Core Dances
We select a set of core dances each year, and ask callers to include them where possible so that people dance them frequently and get to know them. The core dances for 2020 are:
The core dances for 2018 and 2019 are also available.
Notes:
- A normal longways set organised by "hands 4" is called a duple minor set, because the main (major) set consists of small (minor) sets of two couples. A triple minor set, organised by "hands 6", consists of minor sets of three couples.
- A becket set is similar to a duple minor set, but with both dancers in each couple standing on the same side of the set facing across. The name comes from Becket contra, which is in this formation.
- A semicolon marks the end of 2 bars, a colon marks the end of 4 bars and a full stop marks the end of 8 bars. One bar corresponds to a single right-and-left step, usually.
- Turns, circles, stars etc are once round unless stated otherwise.
- Turns single, crosses, back-to-backs etc are right-shoulder unless stated otherwise.
The Bishop
Source: Thompson 1780, interpreted in The Apted Book of Country Dances 1931. Formation: Longways triple-minor set. Music: own 32-bar tune or 32-bar Miss Dolland's delight.
| A1 | 1st man cast to 2nd place (2nd man move up); set to 3rd woman: they two-hand turn. |
| A2 | 1st woman as A1. |
| B1 | Bottom couple gypsy right while middle couple gate up through top couple: all circle left halfway. |
| B2 | As B1. |
De'il take the warr
Source: John Young 1721. Formation: Longways 3-couple set. Music: own 3 x 72-bar tune.
| A1 | 1s long cast down to middle place (2nd couple lead up): two-hand turn. 1s lead down; cast back to middle place: two-hand turn. |
| A2 | 2s as A1. |
| B1 | Men hey for three. 1st man zig-zag to bottom, i.e. cross right with 1st woman; left with 2nd man: right with 2nd woman; left with 3rd man: right with 3rd woman; 1st man and 3rd woman turn single left. |
| B2 | Women hey for three. 1st woman zig-zag to bottom as B1. |
Notes: On the last time through all turn single on the last two bars.
Grimstock
Source: The Dancing Master 1651. Formation: Longways 3-couple set. Music: own 3 x 24-bar tune.
| A | Lead up a double and back: set and turn single. All that again. |
| B | Grimstock hey (lead in with partner from the ends, separate in the middle). |
| A | Side with partner: set and turn single. All that again. |
| B | Grimstock hey as before, but partners face each other and slip, those inside taking hands. |
| A | Arm right: set and turn single. Arm left: set and turn single. |
| B | 1s cross left and face down to start 1/2 hey for three: 1st couple cross right and face up to start 1/2 hey for three to places. |
Jack's maggot
Source: The Dancing Master 1703. Formation: Longways duple-minor set. Music: own 32-bar tune.
| A1 | 1st man hey for three with the women (pass 2nd woman right to start). |
| A2 | 1st woman hey for three with the men (pass 2nd man left to start). |
| B1 | Right-hand star: left-hand star. |
| B2 | 1st corners cross; 2nd corners cross: circle-left halfway; 1s cast down while 2s lead up. |
Postie's jig
Composer: Roy Clowes. Formation: Longways 4-couple set. Music: 4 x 32-bar Lassie, come dance with me or similar.
| A1 | Ends set; cast in (middles move out): actives 1/2 figure 8 through nearer end. |
| A2 | Actives lead across (men arch); cast round a post: lead up and down (4s arch); cast round a post. |
| B1 | As A2 from new positions. |
| B2 | Actives 1/2 right-and-left through: right-hand turn partner. |
Note: The posts can help the actives round. In A2 and B1 the arches are made by the men or the couple moving up.
Star Trek
Composer: Mike Richardson 1990. Formation: Becket set. Music: 32-bar contra reels.
| A1 | Right-hand star: ladies chain across. |
| A2 | Women pass right to start a reel of four. |
| B1 | Women cross right to swing partner on the side. |
| B2 | Lines forward and back: right-hand star and move on to next couple. |
Core Dances for 2019
The core dances for 2019 were:
- The hole in the wall
- The Indian Queen
- The Shrewsbury lasses
- Spring fever
- Top of the deck
- Wakefield Hunt
The hole in the wall
Source: The Dancing Master 1695. Formation: longways duple minor set. Music: own 16-bar triple-time tune.
| A1 | 1s cast down; lead back. |
| A2 | 2s cast up; lead back. |
| B | 1st corners cross; 2nd corners cross: circle left halfway; 1s cast down while 2s lead up. |
Notes: In the B music the original source just says that the corners "cross over", but the modern interpretation is for them to sweep round each other to stand close and then fall back.
