

Carol Ormand from Madison, Wisconsin has been calling and writing squares and contras since 1990 — she's also a fiddle player and enjoys dancing Morris, rapper sword, longsword, English country, Scandinavian dances and MWSD.  She has published two books of her dances.

She leaves out the initial forward and back and adds a half promenade before the final swing, which makes a much more conventional square where the figure ends in home places.

A1:	Heads right and left through.  Swing opposite, end facing in (towards partner).
A2:	Circle left.  Square through three hands.
B1:	With the outside two, left square through three hands (home).  Give right to partner: wrong way grand chain half-way.
B2:	Meet partner and promenade home.  Swing partner.

For this version I suggest the sequence should be: Break, Figure for Heads, Figure for Sides, Break, Figure for Heads, Figure for Sides, Break.

Chain Through the Star       

Format: Square.     Dance: Colin Hume, 1996.     Music: 9 x 32 bar reels.

A1:	Head ladies chain across and back.
A2:	Sides right-hand star.  Back with a left-hand star, so ladies are facing their right-hand couple and their partners are behind them, facing the same way.
B1:	Ladies chain with the heads, but instead of the middle men doing a courtesy turn they turn each other half-way and the lady joins the star behind the man they expected to chain to; star left half-way.  Same on the other side (ladies falling in behind their partner).
B2:	Same (ladies falling in in front of their partner in the final chain) and you all finish home.
C1:	Right hand to (original) corner: balance and swing.
C2:	Promenade to the man's place.

The timing is very tight, but it can be done by experienced dancers.  After the full left-hand star the middle men basically do a left-hand turn four times round — they must give weight and keep moving.

I picked up the central figure in Denmark in 1996 and made up the rest around it — it was probably originally non-progressive.  In 2017 I was given an old copy or Burleson's Encyclopedia of Square Dance Calls, and discovered that the figure is actually called “Chain thru and star”, described thus:

172.  CHAIN THRU AND STAR.  This movement is similar to flying chain.  Example — Heads right and left thru, same two couples star left ¾ round.  Where ladies chain out, men continue star alone ½ where lady chaining in will come into star behind this man, all four star ½, two ladies chain, men turn star alone ½ with this lady coming into star behind this man.  Repeat with sides going in, or as designated.

As you can see, I'm not starting with a right and left through or a left-hand star, and I'm going through the routine twice, so it's sufficiently different that I'm keeping my title for the dance — and if you're so prejudiced that you won't call a dance because one of the figures came from MWSD, I'm sorry for you!

Caulking Jig       

Format: Square.     Dance: Colin Hume, 2011.
Music: John New: 4 x AABBCC + extra A

A1:	Give right hand to partner: balance forward and back once (2 bars).  Swing (6 bars).
A2:	Promenade.
B1:	Heads forward and back; sides right and left through; head ladies chain across; side ladies chain across;
B2:	Heads lead forward; pick up sides, fall back in head lines.  Pass through, stay facing out, turn to your right.
C1:	Single file clockwise just over half-way till men are home.  Men turn round, gipsy right new partner (original corner).
C2:	Grand chain all the way round (one bar per change).
After four times through:
A:	Balance and swing original partner.

Caulking is making a boat watertight by packing the seams with a waterproof material, such as oakum or pitch.  It's easy to mishear the title as “Corking Jig”!

Hilary Vare told me that John New had written a really good tune which needed a dance to go with it.  I decided that the crescendo at the end of the tune would fit nicely with a grand chain, provided people moved fast enough, culminating in a balance and swing.  But I couldn't end the dance with a grand chain to meet your original partner and then stop the tune and dance dead, so I added an extra A-music to finish everything off.  Hilary called the dance at a Folk Camp that year and reported that it was very well received, but it wasn't until 2012 that I had a chance to call it with John and Hilary playing; most of the dancers seemed to know it and they danced it with an appropriate amount of energy.  It's a busy dance throughout, as the moves for heads and sides in B1 and the start of B2 are interlocked.

John New is an accordionist living in France, so he only gets to play for English Folk dancing a couple of weekends a year.  His other tune to which I have written a dance is The Night Crossing.

Chippenham Square       

Format: Square.     Dance: Colin Hume, 2010.     Music: 7 x 32 bar reels.

A1:	Heads right and left through; sides swing opposite and face the nearest head couple.
A2:	Balance the ring; Petronella twirl.  Same.
B1:	Balance the ring; pass through up and down the set.  Swing partner.
B2:	Allemande left corner.  Promenade home (half-way).
	Non-progressive, so I would do Break, Figure for Heads, Figure for Sides, all that again, final Break.

Based on “Petronella Square” by Becky Hill and first called at Chippenham Folk Festival.

Country Corners Canon       

Format: Square.     Dance: Ron Buchanan.     Music: reels

This is how I walk the dance through — and it takes some time!

Head ladies step back — you're not needed yet.  Sides separate.  Head men, you're going to turn each of these four side people, so I want you to point to each of them with your left hand, and remember them: Right-hand lady, Left-hand man, corner, Right-hand man.

I say this very slowly, and some people think I'm being unnecessarily pedantic — until they try to do the figure.

You're going to turn your contra corners by the left (as in Pat Shaw's dance “Walpole Cottage”) working your way anti-clockwise round the side couples, and you turn each other by the right ¾ before each corner and after the final one.  At the end, head ladies move in and you all swing your partners.

Head men step back, head ladies point with your right hand at your Left-hand man, Right-hand lady, Corner, Left-hand lady and remember them.

Now turn contra corners by the right, turning each other by the left ¾ before each but not at the end (because it's a canon and the men start it), working your way clockwise round the side couples, then swing your partner.

Now we put the two parts together!

A1:	Heads forward and back, sides back away from your partner.  Head lines forward and back — sides stay apart.
A2/B1/B2	Heads right-hand star one and a half to face your first corner.  Head men, the star counts as your right-hand turn with each other so you're ready to start the canon with a left hand to this corner.  But head ladies need to give right hand to your first corner, so you change hands and left-hand turn each other all the way to face this same first corner, then start the canon by the right.  Everybody has to work together on this — being early is just as bad as being late.  As the ladies are moving out the men are moving in, and vice-versa.  It's just four steps for each turn, so give some weight and make sure the moves dovetail into each other.  Head men: on the way out you pass partner, opposite, partner, opposite back to back to do a left-hand turn with the person they've just turned.  Sides: there are times when no-one's turning you — don't panic!
C1:	All swing partner (which starts a little late).
C2:	Promenade.

I start with the music really slow, and keep telling them to walk to the beat of the music.  Gradually speed up to dance speed, and maybe throw in a break.  Then stop and walk the whole thing through for the sides.  Again start the music slow, speed it up, do a break, then let the heads lead the figure again, then the sides and a final break.

For me this is Ron's finest square.  He's taken the “contra corners” move which you find in contras (and English, and Scottish) and made something amazing out of it.  I've danced this to both Kathy Anderson and Lisa Greenleaf, and with an experienced crowd it's a sure-fire winner once they get it.

Ron's other squares on this page are Hey-mania, Jigsaw and Kathy's Balance.

Cupid's Square Garden       

Dance: Geoff Elwell, 2005
Music: Any flowing, medium speed reel, 4 x 64 bars (or 8 x 32 bars).  Scottish-style reels are good.
Recorded music that works well:-
CD New Dimensions 3D by Chris, Julie & Nick Dewhurst.  Track 14
CD Free Spirit by Sound Company.  Track 14

Format: Square

A1:	Half grand square (but modified) — Heads lead in, fall back with opposite and two-hand turn half-way while sides divide, meet opposite in head position and two-hand turn half-way.  Repeat all this to finish half-way round the square.  Note: Sides lead 3rd & 4th times.
A2:	Heads lead in, pick up corner; fall back in head lines.  Lines cross over, then middles face ends.  Note: 3rd and 4th times sides lead in for side lines.
B1:	Reel of four along the line, to face this same person.
B2:	Do-si-do.  Do-si-do your opposite in the other line.
C1:	Half “Trip to Bavaria” reels: Ends pull by right as middles right-hand star half-way; all pull by left the next.  All that again. Note: left pull-by will be same sex, then opposite sex. NOT like in the real Trip to Bavaria when it is always the same sex.
C2:	Gypsy right partner.  Swing corner (new partner).
D1:	Promenade to the man's place.  Ladies have moved Right.
D2:	In to the middle and back twice, to square the set and give you time to remember who your new partner is.

First written 19th January 2005 for Radstock FDC Weekend 2005 dance competition.  Also available in the “Halsway Manor Ruby Celebration” dances booklet .  Rewritten 3rd August 2005.

Geoff Elwell was the Dance Director of Chippenham Folk Festival afor many years nd did an excellent job — always calm, always there when he was needed.  I remember running a callers' workshop in the canteen of the Olympiad Centre when a group of kids arrived for a birthday party.  “Keep going, Colin, I'll sort it out”, said Geoff, and a few minutes later he led us to another room.

I called this dance at May Heydays in 2023 (with Geoff dancing) and it went down very well, so I'm pleased to have the opportunity to share it with a wider audience.  I think of it as American-style even though it uses a figure from Scottish and Geoff suggests Scottish reels!

