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The Call: "Ladies and gentlemen, please take partners and form long-wise sets to learn and dance My Lord Byron's Fancy!" Formation: Longways duple minor sets
Tune: “My Lord Byron’s Maggot.”
4 Counts: First Gentleman backs up (4 steps), beckoning to Second Lady while she dances forward to him.
4 Counts: Second Lady, in turn, backs up, beckoning to First Gentleman while he dances forward to her.
8 counts: They turn (2-handed) all the way around, ending back in their original places.
First Lady and Second Gentleman then execute the same figure:
4 counts: First Lady backs up (4 steps), beckoning to the Second Gentleman, who dances forward to her.
4 counts: Second Gentleman backs up, beckoning to the First Lady, who dances forward to him.
8 counts: They turn (2-handed) all the way around, ending back in their original place.
8 counts: The men link arms and escort each other between the two ladies and cast around back to place.
8 counts: Patty-cake figure: Clap Hands, clap partner’s right hand (gently), clap Hands, clap partner’s left hand (gently). All that again.
8 counts: Second couple leads up (taking hands) while First Couple casts down into their progressed place.
Note: Since most people can’t count musical “bars,” I find it easier to measure the dance by “counts” rather than by “bars.” |
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The Call: Ladies and Gentlemen, you don't need a partner to learn and dance The Reel. A follow-the-leader reel is a lot like a Grand March except that there is only one leader (usually aided and abetted by the second and third dancers in the line) and the line is single file. No partners are required. While the music is usually a lively Scots or Irish reel, the pace of the follow-the-leader reel is a brisk walk for the safety of the many children who inevitably join in.
Reel Notes:
Please do your best to keep the pace to a walk and to discourage grapevines and crack-the-whip figures.
Do your best to look after the children in the line.
If you are not dancing in the reel line, you may create creative "obstacles" of various kinds to help the leader keep the reel from going too fast.
Do not make "low bridge" figures. No one should be forced to bend or stoop.
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The Call: Ladies and Gentlemen, please take partners and line up behind the Lead Couple (add their names!) for a Grand March. The step is simply walking in time with the music and the dance simply involves following the lead couple in a series of patterns that will either be called or demonstrated. Nothing could be easier! Keep alert and pay attention and you'll be fine.
March Notes:
If the line of couples is already long enough to extend half-way around the ballroom, please don't join in.
The first two couples in a Grand March should be experienced Fezziwig couples. The third and fourth couples should INCLUDE an experienced Fezziwigger!
We do not do tunnel, bridge, or dip-and-dive figures in Grand Marches and Reels at Fezziwig’s. EVER. These figures are painful for people with back problems and can cause painful and embarrassing accidents (anything from earrings caught in false curls to earrings caught in real curls!).
Pay attention to the figures yourself and guide your partner attentively. |
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The Call: Ladies And Gentlemen, please take Your Favorite Partner and come forward to Learn and Dance the Jolly Dog Polka. The Instructions: Now this dance is really quite simple. Most of it is just a polka and can be danced in either open or closed position, but at times the music will stop and change. At this point you stop, place your hands on your hips and sing a little song "Fa la la, Fa la la, etc," while setting first to the right and then to the left thusly (demo set, right and left); then sing "Slap, Bang (demo Clap own hands and gently clap hands with partner),here we are again, here we are again, here we are again. Slap, Bang, here we are again, What jolly dogs are we!" and turn single, (demo turn)", and change partners thus (take someone else) and polka some more. Any questions? No? Then let us begin.
If you find yourself without a partner during the partner change, Lost-and-Found is in the center. Fear not. You will be rescued. |
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