The Strafford Ball Condensed Dance Instructions 2009

Dance Credits for recently composed dances

• Autumn in Amherst is written by Philippe Callens and published in the CDSS News, #175, Nov/Dec 2003 and in Antwerp Antics, June 2004. Brief instructions published here by permission of author (8/8/03 email). [The tune for this dance, The Red Star Line is by Kathy Talvitie (Joyful Noise and Hold the Mustard), but is not on their The Red Star Line CD].
• Cottonwood was written by Brooke Friendly and Chris Sackett to a tune by David Bartley, and is published in their book "Impropriety", available from CDSS. Reproduced here by permission of author (7/25/08 email)
• The Good Man of Cambridge was written by Gary Roodman to a tune by Mozart. The dance is published in Gary's book "Additional Calculated Figures"(1992). Brief instructions are published here by permission of the author (7/25/08 email).
• The Homecoming is written by Gary Roodman to a tune by Jonathan Jensen. The dance is published in Gary's book "Multiple Calculated Figures". Brief instructions are published here by permission of the author (7/31/01 email).
• Hudson Barn by Jacqueline Schwab & Charles Hammond; Brief insturctions published here by permission of Jacqueline Schwab (8/18/03); full instructions and tune printed in "Hudson Barn", Helene Cornelius, ed., 1974) Dance written for Pam Kelly and Jonathan Bosworth, on their wedding.
• Musette was written by Chris Levey to a tune by Bach. Full instructions and music also available. Brief instructions published here by permission of author.
• Rafe's Waltz was written by Victor Skowronski to a folk tune "Cutty Wren" used by Rafe Vaughn Williams. Full instructions and music are available. (written for permission)
• Sally in our Alley (1719) was reconstructed by Jacqueline Schwab in 2000.
• Smithy Hill is by Tom Cook with music by Brian Jenkins; full instructions and tune are printed in "Hunter's Moon", by Tom Cook, page 22 (1987). Copyright has passed from Cotswold Music to Fain Music, 8 Pensall Drive, Cheshire CH61 England. Brief instructions here are by permission of the author (7/30/01 letter).

  DISCLAIMERS:

  • The dance instructions shown here are the interpretationof the Strafford ball organizers, and are not direct quotes of the original authors. They are highly condensed to fit on a single sheet of paper and serve as a reminder. These dance summaries indicate the way we perform the dance; they may vary slightly from the author's original intent.
  • Permission by an author to publish condensed instructionshere does not imply permission for any further reproduction

Dances will be selected from this list.

* = dance appearing for the first time at Ball




Autumn in Amherst (longway, duple improper)

(Dance by Philippe Callens; tune by Kathy Talvitie)

A All step right and honor partner, then turn single to the left; Partners LH turn; Neighbors RH turn; Taking hands in a ring of four, circle L half, then neighbours fall bk.

B Ladies cross right, then men left; Partners half draw poussette CCW (M going fd, W backing up) to a line of four across the set (1s finish on the ladies’ side facing up, 2s finish on the men’s side facing down, men momentarily bk to bk. in the ctr); All fd. a double and back (Ones lead up while Twos lead down); All cast R, move directly (M ahead of W) to prog. places on opposite side of the set), then partners cross R & turn R to face.




Cottonwood (longways, duple minor)

(Dance by Brooke Friendly & Chris Sackett; tune by David Bartley)

A. 1st diagonals LH turn once; neighbors L-sh back-to-back

A. 2nd diagonals LH turn once; partners L-sh back-to-back

B. 2s taking 2-hands, 4 slips up, set (down & up); slip down, set (falling back to place)

B. 1s slip down, set (up & down); slip up, cast (2s move up)




The Dusty Miller (three-couple set)

A. Cpl.1 lead through Cpl.2, turn in and cast down to 3rd place (Cpl.3 remain in place)

A. Cpl.1 turn two-hands once around and cast up to 2nd place

B. Cpl.1 RH turn first corner (M1 with W3, W1 with M2), LH. turn partner

B. Cpl.1 RH turn second corner, LH turn partner

A. Slow set & honor 1^st corner & 2-hand turn

A. Repeat with 2nd corner person




B. Hey on opposite side (M1 starting by passing l. sh. with W3, while W1 passes l. sh with M2)

B. Cpl.1 two-hand turn to get proper while moving down to 3rd place (Cpl.3 moving up)




Elizabeth (longways duple minor)