Another English dance which uses the figure from the Scottish dance “Trip to Bavaria” is Marge Hendy's “Square Club Square”.

Dallas Route       

Format: Square.     Dance: Buck Benny, probably 1950's.     Music: 4 x 64 bar reels.

A1:	First couple bow and swing.  Lead across, split the opposite couple, round one to the ends of a line of four.
A2:	Lines forward and back.  First man lead the line around behind the fours and take hands in “coach and horses” formation.
B1:	Forward six and back.  Front couple (fours) bow and swing.
B2:	Lead across, split the lonesome couple, round one to the ends of a line of four.  Forward eight, and men roll the left-hand lady away as you fall back.
C1:	Ladies chain across.  Ladies chain up and down.
C2:	Ladies chain across (to partner).  Ones face left: right and left through.
D1:	Ones face diagonally: right and left through.  Ones face right: right and left through.
D2:	Allemande left corner, promenade partner home.

In A1, “bow and swing” means take inside hands, balance away and then swing.  The original was a 48 bar figure, and the second half of C2 was “Promenade home except for the couple who are already home who move into the middle and fall back”.  Ed Gilmore has a modified version where couples 3 and 4 do a right and left through to get everyone in sequence for the promenade, but I thought I could do better than that, so I increased the length to 64 bars and added three lots of right and left through followed by an allemande left before the promenade.  It should work well, but it relies on the active couple being really positive when they lead the right and left throughs — the other couples just need to be ready to join in when the actives approach them.

Do Paso Square           Updated 6-Feb-24

Dance: Colin Hume, 2021
Music: 4 x 64 bar American reels
Format: Square

A1:	Heads right and left through.  Partner left shoulder do-si-do.
A2:	Do Paso:  Heads left-hand turn half-way, men cross back to back (R shoulder), right-hand turn opposite half-way, men cross back to back (L shoulder), left-hand turn partner all the way, as a courtesy turn.
B1:	Head ladies chain across.  Cross trail through, round one to the middle of a line of four.
B2:	Lines forward and back.  Current partner left shoulder do-si-do.
C1:	In these fours, Do Paso.
C2:	In same fours, ladies chain.  All circle left half-way.
D1:	Do Paso:  All turn partner left all the way, corner right all the way, partner left as a courtesy turn.  All four ladies chain (to original partner).
D2:	Promenade home, and a quick swing.
	Non-progressive. Call the figure for Heads, Sides, Heads, Sides.  It's a double-length figure so you might think four times through the figure is enough, but if you wish you can put in a break at the beginning, middle and end — particularly a simple closer to cheer people up if they've failed to get through the figure!

“Do Paso” was originally called “do-si-do” (and is sometimes called “do-si” in Running Set), but there were already two other figures with that name — all involving people passing back to back with each other — so it was agreed that the name should be changed.  It's normally a move for two couples, but MWSD also uses it for the whole square — in which case nobody is passing back to back but never mind.  I wanted a dance which built up, so the first time it's just the two working couples, the second time it's two groups of two couples, and the third time it's everybody together.  I originally wrote it as a change partner dance, with “All four ladies chain three-quarters” so that the ladies passed their original partner and chained out to the next.  I called it at Cambridge Contra and all the sets got through it but I felt it was touch and go.  Changing it to non-progressive means the ladies have more chance of knowing where they're going (the men have it easy, as usual) and the chain is quicker so there's more time to get home after it.  If you're calling it and people are late just leave out the final swing.

Make sure the men realise that at the start of the Do Paso it's a real left-hand turn with partner, not a courtesy turn, or the men won't be facing each other ready to pass back to back.  And you may need to stress that after the lines go forward and back your current partner is the man on your left or the lady on your right.

It was only when I wanted to use this in a workshop of American Squares called positionally that I realised I had to specify “half-way” and later “all the way” in the above instructions.  The official MWSD definision is:

DO PASO.  Face partner and turn by the left, go to your corner & turn half by the right, go back to your partner to hold left hands.

That's pretty vague, and misses the point that when it's danced by two couples it's the men who cross over both times while the women wait for a man to come to them.  And with two couples I'd refer to “opposite” rather than“corner” — I think they've tried to apply their standard terms to a traditional figure and in the process lost its essence.  In fact Vic Ceder says,

Do Paso is used primarily with a directional style of calling, in which many of the calls have vague or flexible starting or ending formations, usually in circles, thars, and squares.  Dancers are expected to blend smoothly into the next call.  The call defines a general pattern, but the specific parts of the call are typically cued (e.g., “Do Paso; It's partner left, corner right, partner left and hang on tight, make an Allemande Thar with the men in the middle …”).

Dodgy Dancing       

Format: Square.     Dance: Colin Hume, 2018.     Music: 9 x 32-bar reels.

A1:	Heads lead right and circle left with that couple: head men break to side lines.  Forward and back.
A2:	In fours, pass the ocean (finishing partner in right hand); balance the wave.  “Walk and Dodge” (those facing in walk straight forward, those facing out slide right into partner's place) to lines facing out; bend the line to lines up and down.
B1:	Same — all the men will be moving forward to bend the line.
B2:	Same, finishing beside partner.
C1:	All circle left half-way.  Swing corner.
C2:	Promenade to the man's place.
Ladies have moved Right.

Here's how I would explain this one.

The first part is a standard sequence, and you have time in the lines forward and back to make sure you're directly opposite another couple.  Now we do the same sequence of moves three times, but you're in different positions each time so it will feel very different.  “Pass the ocean” comes from MWSD but is quite common in other squares and contras now.  You pass through right shoulder with the one you're facing, and as you do so the middles (the first time it's the ladies) take left hands and turn a quarter as the ends turn to their right to make a wave with (this time) your partner in your right hand.

Now the signature move: “Walk and Dodge”.  Don't move yet!  If you're facing in, meaning you're facing someone's back, you're going to Walk — straight across to take the place of the person in front of you.  If you're facing out, someone is about to walk into you from behind, so you need to Dodge — just slide to your right to where your partner was, without turning round.  Nobody turns round in a Walk and Dodge.  Go!  Now you're in lines facing out, and here's a third move from MWSD — Bend the line.  Let go in the centre but keep hold at each end.  All it means is that you wheel one quarter to face in.  I know some men have been trained for years to move backwards whenever they wheel around, but in this case you're with another man and you can't both go backwards.  Just remember, you're wheeling the shortest distance to face in, not ¾.  Go!

Now we're back in side lines and we repeat the figure from new positions.  This time it isn't always ladies who catch left hands in the Pass the ocean, it's whoever is on the right.  This time all the men have to move forward to Bend the line.

And we do all that a third time, and you're back next to your partner ready for the big circle.

I called this on New Year's Eve 2018 with mainly good dancers, and they had more trouble than I expected.  Not so much with Walk and Dodge, but with Pass the Ocean.  They were all fine when starting from a standard position — couple facing couple, lady on the right — but they went to pieces when there was a man on the right.  There are only four beats for each of those four moves, and they clearly needed more, so I did what a Modern Western caller would do — ignored the excellent music from Mollie Koenigsberger and Ali Ellacott, and called the dance unphrased while trying to watch all the sets at once.

Duluth Stomp       

Format: Square.     Dance: Lloyd Yesberger, 1952.     Music: 32-bar reels.

First figure:
A1:	Heads balance and swing.
A2:	Heads forward and back.  Head ladies chain.
B1:	Head ladies right-hand turn each other 1½ and give left to partner in a wave up & down.  Balance the wave; left-hand turn ¾ and give right to corner in a wave across.
B2:	Balance; right-hand turn ¾ to waves up and down with the men in the middle.  Balance; men turn ¾ to a wave across.
C1:	Balance the wave; men step forward.  Swing corner.
C2:	Promenade to the lady's place.
Second figure:
A1:	Heads balance and swing.
A2:	Heads forward and back.  Head men left-hand chain (with the opposite lady giving them a courtesy turn).
B1:	Head men left-hand turn each other 1½, give right to partner in a wave up & down.  Balance the wave; right-hand turn ¾ and give left to corner in a wave across.
B2:	Balance; left-hand turn ¾ to waves up and down with the ladies in the middle.  Balance; ladies turn ¾ to a wave across.
C1:	Balance; ladies step forward.  Swing corner.
C2:	Promenade to the man's place.

I learnt this from Kathy Anderson and thought it was by her, but in fact it was published in August 1952 in “Let's Dance”, the magazine of Folk and Square Dancing.  You can see the published version at folkdance.com/LDMags/1952August.pdf page 15 — though who knows whether that was how Lloyd wrote it?  Jim Saxe made a few changes; I added back the initial balance and swing to make the figure up to 48 bars (Kathy calls unphrased squares so she wouldn't feel the need for that) and half of the original ladies chain.  I suspect it was Kathy who added the second figure which is a mirror image of the first, so my version uses a men's chain which is certainly a more common figure than it was when I started calling.  If you've got good dancers you can walk through the first figure and then just throw the second figure at them — just make sure you tell the men to use their left hands.

I would do: Break, Figure 1 twice for the Heads, Break, Figure 1 twice for the Sides, Break, Figure 2 twice for the Heads, Break, Figure 2 twice for the sides, Break.  If you really want to know, that makes 17 x 32 bar reels, but no band is going to want to be told that — just stop them when you've had enough!

