Longways, as many as will

Formation:
Proper - all couples stand facing in a line. As seen by the caller, men stand on the right.
Improper - like that but 1st, 3rd etc couples have man and woman swapped.

'Duple' means that the 1s are working with one other couple, the 2s. 'Triple' means that that the 1s are working with two other couples, the 2s and the 3s. These are the 'minor' sets. (The 'major' set is the whole line of couples.)

In a duple-minor longways, by far the most common, the couples are numbered 1 2 1 2 down the line (usually by doing 'hands 4 from the top'). In single-progression dances, after each turn of the dance 1s find themselves below their old 2s, dancing with a new 2 couple; 2s likewise are moving up. At the end of the dance couples miss a turn and then come in as the other number (2s become 1s and vice versa). If the formation is improper they need to change sides while they wait. In the occasional double-progression dance, 1s move along more than one place. (See "Progressions' for triple minor, double progression, etc.)

There are two main types of dance in this list. Traditional British longways dances are danced slowish (90-100 beats/min) and often with a step-hop or a swagger step. New England contras are danced fast (120-130 beats/min) with a smooth walking step.

Trad, usually step-hop

Ap Shenkin

longways duple proper. Skipping or walking step. Difficulty: 1

A1: 1s form a circle of 3 with 2nd woman and circle left twice around.
A2: 1s do likewise wtih 2nd man, again circling left twice around.
B1: 1s promenade down centre with Gay Gordons hold or allemdane hold, turn as a couple and promenade back. (Hugh Rippon says: "Man's left hand held high going down, right hand high coming home.") Keep the hold and end facing the music, 2s joining in behind.
B2: 1s cast off to man's left followed by 2s. Describe a small circle to man's left then the 1s do another half circle to progress. Tkae car to end on own side.

Traditional, but this description taken from Hugh Rippon's 'The Willow Tree'.

Useful for novices who aren't familiar with longways progression and with waiting a turn at the ends, because it's very easy and because partners stay together (so you don't have inexperienced partners panicking when they have to progress and they're on their own).

Music: 32-bar single jigs (e.g. John of Paris, Ap Shenkin).

Belfast Duck

longways duple proper. Step-hop (vigorous) or slow walk (gentle). Difficulty: 1

A: Circle left in fours, 8 steps; circle right.
B: Take inside hands and lead down room 2 slow walking steps (easiest if you start on the outside foot); take both hands and do 2 chassays (sidesteps) down. Ditto up the room. Ditto down the room. Ditto up the room with 1s making an arch 2s passing under.

Tendency for whole set to move down the room

Music: hornpipes

Enrico

longways duple proper. From Thomas Hardy's notes. Difficulty: 1

A1: 1s and 2s RH star; LH star
A2: All face up, cast out from top, meet partner at bottom and come up the middle
B1: Double cast from the top, all the way round to the left
B2: 1s swing down the mddle to the bottom

Good Queen Vic

By Martyn Harvey from 'Night of the Fight'

longways duple imroper. Difficulty: 1

Start with 1s facing partner but standing between the 2s

A1: 1s galop 8 steps down the set and back, finishing between the 2s again; 1s turn out to face the 2s. (Should now be facing someone of opposite sex.)
A2: Galop down the set with the person you're facing, and back to place.
B1: Clapping. M1 with W2, M2 with W1. Own-together, right with opposite, own together, lefts, own, cross arms over own chest, own together, both with opposite. All do-si-do.
B2: Right arm turns that person twice around; 1s meet in middle of set and swing down half a place while the 2s move up half a place. 1s remember to finish the swing improper.

Music - 32 bar reels.

Nottingham Swing

longways duple proper. Step-hop. Difficulty: 1

A bars 1-4: 1st man and 2nd woman right elbow swing
A bars 5-8: 2nd man and 1st woman ditto
B bars 1-4: 1s chassay or lead down set 2 steps and back; cast down round 2s
B bars 5-8: all swing (cross-hand hold)

Music: 16-bar hornpipes (e.g. a 32-bar hornpipe played without the usual repeats)

Pop Goes the Weasel

longways. Own tune. Difficulty: 1

A1: 1s make a circle with 2nd woman, circle left once and a half (so 1s are now in 2nd W's place); 1s make an arch and pop 2nd W through it to her place.
A2: 1s repeat with the 2nd man.
B1: 1s walk down the set, dance back to place.
B2: All swing to change places.

Snakes and Ladders

By Brian Scowcroft "based on a dance I saw Roger Watson calling at Sidmouth 1982?"

Longways. Difficulty: 1

A1: 1st man leads the two women twice (at least) around the 2nd man (anticlockwise)
A2: 2nd man leads the 2 women around the first man as in A1 (clockwise)
B1: Whole pousette twice, 1st man pushing to start
B2: Face other couple. 1s arch, 2s pass under. 2s arch, 1s come back up the arch, without turning round. 1s arch, 2s pass under again.

Music: 32 bar Hornpipes

Soldier's Joy

Longways. Own tune or equivalent. Rant step if possible. Difficulty: 2 (reel and rant step)

A1: 1s dance down the outside, then back up again to finish outside the 2s, who face out.
A2: Reel of four, then go to original places at start of dance.
B1: 1s dance down the middle followed by 2s. Turn individually and come back, 1s passing through an arch made by 2s.
B2: Polka swing round other couple, once-and-half times round to pass them.

