I love the current discussion of AABBCC dances and will use this as an opportunity to encourage the dance composers out there to write more! I began writing them for two main reasons:
(1) I adore the beautiful 48-bar reels and jigs that many bands can play if given the opportunity, but rarely get the chance.
(2) There are choreographic storylines that just can't fit into 32 bars of choreography, but can fit nicely into a 48-bar "story."
With those factors in mind, I wrote Utah Reel which Maia mentioned (turn all four contra corners plus a diagonal hey), Jabberwocky (a hey on the side with three neighbors, far outside the minor set), and Three-Day Weekend (grand right and left all the
way through neighbor #5), all findable in Caller's Box. None of those figures would fit cleanly for me into a 32-bar dance, but they work with 48 bars and dancers at challenging/experienced dances can generally handle them. I'm happy to share tune recommendations
and teaching tips with anyone who'd like them, for any of those dances. (Thanks to Chris Page for feedback during the composing process for all those dances.)
It's true that, as Bill Olson wrote, dancers need extra prompting nudges to remember that 48-bar dances go for more than 32 bars. But to me, it's worth it to get to dance to Reel Beatrice, or Ragtime Annie, or Reel des Accordéonistes, or lots of other great
48-bar tunes, plus get to do some fun uncommon figure combinations. I'm sure there are other fun choreographic storylines just waiting for their chance to star in a 48-bar dance -- let me know if you write a new one!
Jeremy Korr
Claremont, Calif. / Woods Hole, Mass.