Double Star Through       

Format: Square.     Dance: Colin Hume, 2004.     Music: 7 x 32 bar reels.

A1:	Heads promenade ¾ and roll away while sides go forward and back then double star through: first using the normal hand (man's right, lady's left) with your opposite, then the other hand with your original partner.
A2:	Do-si-do the outside two to a wave.  Swing through (half a right-hand turn, ladies half a left-hand turn); pass through.
B1:	Centres do-si-do, outsides U-turn back.  Centres double star through.
B2:	All pass through, balance and swing the next (corner).
Ladies have moved Right.

In 2004 there was some discussion on the Traditional Dance Callers List about the figure “Double Star Through”, and people were wondering how to use it, so I came up with this choreography — with my usual approach of fitting MWSD figures to phrased music.  People not used to Modern Western Square Dance will find this one challenging.

Fiddle-Faddle  The Five-Star Square  

Gents Spin Chain Through       

Format: Square.     Dance: Colin Hume, 2020.     Music: 9 x 32 bar reels.

A1:	Heads forward and back.  Right and left through.
A2:	Sides circle left ¾, pass through.  Do-si-do the one you meet, all the way and a bit more to take right hands with them and form a wave.
B1:	Spin chain through.  [Right-hand turn half-way, men left-hand turn ¾ to a wave across, middle men (heads) right-hand turn half-way, all the men left-hand turn ¾ to make waves with the ladies who have not moved while the men were strutting their stuff.]
B2:	Balance forward and back; box circulate.  Balance again; middles left-hand turn half-way.
C1:	Balance and swing the one you meet, then face into the set with the lady on the right as usual.
C2:	Allemande left new corner.  Promenade the one you swung, to the man's home place.
Ladies have moved Left .

This one involves two figures from Modern Western Square Dance, which may be too much for some people.  The box circulate occurs in the two halves of the set — some MWSD callers call it a Split Circulate but that's not universal.  Those facing someone's back walk forward to take that person's place; those facing out wheel to their right to take the place of the person who was in their right hand.  I called it at Cambridge Contra and the square in front of me were very enthusiastic about it, though one of the other squares kept breaking down.  The gents get most of the action in the Spin Chain Through, so I've also written “Ladies Spin Chain Through” where the ladies get the action.

Grind that Meal       

Format: Square.     Dance: Traditional, maybe 1960's.
Music: Unphrased reels.

	Ones balance and swing.  Circle left with the twos.  “Put your right hand up and make a wheel.” (Right hand on the right shoulder of the person in front of you in the circle)  “Now turn around and grind that meal.” (Left hand on the left shoulder of the person now in front of you).  “Take the hand that's on your shoulder — lift it up and lift it over”   (lift it over your head to form a back ring).  Ones raise joined arms in an arch, turn back to back with each other (but apart): man right, lady left and pull the other couple through.  Circle left.  Ladies chain across (to partner).  Swing partner.
	Ones repeat the figure with the threes, then with the fours, and everybody swing partner at home.  Then a Break.
	When each couple has led the figure, do it once for each in the whole circle: Ones, Twos, Break, Threes, Fours, Break.  For twos and fours the set is reversed, so the man needs to turn left and the lady right.- which is not what I'm saying on the video!

I learnt this from Sandy Bradley many years ago and still love calling it.  It's in Al Brundage's “Little Black Book” as “The Old Mill Wheel”.

People usually want to turn back to back with each other and then raise their joined arms, which is physically impossible.  Make sure the arching couple keep their elbows bent, and allow them to let go if things get too intense, or you may have an injury on your hands.

This is on my list of “Dances for a mixed crowd” — dances that experienced dancers and newcomers alike will enjoy.  When I was booked to call the Friday night dance at Glen Echo in 2015 I was given a long list of things I could and could not do, including the fact that a square in the first half should have a simple repetitive figure.  This is the one I chose — but the hot-shots there couldn't cope with it.  I had to go down on the floor and sort several sets out, and I had to walk it through again for the twos — something I've never done before.  So I'm pleased to report that in 2016 in Ann Arbor, Michigan, at a dance advertised as “English country & contras & squares, no experience required”, all the squares got through it with no more than the usual amount of trouble — as you can see by clicking the image on the right.

Happy Hoedown  

Going for a Spin       

Format: Square.     Dance: Colin Hume, 2003.     Music: 7 x 32 bar reels.

A1:	Heads circle left ¾, pass through.  Do-si-do to a wave.
A2:	Spin chain through.  [Right-hand turn half-way, men left-hand turn ¾ to a wave across, middle men (sides) right-hand turn half-way, all the men left-hand turn ¾ to make waves with the ladies who have not moved while the men were strutting their stuff.] (12 steps); balance the wave.
	[If they're slow, leave the balance to B1.]
B1:	Swing through [half a right-hand turn, ladies half a left-hand turn] and swing the next (corner).
B2:	Circle left till men get home.  In to the middle and back.
Ladies have moved Right.

Another dance put together to use a Modern Western Square Dance figure, Spin Chain Through.

Going West       

Format: Square.     Dance: Colin Hume, 1992.     Music: 7 x 32 bar reels.

A1:	Heads circle left ¾, pass through.  Do-si-do outside two.
A2:	Veer left, wheel and deal to face.  Right and left through.
B1:	Dive through, middle ladies chain (sides), pass through.
B2:	Swing corner.  Short promenade.
Ladies have moved Right.

And yet another!  Wheel and Deal from two-faced line: all step forward and wheel in as a couple to face the other couple from your line.  There's a more complicated version of Wheel and Deal from a normal line, where the two couples do different things.

Hey-mania       

Format: Square.     Dance: Ron Buchanan.     Music: 12 x 32 bar reels.

A1:	Heads give right hand and balance; do-si-do (4 bars); right-hand turn 1¼ to a wave up and down with men in the middle
A2:	Balance; men pull by left into almost a complete hey…
B1:	…swing partner, then give right hands to corner.
B2:	Balance; do-si-do; right-hand turn until the heads can take your partner's left hand in a wave across (at the heads).
C1:	Balance; heads start the hey passing left shoulder…
C2:	…swing corner, give right hand to the next (original opposite).
D1:	Balance; do-si-do, right-hand turn ¾, four men give left hands in a double star.
D2:	Balance, grand hey: men star half-way, pass right shoulders with partner, ladies left shoulder star half-way, pass right with opposite,
E1:	Men in half-way, pass partner, ladies in half-way, swing opposite, then take right hands with the next.
E2:	Balance; do-si-do; allemande right 1½ to face partner.
F1:	Weave the ring starting left shoulder (reverse direction from normal).  [So the final hey is round the outside.] Swing partner at home.
F2:	Promenade [added by Colin Hume].

Call the figure for Heads, Sides, Heads, Sides.  A clever dance which uses traditional moves and puts them together in an unconventional (but very logical) way.  The figure builds up and up, and the swings get shorter.  Ron Buchanan and Kathy Anderson call this to unphrased Southern reels, but I prefer to fit the moves to the music so I've taken the liberty of adding a final promenade which means each turn of the dance is three times through the tune.  I suggest to the band that they play each tune three times, and it's always a relief (to me) when the change of tune corresponds to the start of the next turn of the dance!

If you'd like a somewhat simpler dance, there's one by Roger Whynot called “Hey in a Square”.

Ron's other squares on this page are Country Corners Canon, Jigsaw and Kathy's Balance.

House Party Square       

Format: Square.     Dance: Colin Hume, 2003, revised 2004.     Music: 9 x 32 bar reels.

A1:	Heads swing.  Lead to the right, circle to a line, then the head men let go and finish in home place.
A2:	Lines of three forward and back.  Pass through, turn right, single file ¼ to head place while head men pass through.
B1:	At the heads, right-hand star not quite once around.  Ladies chain across, to partner.
B2:	Side lines forward and back.  Right and left through.
C1:	Cross trail through.  Swing corner.
C2:	Promenade ¾, to the man's place.
Ladies have moved right.

Each year in November I call a “House Party” weekend organised by Mike and Gill Swash and now by John and Liz Felton, now held at The Paddocks Hotel in Symonds Yat.  It's always a great weekend, and the few not-so-good dancers are swamped (if that's the right word) by the good dancers so I can call lots of tricky stuff.

Possibly the trickiest move in this dance is the ladies chain: make sure it goes across when the heads are leading the figure, and up and down when the sides are leading.

Ivor's Surprise       

Format: Square.
Dance: Dave Turner of Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, 1986.
Music: 7 x 32 bar American reels.
From the book Dance Search.

Figure:
A1:	Head couples do-si-do partner, backing off onto the ends of lines with the sides.  Lines forward and back.
A2:	Heads cast to the other end of the same lines while sides right and left through.  Lines forward and back.
B1:	Head men lead side men clockwise behind the ladies, into the other men's places.  All circle left half-way.
B2:	Men swing the nearest lady, finishing with her on the man's right.  Promenade corner to the man's place.
	Note: During the first part of B1 the ladies may take hands in pairs and wheel round clockwise.
Break:
A1:	Circle left.  Circle right.
A2:	Ladies right-hand star.  Men right-hand star.
B1:	Allemande left corner, grand chain to meet partner.
B2:	Do-si-do partner.  Grand chain home.