The Indian Queen
Source: The Dancing Master 1701. Formation: longways duple minor set. Music: own 32-bar tune.
| A1 | 1st corners set and turn single: two-hand turn. |
| A2 | 2nd corners as A1. |
| B1 | Right-hand star: left-hand star. |
| B2 | Back-to-back with partner: 3 changes starting with partner. |
The Shrewsbury lasses
Source: Thompson 1780 interpreted in The Apted Book of Country Dances 1931. Formation: longways 3-couple set. Music: own 3 x 40-bar tune.
| A1 | 1st man step and honour to 2nd woman: two-hand turn her. |
| A2 | 1st woman as A1. |
| B1 | 1s cast down to middle (2s lead up), 1s and 3s circle left, 1st man goes up round 2s while 1st woman goes down round 3s, 1s 1/2 two-hand turn in middle place to end proper. |
| B2 | 3s cast up to middle (1s lead down), 2s and 3s circle left, 3rd man goes up round 2s while 3rd woman goes down round 1s, 3s 1/2 two-hand turn in middle place to end proper. |
Spring fever
Composer: Tony Parkes. Formation: longways duple minor improper set. Music: 32-bar contra reels.
| A1 | Lines forward and back: swing neighbour. |
| A2 | Men allemande left one-and-a-half: swing partner. |
| B1 | Circle left: left-hand star. |
| B2 | 1/2 promenade across: ladies chain across. |
Top of the deck
Composer: Gary Roodman 1992. Formation: 4-couple becket set. Music: 4 x 32-bar jigs.
| A1 | Balance and swing partner. |
| A2 | 1/2 promenade across: all four ladies chain across (to the same man each time). |
| B1 | Lines forward and back: pass through; ends cast away from line to meet their opposite while middles turn in with neighbour to form a square set. |
| B2 | Heads lead forward; heads fall back as sides lead forward: heads pass through as sides fall back; sides pass through. |
Wakefield Hunt
Source: Thompson 1779. Formation: longways triple minor set, triple progression. Music: own 48-bar tune.
| A1 | 1st man cast down (2nd man move up); set to 3rd woman: two-hand turn her. |
| A2 | 1st woman as A1. |
| B1 | Circle left: circle right. |
| B2 | 1s gate down through 3s: 1s gate up through 2s. |
| C1 | 1s and 3s right-hand star: 2s and 1s left-hand star. |
| C2 | 1s and 3s dance 3 changes starting with partner, 1s change with neighbour below to triple-progress. |
Core Dances for 2018
The core dances for 2018 were:
Childgrove
Source: The Dancing Master 1701. Formation: longways duple minor set. Music: own 32-bar tune.
| A1 | Side with partner: back-to-back partner. | |
| A2 | Side with neighbour: back-to-back neighbour. | |
| B1 | Two-hand-turn neighbour one-and-a-half to change places: two-hand-turn partner. | |
| B2 | 1s figure-8 up through 2s. |
Note: This is often danced with the 1s improper so that more of the interaction is with members of the opposite gender.
Heptathlon jig
Composer: Alan White 2003. Formation: 7 people of any gender in a longways 3-couple set with an extra person in the centre. Music: 7 x 32-bar jigs.
| A1 | Centre and top two people on the right right-hand-star: centre and top two people on the left left-hand-star. |
| A2 | Centre and bottom two people on the right right-hand-star: centre and bottom two people on the left left-hand-star. |
| B1 | Centre passes right middle person right shoulder to start a reel-of-3 across the set with the middle two people. |
| B2 | Centre and top-right person right-hand-turn one-and-a-half to change places: all set; outside people cast one place clockwise while new centre person sets. |
The Merry Andrew
Source: Maggot pie 1932. Formation: longways 3-couple set. Music: own 3 x 32-bar tune.
| A1 | Top two couples half right-hand-star; turn single left: half left-hand-star; turn single right. |
| A2 | Bottom two couples as A1. |
| B1 | On the right diagonal set; pass right: man 2 followed by man 1 cross the set below man 3 and cast up to men's side while woman 2 followed by woman 3 cross the set above woman 1 and cast down to women's side. |
| B2 | On the left diagonal set; pass left: man 1 lead man 3 while woman 3 lead woman 1 as in B1. |
Notes: Change partner each time through. The original version had dancers passing right in B2.
The nice combination
Composer: Gene Hubert. Formation: longways duple minor improper set. Music: 32-bar contra reels.
| A1 | Balance and swing neighbour, ending in a line of four facing down. |
| A2 | Lead down the hall; turn as couples: come back; bend the line. |
| B1 | Circle left three-quarters: swing partner on the side. |
| B2 | Ladies chain across: left-hand-star. |
Sun Assembly
Formation: longways duple minor set. Music: own 32-bar tune.
| A1 | Circle left halfway; fall back on sides: 1s gate up through 2s. |
| A2 | 1s half figure-8 up through 2s, 2s cross: all set to partner and turn single. |
| B1 | 1s right-hand-star with the 2s below: 1s left-hand-star with original 2s. |
| B2 | 1s lead down one place; cast up: all two-hand-turn partner. |
Turning by threes
Composer: Gary Roodman 2003. Formation: round 3-couple set. Music: 3 x 32-bar Tourner รก trois.
| A1 | Circle left; turn single left: circle right; turn single right. |
| A2 | Back-to-back partner: two quick changes of a grand chain around the set; right-hand-turn the next. |
| B1 | Men left-hand-star: women right-hand-star. |
| B2 | Men lead in; women lead in as men fall back: women look over right shoulder to gypsy right one-and-a-bit with the man on their right, who becomes their new partner. |
Notes: Change partner each time through.
