Richard wrote: Which is a cool dance indeed. I guess I didn't think of posting English ceilidh dances / English country dances / etc because it's hard to sell those things to contra crowds here in the SF Bay Area; they like their swings. But that reminds me that I wrote a triplet a few years back, which works best with experienced dancers: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ TRIANGLE TRIPLET (Three couple longways, actives in the middle, all proper) (Alan Winston, Jan/Feb 2004, subsequent tweaks) (Any 32-bar jig or driving reel, NOT TOO FAST. I like "Moon and Seven Stars" (in Portland Collection) and also like "K and E" for the raggy, driving feel.) (For the Triangle Country Dancers and Sun Assembly) A1: Partners take right hand in right, balance fwd and back. Actives swing, ends pull by to start a weave the ring (circular hey with just the four end people). All finish at home. A2: Partners take right hand in right, balance fwd and back. End couples swing, actives turn right halfway (or pull by) and individually orbit the couple to their right; ends finish at home, middles go through home into the set and face up. B1: TRIANGLE STARS 1-4: Middles stick out the handy hand (woman's right, man's left) and ends join in same-sex triangle stars on the sides. Turn the star until the old middles are on the bottom (about 2/3ds of the way), then let go and face into the set; that leaves you in order 3-1-2. 5-8: Partners do-si-do. B2: 1-4: Lines of three forward and back, new middle coming back further than the others; finish with all facing into your group of three. 5-8: TRIANGLE SWING: cross your hands in front of you and take hands with your neighbors; turn once around with a buzz-step turn. Open up again in the same order; you're with the same partner. NOTES: On the Triangle star: A wrist grip star gives you an equilateral triangle. The star is with the people in your own line, and starts with the actives shoulder to shoulder in the middle, facing up. (You may find you prefer to drop the forward and back and make a longer triangle swing; I like the opportunity for a smooth entry into the swing, and there's a memory of the end of "Walpole Cottage" in this sequence. Or, and this is probably better for most crowds, keep the forward and back and turn the triangle swing into a basket swing.) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Richard quoted Will asking: The version of Ninepin I have is here: -------------------------------------------------------------------- NINEPINS (or NINEPIN REEL) Square with an extra person in the middle. Single jigs (2/4) - Warn band about signal to stop. (40-bar jigs are handy) A1: Heads galop across the set and back again while ninepin tries to avoid them A2: Sides the same B1&2: Ninepin swings each appropriately-gendered person in turn, while her partner moves into the center of the set until all four are standing in the middle. A3: Potential ninepins circle in the middle until music stops; then all try to grab a partner. The leftover is the next ninepin. -------------------------------------------------------------------- -- -- =============================================================================== Alan Winston --- WINSTON(a)SSRL.SLAC.STANFORD.EDU Disclaimer: I speak only for myself, not SLAC or SSRL Phone: 650/926-3056 Paper mail to: SSRL -- SLAC BIN 99, 2575 Sand Hill Rd, Menlo Park CA 94025 ===============================================================================