Devised for Ivor Howells' 60th birthday, November 1986.

Jigsaw       

Format: Square.     Dance: Ron Buchanan.     Music: 4 x 48 bar reels.

A1:	Heads forward and back.  Left-hand star.
A2:	Pick up corner (by the hand): star promenade; insides roll the outsides across to your left (all still facing the same way).  Star promenade; outside ladies roll back to lines of three.
B1:	The lines turn as 3 with a right hands high, left hands low, to make a right-hand star while the lone men about turn.  Star promenade; lone men roll back to lines of four, bend the line.
	At this point you are with your partner, in sequence, with the heads on the right-hand end of the line.
B2:	Lines forward and back.  Forward 4 steps and give right hand to opposite to form a wave of 8 (MWWM MWWM); balance right and left.
C1:	Rory O'More Slide or spin right; balance left and right.  Middle two ladies right-hand turn half-way, men take a step back and let the ladies come to you: all allemande left corner once around and look for your partner (you're back in a square).
C2:	Grand chain.  Swing at home.  [Or maybe promenade]

Sequence: Heads, sides, heads, sides — non-progressive.

You need quite a lot of room for this one.  I find the trickiest part is getting back into the square, which is why I emphasise that the men must let the ladies come to them.  At least you're looking for the same corner every time!

Ron's other squares on this page are Country Corners Canon, Hey-mania and Kathy's Balance.

Kathy's Balance       

Format: Square.     Dance: Ron Buchanan.  Music: 4 x 48 bar reels.

A1:	Allemande left your corner, right and left grand.
A2:	Meet your partner and promenade home.  When you get there, head ladies turn back, head men keep going, round one person to the middle of side lines (MMLL) with your opposite.
	Note: You two (in the middle of the line) move right one quarter in each of the next three moves, though it's not as simple as that.  You are always in the middle; the side couples are always on the ends of the lines.
B1:	Lines balance R & L; ends do-si-do opposite 1½ to the ends of head lines while middle ladies chain across, roll away, push away (men spin clockwise, ladies anti-clockwise) to the middle of head lines.
B2/A3: Same, ending in side lines.  Same, ending in head lines.
B3/4:	Lines balance R & L, then middle ladies give right hands as if starting a ladies chain but just pull by.  All swing partner at home.

Sequence: Heads, sides, heads, sides — non-progressive.

Ron wrote this for Kathy Anderson, and she loves calling the dance.  It's very disorientating!

Here's where people are in the lines when the heads are leading the figure — the top of the room (where the caller and band are) is at the top of the diagram:

The figure is 48 bars, so you can call it to 4 x 48 bar reels or add 32-bar breaks at the beginning, middle and end and call it to 9 x 32 bar reels.  Ron and Kathy would call it unphrased.

Ron's other squares on this page are Country Corners Canon, Hey-mania and Jigsaw.

Ladies Spin Chain Through       

Format: Square.     Dance: Colin Hume, 2020.     Music: 9 x 32 bar reels.

A1:	Head ladies chain across.  Sides right and left through.
A2:	Heads circle left ¾, pass through.  Do-si-do to a wave.
B1:	Balance forward and back; in fours at each end, box circulate.  Balance again; box circulate.
B2:	Spin chain through: right ½, ladies left ¾ to a wave across, middle ladies (heads) right ½, all ladies left ¾.
C1:	Balance and swing the one you meet (original opposite).
C2:	Allemande left new corner, walk past the one you swung.  Promenade the next to the lady's place (half-way).
	Men have moved Left.

See “Gents Spin Chain Through” for more information.

A Little Bit More  Milagro Square  Mount Gabriel Reel  

New Year's Eve       

Format: Square.     Dance: Colin Hume, 1992.     Music: 9 x 32 bar reels.

A1:	Heads basket, sides promenade all the way.
A2:	Sides basket, heads promenade all the way.
B1:	Heads right and left through.  Sides do-si-do opposite, heads fall back from partner to ends of side lines.
B2:	Lines forward and back.  Cross over.
C1:	All four ladies chain.  And back.
C2:	Promenade to the man's place.  Swing — see if you can merge from the swing into the basket.
Breaks 1 & 2:
A1:	Circle left.  Do-si-do corner.
A2:	Circle right.  Do-si-do partner.
B1:	Allemande left corner, grand chain.
B2:	Promenade to the man's place.  Swing.
Break 3:
A1:	Circle right.  Do-si-do corner.
A2:	Circle left.  Do-si-do corner again.
B1:	Do-si-do partner.  Swing partner.
B2:	All eight basket.

First called on New Year's Eve 1992.  For heaven's sake, don't walk through the breaks!  The final one is designed to fool them, and it's totally pointless if you've walked it through.  Have some faith in your dancers!

Newhaven Square       

Format: Square.     Dance: Colin Hume, 1995.     Music: 7 x 32 bar reels.

A1:	Heads forward and back.  Right-hand star.
	[Note: All the stars are hands-across rather than pack-saddle.]
A2:	With the sides, half a left-hand star; in the middle, half a right-hand star.  At the sides half a left-hand star; in the middle half a right-hand star.
B1:	Allemande left your corner, give right to your partner, balance forward & back.  Box the gnat; pull by.
B2:	Swing your corner.  Promenade to the man's place.

Ladies have moved Right.  People have real trouble with the stars — this is a harder dance than I thought!

Second of four written on a train from New York to Boston

Northern Quadrille  

Not So Bad!       

Format: Square.     Dance: Colin Hume, 1992.     Music: 7 x 32 bar reels.

A1:	Head ladies chain across.  Heads promenade half-way, then move forward to a wave across.
A2:	Balance the wave, swing through, pass through, separate, round one to the middle of side lines.
B1:	Lines forward and back.  All circle left half-way.
B2:	Swing new partner (original corner).  Promenade to the man's place.

Swing through is half a right-hand turn and then the middles (in this case the men) half a left-hand turn, but make sure they form the wave at the end of it or the pass through tends to be in random directions!

On the Trail of the Loneso…On the Trail of the Lonesome Pine  

Pop the Line       

Format: Square.     Dance: Traditional American.     Music: unphrased reels

Head ladies go out to their right followed by their partner: through the side couple, turn left and go round the lady.

Head ladies right-arm turn, men take the lead: go through the same couple and round the man, followed by their partner.

Head men left-arm turn, keep hold, put arm round partner's waist and weathervane once around.

“Pop the Line”: Open out to hand holds while still turning.  Men arch, ladies under & keep turning left to make a cloverleaf.

Buzz-step round (pivot step swing, clockwise).  Men pull partner through with right hand, turn her under (clockwise), all swing and promenade.

Click the picture on the right to see Lisa Greenleaf calling the dance.

Push and Shove  Recognition!  Redwing  Right and Left Six  Rolling Away  

Save the Last Dance for Me       

Format: Square.     Dance: Colin Hume, 2005.     Music: 7 x Own tune + 8-bar tag.

Break:

Circle left - -    (Note - this is sung, not spoken before the line of music starts!)
Yes, the music's fine, like sparkling wine, go and allemande left.
Box the gnat - -
Do a wrong-way grand going hand-over-hand till you meet again.
Then do-si-do, and after that box the gnat and then you promenade.
So darlin', save the last dance for me, mmmm.

Figure:

Heads you swing - -
While the sides pass through, separate, go round two to a line of four.
Forward eight - -
Come on back, roll away, and the men pass left to a hey for four.
But don't forget who's taking you home, just swing this one then promenade.
So darlin',  save the last dance for me, mmmm.

TAG  (last eight bars repeated)

(spoken)   Swing your partner.  (sung)   Save the last dance for me.

Ladies have moved Right.

To find out why I wrote this one, see my section on Writing Singing Squares

Shipston Square       

Format: Square.  Dance: Colin Hume, 2010.     Music: 4 x 64 bar reels.

A1:	Heads right and left through, then roll away.  Sides right and left through.
A2:	All circle left till head men are home.  Same-sex partner do-si-do.  Men are in head place, ladies in side place.
B1:	Heads (that's the men) lead to the right and circle left; heads break to side lines.  Lines forward and back.
B2:	Middles (original sides) pass through, handy-hand turn corner, middles swing partner and again finish in the middle of side lines.
C1:	Lines forward, middles roll away as you fall back.  Swing the next (original corner, beside you in your line) — again finish in side lines.
C2:	Across the set, right and left through.  All four ladies chain.
D1:	Promenade to the man's place (just over once around).
D2:	In to the middle and back.  Swing new partner.
Ladies have moved Left.

Written while visiting my cousin Anne in Shipston-on-Stour, Warwickshire.  While I was writing it, Anne was actually in Shipston Square (officially called High Street) handing out leaflets protesting about planned changes to the town.  We had been to an excellent Alcester Contra Dance the night before, and for some reason the B2 part of this dance struck me as a good move.  I then wrote the other 56 bars to get people into the correct position and then on to progressed position.

Make sure people know who their corner is at the start of each turn of the dance — always a good idea!

South-East Passage       

Format: Square.
Dance: Colin Wallace, 1994.     Music: 4 x 32 bar steady American reels.
From the book Dance Search.

