I’m going to Kingdom A&S in two weeks, and there’s going to be a ball. Here’s the list of dances (the ones marked with a * are the ones Mel knows). I know I’ve done Petit Vriens and Amoroso, and possibly Black Alman – that’s what happens when you say to any man in the room – "teach me this!" It’ll take me a while to sort out what I’ve done before…
Set 1
Bransle Charlotte*
Rostiboli Gioioso & Piva*
Jenny Pluck Pears*
Chirintana
Set 2
If All The World Were Paper
Petit Vriens
Black Alman*
Ballo Del Fiore & Galliard
Set 3
Bransle De Guerre
Chestnut
Amoroso*
Heart’s Ease*
Set 4
Scotch Cap
Contrapasso
Ly Bens Dystonys
Whirligig
Whirligig is the only one I tried at Gulf Wars where our set fell apart. The problem was that only three of us knew anything about it. I understand now, that it’s a difficult dance. But difficult = worth doing in Greet’s world, so of course I mean to figure it out.
From Lord Eoin:
I think the clearest description of the Whirligig hey (so far I've only
seen it in that one dance) is probably to be found on Del's Dance Book
webpage... I think I gave you the URL in the previous note. If not, a
search engine will.
My recollection is, M1 and F1 either hey one pass (basically trade
places) OR arm once around (trade places and continue in the same
direction returning to original places). Naturally one takes longer
than
the other--2 counts or 4. Then F heys one pass with M2 while M1 pivots
2
counts, M2 and M1 while F pivots 2 counts, so on until they get back to
places. How many changes it takes to get back to places depends on how
far M1 and F1 go around in the first exchange. I think there are 16
counts for everything. (at the same time, F2 is doing the same with
couple 3; after 16 counts, everyone's back to place and they do it
again
F2 with couple 1 and M2 with couple 3 for another 16).
The problem for most people I've tried to do it with is their (and
occasionally my) steps don't take consistent time or distance, so
someone winds up ahead or behind. But my venting frustration about that
will probably not help you.
It may help you to note, though, that you don't have to take hands in a
hey. Playford doesn't say to, or not, for the most part. Some of them
are easier (especially for new dancers who have difficulty keeping
track which side to pass) with hands; some I think are easier without. I
can't tell about this one. Also, the mnemonic you may have been given for
what to do at the end of a hey-in-a-line, about imagining an invisible
person or pole that you turn around to put your same hand (as previously
touched a live human)back in... that works more or less well in different
circumstances also,and can be counterproductive in a hey with precise
timing (where the end of the line needs a pivot in no time, rather than
an outside turn in 2-4 counts most people take with the imaginary pole).
Mostly these work less well with hands anyway.
Example: Hay Bransle. 4 dancers in a line, DL DR DL DR, hey 16 counts,
repeat. at 2 counts per change in the hey, everyone can get back to their
starting place.