(Dance and tune by Colin Hume)

A. Ones set; 2-hand turn halfway. Same w/ nbr. 

B. Back to back with partner. Circle L halfway, come in close to partner, fall bk w/ neighbor

C. Open ladies chain (l.h. turn with men)

D. Overlapping: Ones cross & go below, half figure-8 up, while twos wait two bars, half fig-8 up and lead up




Good Man of Cambridge (longways, duple minor)

(Dance by Gary Roodman)

A. Circle four once around to the left; 

1st corners change, 2nd corners change

A. Repeat from these new places

B. Couple1 lead down and back (4); 2nd cpl lead up and back (4); Cpl2 cast up and dance half figure-8 down around orig. position while Couple1 move down and cast up to follow Cpl2 in figure-8 (end in line of 4 facing down, with M on left, W on right, Cpl2 in middle)

C. Lines of 4 lead down a dbl fall back, turn individually at end to face up; lines lead up a dbl, fall back, ends pull in at the last moment

C M1 & W1 (on ends) cross, go below and face up while Couple2 turn halfway and lead up

M2 and W2 gated up the middle by new Ones




Hambleton’s Round O (longways, triple minor)

A. Couple1 cast to 2nd place (2s move up), M1 hey with Couple3 passing W3 by L while W1 hey w/ Couple2 (pass M2 by L). Couple1 turn 2-hands in middle (last 2 bars)

B. W1 & M2 (in 1st corner positions) change places, M1 & W2 same, circle L half & all t.s. R; face ptnr to start circular hey (4 changes)

The Homecoming (longways, duple improper)

(Dance by Gary Roodman; tune by Jonathan Jensen)

A. Cpl1 around Cpl2 (man round 2, lady cut thru)

A. Cpl2 around Cpl1 and a little more, finishing in line of 4 facing up (W2-M1-M2-W1)

B. Line of four lead up 3 steps, turn alone and fall bk 3 more steps (still moving up)

Line of 4 lead down six steps

B. Half hey-for-four, start passing r. sh. w/ nbr until M1 meets W2 in “men’s line”; 2-hand turn, end facing out of set w/ M on R, W on L

C1 W/ neighbor, lead away, turn alone, lead back

Woman change places, men change places

C2 Take hands four and circle left halfway

All two-hand turn with partner




Hudson Barn (longways, duple minor)

(Dance by Jacqueline Schwab & Charles Hammond)

AA. Circle 4 left once; L hands across half; 2M&1W drop out while 1M&2W continue 1½   

BB. Circle 4 right once; R hands across half; as A. but diagonals reverse roles.

AA. All back to back nbrs along line; M turn by L 1/2 while W turn R 1/2; 1s half fig 8 to home.

BB. 1s down the ctr and back; 1s cast, 2s move up, all turn ptnrs to own side (2s turn 1 1/2)




Indian Queen (longways, duple minor)

A. First corners set to each other, turn single back to place; turn two hands once around

A. Second corners do the same

B. All right hand star; l.h. back

B. Partners back-to-back; three changes of circular hey, starting with partner




Juice of Barley (longways, duple minor)

A. Partners back-to-back; partners turn 2-hands 1x

B. Men half figure-8 between women, M1 leads; all clap hands; circle 4-hands CW once around

B. Women half figure-8 between men, W1 leads; all clap and circle 4-hands CW once around 




Kelsterne Gardens (3 couple set)

A. All mirror hey, 1s going between 2s to start

A. 1s and 2s double figure-8: Couple1 cross down thru center and move up outside while couple2 cast up outside to start and cross thru center

B. 1s & 2s, circle 4; 1s cast down, 2s moving up

B. 1s & 3s, circle 4; 1s cast to bottom, 3s move up




Mr. Isaac’s Maggot (longways, duple minor)