A1:	All join hands and go forward a double and back.  The top lady and her corner man (1L, 2M) lead through the diagonally opposite corner of the set and cast round one person (taking the place of that person's current partner), while the middles of the lines of three (3M, 4L) cross right shoulder and cast “upwards” round one person into the top corner places left vacant.
A2:	All join hands and go forward a double and back.  The bottom lady and her corner man (3L, 4M) lead through the diagonally opposite corner of the set and cast round one person (taking the place of that person's current partner), while the middles of the lines of three (1M, 2L) cross right shoulder and cast “downwards” round one person into the bottom corner places left vacant.  [The heads are now all men, numbered clockwise, original head men opposite their original places; the sides are all ladies, also numbered clockwise, original side ladies opposite their original places.]
B1:	Heads (men) move forwards and face the nearest side pair, circle left three-quarters with them and face across the hall.  Pass through right shoulder with the one of your own sex in your own circle and swing the one you meet [briefly] to reform the square (man on left, lady on right).
B2:	Sides move in and face the nearest head couple, circle right three-quarters with them and face across the hall.  Pass through left shoulder and swing your partner, finishing one place to the left of your original position.
	Repeat three more times.

Staten Island Square       

Format: Square.
Dance: Colin Hume, 1994.     Music: 7 x 32 bar reels (preferably own tune).

Suggested Break   (not involving a grand chain)

First time:
A1:	(Nothing for four bars).  Honour partner; honour corner.
A2:	Circle left.  Circle right.
Middle and close:
A1:	Grand square.
A2:	Reverse.
Both:
B1:	All four ladies chain.  And back.
B2:	Promenade (or allemande left corner, swing partner).
Figure:
A1:	All circle left half-way.  Heads forward and back.
A2:	Heads lead right, circle to a line.  Lines forward and back.
B1:	Allemande left your corner, give right to your partner; balance forward and back.  Grand chain half-way.
B2:	Allemande right partner, give left to corner; balance forward and back.  Swing corner (in man's home place).

Written to fit the tune which I had thought was by Jimmy Shand, though according to tunearch.org/wiki/Annotation:Staten_Island_Hornpipe,

“Staten Island Hornpipe” was first printed in James Aird's Selection of Scotch, English, Irish, and Foreign Airs vol.  II (1785), printed in Glasgow, identical to version played today.

The allemandes are quick — bend your arms and give plenty of weight — so that you are there to balance on the right bit of music.

Take Two Girls       

Dance: Dave Turner, 1986
From the book Dance Search.
Format: Square
Music: 4 x 48-bar American reels

A1:	Head men take two girls (partner and corner), lead forward and back.  Circle six half-way to the left.
A2:	Side men do likewise (which leaves the ladies back home).
B1:	Do-si-do new corner.  Swing new partner.
B2:	Allemande left corner, pull by right hands with partner, allemande left the next (original corner) all the way, and hand her into:
C1:	All four ladies chain, men move one place to the right (receiving the one you swung).  All that again (so that the men are now in home position).
C2:	Promenade (original right-hand lady) to man's place.

Repeat three more times.  Ladies have moved Left.

Three Ladies Chain       

Format: Square.     Dance: Traditional American — variant by Colin Hume c. 2000.
Music: Unphrased reels.

	First couple out to the right and circle four hands round.
	“Three ladies chain”: Ones and twos do a ladies chain — first man doesn't do a courtesy turn but chains second lady with the fours, receives fourth lady, immediately chains her to second man and gets his partner back.
	On to the next and circle four, and two ladies chain [just across].
	On to the last and circle four, and three ladies chain once more.

You finish each round with either your partner or your opposite.  The original had chains all the way.  I now have my own dance, Triple Chain (in Squares with a Difference, Volume 2) which uses the same idea.

Triple Swing Through       

Dance: Colin Hume, 2004: Squares with a Difference, Volume 2
Music: 9 x 32 bar American reels

Sequence: Break — figure twice for heads — break — figure twice for sides — break.

Suggested Break:
A1:	Honour your partner, and your corner.  Swing your corner.
A2:	Circle left.  All four ladies chain.
B1:	All four ladies chain ¾.  Allemande left corner.
B2:	Promenade partner.  Swing.
Figure:
A1:	Allemande left corner, walk past partner, swing the next.
A2:	Allemande left new corner, walk past one, swing the next.
B1:	New heads pass through, separate, round one to the middle of a line of four.  Lines forward and back.
B2:	In fours (with the opposite couple) circle left 1¼ (so men are on outside, and heads are facing partner).  Do-si-do up and down.
C1:	Swing through, pass through.  Middles swing through, pass through while ends California twirl and the man move to his left.
C2:	Swing through, pass through.  Swing (original corner).

This is the hardest American Square I've yet written.  A “Swing through” is just half a right-hand turn on the ends and then half a left-hand turn in the middle, but it's vital that people remake the wave both times and that the ends don't drift while the middles are doing their half turn.  Please also emphasise that there is no balance before the move.  They have to execute the movement precisely and then step forward with confidence to make the next wave — and there's no spare music.  Nor is there a promenade at the end to give people time to sort out their problems — it's not that sort of a dance!

The Vacuum Square       

Format: Square.     Dance: 1950's?  Music: Unphrased reels.

	Ones lead across and face in, improper in third place, the other shift round one person's place to fill the vacuum — all now improper with someone.  Take your current partner's hand.
	Current Twos the same.  Threes.  Fours.
	Twos (who have just got there and won't realise it's them)!
	Threes.  Fours.  Ones.  [All now opposite home position].
	Allemande left corner, grand chain home.
	Each couple in turn leads the figure.

You've probably heard the axiom “Nature abhors a vacuum” — air rushes in to fill it.  That's the principle behind this dance, except that it's dancers rushing in rather than air!  In theory it's very simple — there's basically only one movement, plus allemande left and grand chain — in practice it's usually complete chaos.  You need to emphasise “one person's place” and taking the new partner's hand immediately.  In theory each crossing should take just four steps — in practice I allow eight steps at the start and try to cut it down as we go along.

If you're calling this dance you should be able to work out the sequence of couple numbers rather than writing it all on a card and desperately trying to read it at speed.  You start 1, 2, 3, 4, then shift up 1 to give 2, 3, 4, 1.  The second time it's 2, 3, 4, 1 then shift up one to give 3, 4, 1, 2 — and so on.  Maybe finish with a nice simple break!

The Wrong Side of Town       

Format: Square.     Dance: Colin Hume, 1998.     Music: 9 x 32 bar reels.

A1:	Head ladies chain across; side ladies chain across.  Head ladies chain back.
A2:	Heads lead right and circle left, head gents break to side lines.  Lines forward and back.
B1:	Do-si-do opposite.  Pass through, wheel and deal.
B2:	Double pass through, centres in, cast off three-quarters (with same sex).  Lines forward and back.
C1:	Star through, Pass through, swing the next (orig. R H L).
C2:	Promenade to the man's place.
Ladies have moved Left.

Several Modern Western figures in a row, and they need to be done quickly.

Wheel and Deal:  Left-hand couple step forward, all wheel in to about turn so that the couples who were in a line are now one behind the other, the original right-hand couple in front.

Double pass through:  All pass two people right shoulder (not weaving right and left).

Centres in:  Centres squeeze in between the leading couple and take an elbow hold with their same-sex neighbour.

Cast off three-quarters:  Ends gate the centres forward and round ¾ to form lines.

Dunsmuir Road Hornpipe       

Dance: Colin Hume, 2021.  Tune: Gregory Brown.
Format: Square

A1:	(step-hop): Right-forearm turn partner twice around and move on (in original facing direction).  Left-forearm turn the next twice around and move on.
A2:	Do-si-do the next (original opposite).  Hornpipe swing — right forearm hold, left hands joined above (or below), twice around with a step-hop.
B1:	(1-2-3-hop): New heads forward and back; cross over and face back in with the man on the right.  Sides the same.
B2:	Circle left till the men are home with a new partner.  In to the middle and out; and again.
	Ladies have moved Right.   Repeat with the heads leading and then twice with the sides leading.

The Dancehall Players from Victoria in Canada produced a CD of beautiful dance tunes in December 2020 called “Out of the Silence” and were looking for people to write dances to them.  I suggested that I write something to Greg's tune as I know hornpipes aren't popular in North America.  I tried to write something fairly simple but interesting: I wrote a 4-couple dance which went through four versions and still wasn't simple enough!  So here's a totally different dance.  I hope it's fairly simple but interesting, and I've specified a step-hop for the first half and a 1-2-3-hop for the second half.  I tried it out on 17th November 2021 and again on 1st December and made changes both times, so I really think this is the final version!

E and D Waltz       

Format: Square.     Dance and Music: Colin Hume, 2000.

A1:	Heads take inside hand with partner and set to opposite couple moving forward; turn single.  Two-hand turn opposite and open out to face the nearer side couple.
A2:	All set moving forward; turn single.  Two-hand turn opposite (new partner) and face this person in head columns.
B1:	In each column, half a hey.  At each end, right-hand star ¾, so that your new partner is now beside you in the other column — ease out of the star to use up the music.
B2:	All that again, finishing in original columns.
C1:	Gypsy right new partner.  Gypsy left previous partner, and the next move starts better if the men finish with their backs to the centre of the set.
C2:	Take ballroom hold with new partner and waltz round the set, to the lady's place.
Twice for head couples, then twice for side couples.