Steamboat

longways duple proper. A swaggering walk to a hornpipe or similar. Difficulty: 1

Start in lines of four facing down, 1st couple between 2nd. All link arms

A1: Four abreast down the room and back (8 steps)
A2: 1s down again this time followed by 2s; 1s turn and come up under arch made by 2s (moving back a bit). All finish in original places
B1: RH star, LH star
B2: couples swing and change, going round each other anticlockwise one and a half times if poss. Swings can be cross-hand or elbow.

Music: hornpipes or similar

The Tempest

Four facing four up and down the room (can also be done as a double sicilian circle). Difficulty: 2

A1: All 8 circle left then right.
A2: Forming 2 lines again, the middle 4 do right and left stars and the ends balance and swing with the opposite person.
B1: Taking ballroom hold with your partner -
either
gallop across the set quickly, men going back to back, then women back to back as you return to place - all this twice (4 steps each way),
or (more fun if you have room)
gallop sideways across the room and back (8 steps each way).
In a double sicilian circle the outside couples dance into the centre while the utside dance right out to the walls, and back. All this once only.
B2: Dip and dive around the square:
Facing across the set in the lines of 4, the left hand couples make arches and the opposite couples dive under. All couples turn 1/4 (like right and left through) and keep going round, dipping and diving alternately around the square until back to place, then do one extra dip or dive to move on to a new line of 4 ready to start the dance again.

This version, taken from Encyclopaedia Blowzabellica, has an unusual but effective figure in B2. The usual figure is:

B2: Lines of four take hands, go 4 steps forward, four steps back, clap hands and then go forward and pass through to meet the next line.

Lines that reach the end stand out for one turn and wheel as couples, so that ends become middles.

Music: 32-bar polkas.

American style (contras)

Beaux of Albany

longways triple-minor, all proper. Difficulty: 2 (because of the end-effects problems in triple minor progressions. Follow the link for an explanation of the progression.)

A1: 1s and 2s balance and swing with partner.
A2: 1s and 2s follow each other down the centre; each turns as a couple and come back home. 1s cast to second place (progression).
B1: Top two couples, right hand star; left hand star.
B2: Bottom two couples right and left through.

The inactive couples are alternately 2s and 3s. A 2nd couple arriving at the top waits out 2 turns before coming in as 1s; at the bottom, a 1st couple finding itself with only one other couple to dance with should either dance with a ghost couple in 3rd place, to get the progression, or else simply change places with that one couple.

Music - 32 bar reels.

Cocheco Hornpipe

longways triple-minor, 1s improper. Difficulty: 2 (because of the end-effects problems in triple minor progressions. Follow the link for an explanation of the progression.)

A1: 1s face down and balance and swing with the 2s. End as usual with the woman on the right of the man. (Progression).
A2: 1s lead down and cast up round the 3s, ending back in second place, facing up. (They need to do a big cast to fill all the music.)
B1: Grand chain: start with 1s giving right hands to the 2s (who are now in top place) while the 3s cross with the right hand; then carry on round giving alternate hands back to place.
B2: The 2s (in top place) and the 1s (in second place) do right and left through across and back. 1s end facing down ready for A1.

The inactive couples are alternately 2s and 3s. The usual rules for end effects: a 2nd couple arriving at the ctop waits out 2 turns and changes sides before coming in as 1s; at the bottom, a 1st couple finding itself with only one other couple to dance with should either dance with a ghost couple in 3rd place, to get the progression, or else simply change places with that one couple.

Music - 32 bar reels.

Reading Reel

longways duple improper. Difficulty: 3

Ted Sannella.

A1: 1s do-si-do partner; do-si-do with 2s and go a bit further. This should leave you in a line across the set with 1s facing down and 2s facing up, in the order M1, W2, W1, M2 along the line.
A2: all march in files 8 steps up or down, as appropriate; turn individually and march back to place, meet the person you do-si-doed with a left-hand turn
B1: ladies chain across and back
B2: promenade over to other side; rights and lefts back to place

St Lawrence Jig

Longways duple improper. Short set preferred (bcause the 2's don't do much). Difficulty: 3

A1: 1s allemande left with neighbour; 1s swing in centre to end facing down between the 2s. End the swing with the woman on right, which should put 1s in the middle between the 2s
A2: all down the centre, four in line
B1: Rights and Lefts all the way through
B2: lines forward and back; right hand star

Music: jigs

Scout House Reel

Longways duple improper. Start with 1s between 2s all facing down. Difficulty: 3

Ted Sannella

A1: Down the centre four in line; turn alone come back bending into a circle
A2: Circle left once round; half a ladies' chain
B1: Women do-si-do across the set and go a bit further (passing right shou again); swing the opposite man ending facing across the set in progressed places (woman on right of man)
B2: all join hands, lines forward and back; 1s swing in the centre and finish between the next 2s facing down

Timber Salvage Reel

longways duple improper. Difficulty: 2

Ralph Page. Also known as Fallen Timber Reel.

A1: Do-si-do with neighbour; do-si-do with partner
A2: 1s balance and swing
B1: 1s down the middle; turn individually, come back up and cast to 2nd place (2s moving up)
B2: right hand star; left hand star star (and peel off the star straight into the do-si-do with the new neighbour coming towards you)

Music: 32-bar jigs/reels

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Last updated 1 July, 2002