A. M1 turn W2 by R hand 3/4; return to his place moving below & around M2; W1 turn M2 by L 3/4, return to her place moving below & around W2

B. Inside hands w/ neigh., all fall back 6 steps, come fd. 3 steps, turn single R, face partner & circular hey (3 changes), end in line of 4 facing up (1s betw. 2s); take hands, up double & back, 1st couple assisted cast to 2nd place




* Musette (longways, duple minor improper)

Full instructions and music

(Dance by Chris Levey) Note: 4 steps to the bar

A. Traveling two places: 1^st couples lead down between their 2s, separate & continue down outside to meet below the next 2s, while 2^nd couples move up the outside around their 1s, meet and lead up between the next 1s; partners turn two hands once.

Two half poussettes to original places (1s moving up, 2s down): the first is CW (men move forward), the second is CCW.

B. Circle 4 halfway to the right (CCW)

Double figure of 8 (1s start by crossing up, 2s by casting down)

Partners set and change places by R shoulder




* Rafe’s Waltz (longways, duple minor)

Full instructions and music

(awiating permission to publish here)




Red House (longways, duple minor)

A. Cpl.1 meet, fall back a double, set to each other and cast to middle (Cpl.2 moving up)

A. Cpl. 2 repeat

B. M1, followed by partner, cast off below M2, goes up between Cpl.2 and CW around W2 to 2nd place (Cpl.2 moves up)

B. W2, followed by partner, cast off below W1, goes up between Cpl.1 and CCW around M1 to original place (Cpl.1 leads up)

C. M2 heys above with Cpl.1, pass W1 by R sh.

C. W2 heys with Cpl.1, pass M1 by L sh. 

Cpl. 1 cast to middle, 2s leading up




Sally in our Alley (longways, duple minor)

A.  1^st corners cast L (M1 down, W2 up) around nbrs, pass L sh in center and loop right around partner into each other’s place

A.  2^nd corners cast R (M2 up, W1 down) around nbrs, pass R sh in center and loop L around same-sex neighbor into each other’s place

B. All fall back, return & cross with partner, looping R into four changes of circular hey

B. First corners (in 2nd corner places) change by L shoulder; 2nd corners (in 1st corner places) change by R sh; quick circle left once (all home, improper); Cpl.1 long cast off & 2-hand turn while Cpl.2 move up and 2-hand turn 1½ 




Smithy Hill (longways, duple minor improper)

(dance by Tom Cook; music by Brian Jenkins)

A. Circle L (2 bars, starting L foot), step L&R; repeat to place; W change by R shoulder, Men change; repeat to place, end facing out.

A. Neighbors lead out, change places (W moving under arch of joined hand); W pass by R hand to face partner in line of 4, turn L to change w/ prtnr (box the gnat) ending with M in middle; Hey for 4 across starting L w/ partner (hands only on 1st change); partners take both hands, men draw women to progr. place, step L&R.




A Trip to Tunbridge (3 couple, longways)

A. Couple1 casts down to bottom of set, “takes a peek” and casts up to top

A. Couple1 leads down center; skipping, same couple lead back and cast to middle place

B. Couple1 passes R. sh. to turn 1st corners R hand (M1 with W3, W1 with M2); passing R shoulders again, Couple1 turns 2nd corner R hand (M1 with W2, W1 with M3)

B. Couple1 passes R shoulders; all face out on own side, then M1 leads 2nd and 3rd men out a double and falls back while W1 leads 2nd and 3rd women out a double and falls back. All turn R to face partners; Cpl.1 cast down to bottom while Cpl.2 turn 2-hands and Cpl.3 lead up to second place.




* Wakefield Hunt (longways, triple minor, trpl prog)

A. M1 casts below M2 (who moves up), sets to W3, and 2-hand turn 1x.

A. W1 does similarly. 1s are now in 2^nd place.

B. Hands-six, slipping circle L & R.

B. Ones gate down through 3s below and gate up through 2s above.

C. Ones RH star with 3s; LH star with 2s.

C. 1s and 3s, circular hey, three changes (lots of time). At end, ones go down outside of next 2s (who move up to become 3s in new set.