Written for Eric Black and Diane Zingale, who bought the dance at the Pinewoods auction during English-American Week 2000.  They asked for an English-style waltz, with something of the feeling of “Irish Lamentation” which I had called earlier in the week — extremely flirtatious, smooth and flowing, with eye contact and gypsies, which would be suitable at a public dance for experienced dancers.  My interpretation of Irish Lamentation starts with two lots of set, turn single and two-hand turn, so this seemed an obvious starting-point, and I chose a square so that the similarities would not simply become plagiarism.  I called it during the final evening dance.

Clare Plain Set  Cuirassiers Set  

Jingle Bells Quadrille       

Format: Square.     Dance: Colin Hume, 2019.  Music: James Lord Pierpont, 1857.

A1:	Heads take ballroom hold, gallop across (men passing back to back); then with inside foot (man's right, lady's left) heel and toe, heel and toe while bouncing on the other foot.  Repeat with ladies passing back to back * and other feet…  while sides do this in the other order: heel and toe before gallop.  Remember that wherever you are in the square the heel and toe always starts with the inside foot, to prepare you for the gallop.
A2:	All do-si-do partner.  Do-si-do corner.
B1:	All clap with partner: together, together, right, together, together left (to the rhythm of “Jin-gle Bells, Jin-gle Bells”); turn round quickly and same with corner.  Swing corner.
B2:	Polka round the set to the man's place with this new partner (or promenade if a polka is too much for you).
Third and fourth times, reverse heads and sides.
* for a safer version, don't go round the other couple on the way back, just have the men passing back to back again.

At The Round Christmas Party (the last club night of the Michaelmas term) Sally Vernon used to call a circle mixer to the tune of Jingle Bells “because it's Christmas” and this did not receive universal approbation, so in 2019 she asked me to write something better.  I think I succeeded.  There are many dances called “Jingle Bells” so I call mine “Jingle Bells Quadrille” to differentiate it from the others (and give it a spurious air of authenticity).

First called by Sally in December 2019 to great acclaim.  There was no dancing in 2020, but in 2021 Sally wanted to dance it so I called it.

Polka Quadrille  Waltz Cotillion  

Maggie's Waltz Square       

Format: Square.     Dance and Music: Colin Hume, 2002.

A:	Circle left one quarter; two-hand turn corner half-way.  Circle left exactly one quarter; two-hand turn the next corner half-way and square the set with this person.    [Men have moved one place right, ladies left.]
B:	New heads lead in while sides set to current partner; heads lead original partner out to side place (right hand in right might be an idea) while sides cast to head place.  All give right hand to partner: balance forward and back; change places turning the lady under.    [All home.]
C:	Facing partner, two chassées forward diagonally right (men out, ladies in); two forward diagonally left, to face the next person (new partner) 45° round the square.  Back-to-back.
D:	Waltz to the man's original place.
Ladies have moved left.

Repeat the dance for the heads, then twice for the sides.

I wrote this in 2002 for Maggie Hosking, and first called it at her 50th Birthday Dance with Keeping Thyme playing the music.  Maggie and her husband Dick are both beautiful dancers, and both very keen on waltzing, so it seemed an obvious idea.  When Peter Barnes published the tune in the second volume of his English Country Dance Tunes I thought I'd better make the instructions available!

Oswestry Square  

Tea and Sympathy       

Format: Square.     Music: Jonathan Jensen, 2002.  Dance: Colin Hume, 2006

A1:	(16 bars): First couple right-hand turn moving in to the centre.  With the nearer side couple, left-hand stars of three people.
	Head couples right-hand star.  Heads two-hand turn this opposite person and open out to face the nearer side couple.
A2:	Heys for four across, starting right shoulder with corner (one bar per change).
	Middles full figure eight through this side couple, finishing home.
B1:	(16 bars): Ones cross right shoulder, go round outside one person, cross left shoulder in the middle of the set, go round the next person, and finish on the end of a line with the threes facing up.
	Lead up two waltz steps; fall back one waltz step and then bring the ends in to form a circle in the centre of the set.  Circle left all the way, then turn left to face corner.
B2:	Gipsy left corner.  Gipsy right partner in home place.
	Take ballroom hold with partner and waltz ¾ round the square, finishing one place to the left of original place.

Repeat the dance three more times, with a new first couple leading each time.

This needs an English waltz step, with the first step bigger than the second and third, rather than an American waltz step which has three equal length steps, or you'll think there's too much music for some of the moves.

I called this at Eastbourne Folk Festival in 2013 with a group of very experienced dancers and they made a real mess of it!  Two warnings from them:

It's easy to go too far with the very first move and turn 1½ instead of just once.

The figures of eight are no problem in the walk-through, where I tell people to make sure they finish the heys where they started them and then the middles are facing the couple they're about to do the figure eight through.  But in the dance itself the outsides aren't standing there like posts; they're just finishing the hey.  The result was that several middle couples got disorientated, didn't quite finish the hey, then turned back to do the figure eight through the couple behind them.  And I work so hard to make my dances flow!

The tune and dance are dedicated to the lovely Susan St Germain (formerly Susan Murrow), who is now officially American but was English for her formative years and knows how to make a proper cup of tea!  We have given each other plenty of Tea and Sympathy over the last few years.  Susan has also served as the “tea lady” at several Pinewoods English weeks.  The three-handed stars in A1 are known to Scottish dancers as “tea-pots”.

Yorkshire Square Eight  

Belle Brandon Set  La Boulanger  

Cecil Sharp House           

Format: Square.     Dance and Music: Colin Hume, 1988.

First Figure:
A:	All lead partner forward a double and back.  Head men half a reel of three with partner and corner (so that the ladies end in each other's places and the men are home).
	All lead new corner (who may or may not be your original partner) forward and back.  Side men half a reel of three left shoulder with current corner and partner.
	All two-hand turn current partner (this is your shadow — your original opposite — you meet the same person at this point in all three figures).  Ladies circle left half-way (home), acknowledge partner.
B1:	Heads lead in (2 steps), two-hand turn opposite half-way (4 steps), pass partner by (2).  Circle with the sides, all the way.
	Half reels of four across set.  Sides make a single-handed arch, heads lead through and separate to meet partner (all opposite home position and improper).
B2:	Sides lead in, two-hand turn opposite half-way, face partner and pass by.  Circle with the heads, all the way.
	Half reels of four up and down.  Heads arch, sides lead through and separate to meet partner (home).
Second Figure:
A:	All side right shoulder with partner.  Head ladies half a reel of three with partner and corner (so that the men end in each other's places and the ladies are home).
	Side left with new corner.  Side ladies half a reel of three left shoulder with current corner and partner.
	All two-hand turn shadow.  Ladies circle left half-way, acknowledge partner (all opposite home position).
B1:	Men move in four steps and turn right to face partner; all cross right with partner to finish in a cross formation.  Ladies poussette the men out 4 steps; back again.
	Ladies give right hands: star promenade half-way (men on the outside).  Men left-hand star half-way, to finish back in opposite position (with shadow) while the ladies stay in home position.
B2:	Ladies in four steps and turn left to face shadow; all cross left with shadow to finish in a cross formation.  Men poussette the ladies out 4 steps; back again.
	Men give left hands: star promenade half-way.  Ladies right-hand star half-way (all home).
Third Figure:
A:	Arm right.  Three changes without hands, and face number four (on the diagonal).
	Arm left.  Three changes starting left shoulder with this person.
	All two-hand turn shadow.  Ladies circle left half-way, acknowledge partner (all one place to the left of home position).
B1:	Men cast left shoulder one place, ladies right-hand star half-way; left-hand turn corner half-way.  Men right-hand star half-way, ladies move one place anti-clockwise; left-hand turn partner (not very far) into a square (opposite home position).
	Back-to-back corner.  Circle left half-way (home).
B2:	Ladies cast right shoulder one place, men left-hand star half-way; right-hand turn corner half-way.  Ladies left-hand star half-way, men move one place clockwise; right-hand turn partner (not very far) into a square (one place to the right of home position).
	Back-to-back partner.  Circle left home (4 steps); step right and honour partner.

My first dance sparked off by the attempted closure of Cecil Sharp House was “Save the House”.  This one was a later work — a complex dance in the style of those published by John Playford in the 17th century.  Many Playford dances are named after famous houses of the period: “Hunsdon House”, “Cottey House”, “Well-Hall”, “Buckingham House” (better known as “Chelsea Reach”), “Apley House” and so on.  I decided to write a dance dedicated to my favourite House.  It was first danced at a Playford Ball at Cecil Sharp House in November 1987, as a result of which the interval was delayed twenty minutes — it turned out harder than I expected!

I've put in bold text the words which I find I need to emphasise when calling the dance.  The first two introductions seem to cause major problems.  There are plenty of dances in square formation, and plenty of dances with half a reel of three, but putting the two together is highly unusual.  The main problem is getting the two people not involved in the reels to stand still!

A record called “Cecil Sharp House” was published by the Friends in 1988.  As well as the two dances mentioned it contained the wind quintet version of one of my best-known dances, “Unrequited Love”, though that version was not designed for dancing to.

Chess       

Format: Square numbered counter-clockwise.     Dance and Music: Colin Hume, 2004.

First Figure:
Pawns  (who move forwards but capture diagonally) — danced in canon with a 4-bar interval.
A1:	Heads lead forward a double to meet; ladies pass left shoulder (2 steps), men pass right shoulder — stay facing in original direction.  Lead out to opposite place improper while sides start the sequence; turn left and go single file to that corner position.
A2:	Heads move in on the diagonal, still single file with lady in the lead, hey with the other couples to get past them (ladies passing right shoulder to start).  Loop right to finish in partner's place; two-hand turn half-way (home).  Meanwhile sides are continuing in canon, so they get home after four bars of the next phrase of music.
Knights  (who move two squares in one direction and then one at right angles to this) — danced in canon with an 8-bar interval.
B1:	Head men move forward a double until just past each other; two chassées right to pass each other back-to-back.  Forward a double and two chassées left (to opposite lady's original place but facing out) while head ladies move forward a double until just past each other and then two chassées left to pass each other back-to-back.
B2:	Head men cast left shoulder to finish just behind their home place while head ladies move forward a double and two chassées right (to opposite man's original place but facing out) while side men start the sequence.  Head ladies cast right shoulder to finish home while side ladies start the sequence — side ladies get home at the end of the next musical phrase, in time to start the next sequence.  (Men move forward to their place once the lady has vacated it.)
Second Figure:
Rooks (Castles)  (who move rapidly up-and-down or across)
A1:	Heads set to partner; ones give two hands and slip across to threes' place while threes slip outside ones to ones' place.  Heads set; slip back, threes between ones.
A2:	Sides repeat, twos (on left of ones) going through first.
Bishops  (who move rapidly on a diagonal)
B1:	Head men point right shoulders at each other and slip across into each other's place passing back-to-back; head ladies same.  Side men; side ladies.
B2:	All that again, but left shoulder this time.
Third Figure:
Queens  (who move rapidly in all directions)
A1:	Half a grand square: sides fall back from partner and then move in to meet opposite while heads lead in with partner and fall back to side place.  At top and bottom, half a straight (or rather semicircular) hey for four (skip or skip-change step) started by current heads passing right shoulder with current partner.
A2:	All that again from these positions, finishing home.
Kings  (who move one square in any direction)
B1:	First man move forward a single, second; third, fourth.  First man fall back as his corner (fourth lady) moves forward, second; third, fourth, then ladies turn a quarter left, men right.
B2:	Two singles forward (one into line left shoulder, one to pass); two chassées left.  Two singles backward; two chassées right and honour partner.

David Woolf, the sound man at Buffalo Gap in 2004, was a mass of talents.  He would dance when needed, and he also had a chess board permanently available for people to play with him.  Then at the Show and Tell he produced a hammered dulcimer and played a stunning piece of music which defies description.  At the end it had a part for five sopranos and it was just an amazing sound.  It comes from a CD called Hymnody Of Earth by Malcolm Dalglish and you can hear extracts and order the CD or score from oooliticmusic.com/hymnody.htm.  One of the men told me afterwards that he'd stood up after hearing it and suddenly collapsed in floods of tears.  And then in the evening I discovered that David is an excellent contra caller.

I put “a dance and tune to your specification” into the auction, and Carol MacAdam bid the most for it — I wrote her a contra dance called Princeton's Silver Lining.  Then David asked if I was willing to do a second commission.  He paid CDSS the same amount, and he wanted an English Dance based on the moves of chess.  I'm glad I didn't have to come up with that in time for the Show and Tell.  He was talking about people as castles moving horizontally, people as bishops moving diagonally, pawns getting to the far row and being promoted to queens — the mind boggled!!  Eventually I sent him this, but I don't know whether he's ever danced it — it's not something your average dancers would cope with.

Cowley Manor       

Format: Square.     Dance and Music: Jill Lawrence, 1979.

First Figure:
A1:	Lead in a double; turn away and lead neighbour out. Cast away to meet partner; two-hand turn half-way.
A2:	Repeat to place.
B:	Men move in curving right one place to stand back to back in the middle while women move left one place; left-hand turn original opposite half-way. Women right-hand star half-way; left-hand turn partner into a square, one place to the right of home position.
C:	Women move in curving left one place to stand back to back in the middle while men move right one place; right-hand turn opposite half-way. Men left-hand star half-way; two-hand turn partner home.
Second Figure:
A1/2:	As before.
B:	Keeping both hands, men draw partner 4 steps; open out and lead forward to form a cross, then turn in to face back to where you came from.  Fall back; give two hands, men push, finishing in opposite couple's place facing partner.
C:	Heads slip across to place (women inside men) and turn single out while sides turn single in and slip across.  All back-to-back partner.
Third Figure:
A1/2:	As before.
B:	Heads cast to side places while sides lead in and face back to own place; middles (sides) arch and lead back home while outsides (heads) lead in under the arch.  Middles (heads) two quick changes (with handfs) starting with partner while outsides (sides) cast to head place; middles (heads) arch out (to opposite head place) while outsides (sides) lead in under an arch.
C:	Outsides (heads) cast to side place while middles (sides) two quick changes starting with partner; middles (sides) arch out (with partner) while outsides (heads) lead in under the arch; middles (heads) two quick changes starting with partner and lead out to home place while outsides cast away, go half-way round the set to place and right hand turn half-way.

The first figure seems awkward because you don't give the hand you'd expect to turn your opposite.  Maybe instead of everyone moving to the specified places at the start of B and C you should move towards that place and then hand the outside person in as if you were doing a grand chain — that's just a suggestion made by the dancers the first time I called it.

The third figure is rather complicated.  Jill refers to the couples as either “1's & 3's” or “2's & 4's” whereas I find it easier to talk in terms of current positions — either middles or outsides — though I'm also adding “heads” or “sides” in brackets to help you follow the pattern.

Cowley Manor was a centre for residential weekends including folk dancing, somewhat like Halsway Manor.  It's now a luxury hotel.

Clutha  

Ding Dong Merrily       

Format: Square.
Dance: Ellen Taylor, 1982.  Music: Arbeau, 1589

First Figure:
A:	All to the middle and out (raising hands as if bell ringing).  That again.
B1:	Head couples lead to middle; with opposite lead out through side couples.  Cast to place; turn single.
B2:	Side couples as much.
Second Figure:
A:	Partners side (Cecil Sharp).  Same.
B1:	Partners give two hands: slip in to the middle; slip out.  Cast out to meet corner; set.
B2:	Corners give two hands: slip in to the middle; slip out.  Cast out to meet partner; set.
Third Figure:
A:	Partners arm right.  Partners arm left.
B1:	Right hand to partner: Grand chain half-way (skip-change).  Back-to-back.
B2:	Repeat to places.

Jill says:

Ding Dong Merrily is a dance I was asked to make up for Christmas set to a Christmas carol.

Ellen's Circle       

Format: Square.     Dance and Music: Ellen Taylor, 1977.

First Figure:
A1:	Circle left half-way.  Set to partner; turn single.
A2:	Circle right half-way.  Set to partner; turn single.
B1:	Men right-hand star half-way; left elbow swing opposite.  Men right-hand star to places; left elbow swing partner.
B2:	Women do the same, to places.
Second Figure:
A1:	Partners side (Cecil Sharp).  Set; turn single.
A2:	All that again.
B1:	Partners gypsy right.  Corners gypsy left.
B2:	Partners right-hand turn.  Corners left-hand turn.
Third Figure:
A1:	Partners arm right.  Set; turn single.
A2:	Partners arm left.  Set; turn single.
B1:	1st man & 3rd woman whole figure eight through nearer side couple while 1st woman & 3rd man do the same on the other side.
B2:	Side couples do the same through the heads.
Coda:
A1:	Circle left half-way.  Set to partner; turn single.
A2:	Circle right half-way.  Set to partner; turn single.

L'Entrée du Bal  George Washington's Favou…George Washington's Favourite  

The Golden Rose       

Format: Square.     Dance and Music: Ellen Taylor, 1989.

First Figure:
A:	Partners step right and honour; step left and honour.  Back-to-back.
B:	(16 bars)  Head couples lead to middle, separate and make rings with side couples; circle left half-way.  New middles lead through the outsides and cast to top and bottom.
	Repeat with new head couples leading.
Second Figure:
A:	Partners step right and honour; step left and honour.  Side (Cecil Sharp).
B:	As in first figure but side couples lead and make rings at top and bottom.
Third Figure:
A:	Partners step right and honour; step left and honour.  Arm right.
B:	All four men move to middle and join hands in a ring; set right and left.  Cast left shoulder round corner to place.
	Women repeat but cast right shoulder round corner.
Coda:
A:	Partners step right and honour; step left and honour.  Two-hand turn

Music and dance composed for Betty and Leslie Hyner on the occasion of their Golden Wedding Anniversary.

Ellen's instructions refer to B1 and B2, but the music has a single 16-bar B so the instructions above tie up with that.

How great is the pleasure       

Format: Square.     Dance: Colin Hume, 2017.  Music: Shaker hymn (waltz time)

A1:	Heads right-hand turn partner.  Head men pass left shoulders into half a hey up and down.
A2:	Sides left-hand turn.  Side ladies pass right shoulders into half a hey across.
B1:	Ladies right-hand star ¾, moving in on the third step and falling back on the fourth.  Men left-hand star ¾ similarly.
B2:	All circle left half-way.  Men step back and forward while rolling their left-hand lady across into their partner's place; same with the next (original partner). You keep the same partner but move one place left each time.

Click here for the tune 4 times through with a 4-bar introduction.  Click “Play MP3” rather than “Play MIDI” and you should be able to download an MP3 to dance to.

Melanie Axel-Lute wrote to the ECD List asking if people knew of English Country Dances set to Shaker tunes which they could perform at a Shaker Day of Dance.  I replied that if she sent me some tunes and I would write one.  In fact I wrote two, the other being Love is little.  The “Day of Dance” took place on May 12th 2018 at the Shaker Meeting House in Albany — the capital of New York State — with music by Spare Parts.  It was a joint project of the Shaker Heritage Society and the Dance Flurry Organization.  An address about Shaker music and dance was followed by participatory Shaker dancing.  After a short introduction to English country dance, experienced dancers demonstrated five modern English country dances that were composed to Shaker tunes.  There was also an evening dance for all, consisting of dances from the 1600s and 1700s, as well as some of the afternoon's ECD to Shaker tunes.  Click the image on the left to hear Melanie's address, and the image on the right to watch the performance of “How great is the pleasure”.

Other dances which were performed on the day:
Love, Hope and JoyRites of SpringA Simple
GiftA Mover and a Shaker

Hunsdon House  Hyde Park  

Martin's Jig       

Format: Square.     Dance and Music: Ellen Taylor, 1977.

First Figure:
A1:	Partners step and honour R and L.  Two-hand turn.
A2:	Corners the same.
B1:	All circle left half-way.  Set to partner; turn single.
B2:	All circle right half-way.  Set to partner; turn single.
Second Figure:
A1:	Partners step and honour R and L.  Side with partner (Cecil Sharp).
A2:	Corners the same.
B1:	Grand chain half-way.  Set to partner; turn single.
B2:	All that again.
Third Figure:
A1:	Partners step and honour R and L.  Arm right.
A2:	Corners the same but arm left.
B1:	Ladies right-hand star half-way; left-hand turn opposite man to finish beside him.  Set to this new partner; turn single.
B2:	The same to original partner.

Mr Felton's Retirement       

Format: Square.     Dance and Music: Colin Hume, 2012.

First Figure:
A1:	Lead partner in three steps and back; set to partner.  Back-to-back; two-hand turn half-way and face the next.
A2:	The same with this person, and face the next (original opposite) one quarter round the square.
B:	Give right hand: grand chain half-way round.  Right-hand turn the same person.  (B and C are all danced with a skip-change step.)
C:	Current head men pass left shoulder: heads reel of four half-way.  Head men look right and pass this side man left shoulder: diagonal reels of four half-way so the ladies are home and the men are opposite their home place.
Second Figure:
A1:	Side right shoulder to right; set to this partner.  Back-to-back; two-hand turn half-way and face the next.
A2:	The same left with this person, to face original partner.
B:	Grand chain half-way.  Right hand turn.
C:	Current side men pass left shoulder: sides reel of four half-way.  Side men look right and pass this head man left shoulder: diagonal reels of four half-way so all are home.
Third Figure:
A1:	Arm right; set to partner.  Back-to-back; two-hand turn all the way and stay facing partner.
A2:	The same left.
B:	Grand chain half-way.  Right hand turn partner.
C:	(Interlocking reels):  All four men left-hand star half-way (but without hands), pass opposite right shoulder, ladies left-hand star half-way without hands, two-hand turn partner 1¼ into home place.

First danced at John Felton's Retirement Dance in June 2012, with music from Contradition.

I've known John and Liz Felton since before they were married, and having three children never stopped them dancing; I remember carrying each of the kids in turn down a longways set at Cecil Sharp House so that John and Liz could dance with each other and the child was still close to Mum and Dad.  I wrote Mrs Felton's Maggot for Liz's 50th birthday dance, and in 2012 she commissioned me to write a dance to celebrate John's retirement.

The symbolism is that John starts off at home with Liz but his work takes him all over the place; he dances with strange women, takes up Scottish dancing, and at the end of the first figure Liz is left at home while John is at the other end of Britain!  In the second figure he decides that now the kids have all left home it's safe to take early retirement, and comes back.  In the third figure he stays with Liz and doesn't dance with any other women.

The dance is deliberately a mixture of Playford and Scottish styles; the three Playford introductions are walked to a triple-time Strathspey (not many of those around!) and the second half is all danced to a skip-change step.  When you're setting in three-time there's no bounce; it's simply a smooth right-left-right, left-right-left.  I found that many dancers (particularly in The States) do right-left-pause, left-right-pause and that's not what I want; I want a change of weight on each beat.

Nan of Cleve       

Format: Square.     Dance and Music: Jill Lawrence, 1973.

First Figure:
A1:	Back-to-back partner.  Step right and honour; pass on to the next.
A2:	Left shoulder back-to-back.  Step right and honour; pass on to the next.
B1:	Right-hand turn 1½ to face the next.  Give left hands: lead in and fall back.
B2:	Same person left-hand turn 1½ to face the next (partner).  Give right hands: lead in and fall back.  [Half-way round]
Second Figure:
A1:	Side (Cecil Sharp).  Step right and honour; pass on.
A2:	Same with the next.
B1:	New sides lead in right hand in right; face current partner and pass through while new heads two-hand turn half-way to form a longways set.  In fours, women cross; men cross.
B2:	All face across: two-hand turn opposite half-way; middles fall back to side place.  [All home]
Third Figure:
A1:	Arm right.  Step right and honour; pass on.
A2:	Arm left.  Step right and honour; pass on.
B1:	Men right-hand star half-way; cast left shoulder round original partner and dance (skip-change or skip step) anti-clockwise in front of the next, behind the next to finish on the left of number 3.
B2:	Women left-hand star half-way; cast right shoulder round opposite man and dance clockwise in front of the next, behind the next to finish beside partner.  [Half-way round]
Fourth Figure:
A1:	Gypsy right.  Step right and honour; pass on.
A2:	Gypsy left.  Step right and honour; pass on.
B1:	All join hands: in to the middle and back.  Women move in, slide left one place and fall back in home place.
B2:	All join hands: in to the middle and back.  Men move in, slide right one place and fall back in home place.

For Nan Sayce of Bishops Cleve, Glos.

Jill says:

I began by composing dances for two country dance groups, one at Bishops Cleeve, the other at Charlton Kings.  Hence The Jolly Bishop of Cleeve, Nan of Cleeve, Bishops Hey, Charlton Fancy, Kings Ring and Kings Frolic.  'Nan of Cleeve' is Nan Sayce who teaches dancing at both groups.

Newcastle  

Noughts and Crosses       

Format: Square.     Dance and Music: Ellen Taylor, 1980.

First Figure:
A1:	Circle left half-way (slip).  Set to partner; turn single.
A2:	The same to the right.
B1:	Heads gipsy right with opposite, finishing in lines across.  At each end, right-hand star, all finishing home.
B2:	Sides gipsy left with opposite, finishing in lines up and down.  At each end, left-hand star, all finishing home.
C:	Gipsy right partner.  Gipsy left corner (making a figure 8).
Second Figure:
A1:	Partners side (Cecil Sharp).  Set; turn single.
A2:	All that again.
B1:	Heads back-to-back with opposite.  Corner right-hand turn.
B2:	Sides left shoulder back-to-back with opposite.  Corner left-hand turn.
C:	Gipsy right partner.  Gipsy left corner.
Third Figure:
A1:	Partners arm right.  Set; turn single.
A2:	Partners arm left.  Set; turn single.
B1:	Heads gipsy right with opposite.  Same four right-hand star.
B2:	Sides gipsy left with opposite.  Same four left-hand star.
C:	Gipsy right partner.  Gipsy left corner.

The Plain Quadrille  Paine's Fourth Set  Round Reel of Eight  La Russe  Scottish Set  

Snowbound       

Format: Square.       Dance and Music: Ellen Taylor, 1987.

First Figure:
A:	Partner right-hand turn.  Corner left-hand turn.
B1:	Head couples straight hey down middle of set.  (Women start passing right shoulder.)
B2:	Side couples straight hey across the set.
Second Figure:
A:	Partner right-hand turn.  Corner left-hand turn.
B1:	Men right-hand star half-way; change left hand with opposite woman.  Women right-hand star all the way while men continue anticlockwise, all finishing home.
B2:	Women left-hand star half-way; change right hand with opposite man.  Men left-hand star all the way while women continue clockwise, all finishing home.
Third Figure:
A:	Partner right-hand turn.  Corner left-hand turn.
B1:	Head couples meet, as side couples face partner and fall back; head couples lead opposite out to sides while side couples meet opposite.  All two-hand turn.
B2:	Repeat from new places.

In the second figure, Ellen says Women RH star ½ to places but this is self-contradictory and she allows 4 bars for the move so I think she must mean a whole star.  In B2 when the men star she doesn't say half-way.

Sociable Set  

These are all on my Scottish Dances page, but I'm putting in the links here in case you'd like to try them.

The Almo Rant  Eightsome Reel  The Elephant's Stampede  Nottingham Lace  The Rothesay Rant