Alan's selected five-person dances

Alan's compositions/adaptations

SELLENGER'S WHEEL
Alan Winston, 11/16/2003
cut-down version of Sellenger's Round for 3-7 people, no partners needed.
Formation: circle of people facing in
Tune in Barnes, 5x.

I:
A: Slipping circle (*really* slipping) left and back to the right.

B: Chorus (same each time).
Set forward right and left
fall back straight
still facing in, set right and left
turn single
Repeat

II:

A: Lead into the center and back
Repeat

B: As above

III:

A: right hand star (contra style wrist grip keeps you from having a mess)
left hands back

B: As above

IV:

A: Basket left and _keep going_, not back to the right.

B: As above

(Finish with slipping circle again, but if you're repeating don't do slipping
circle twice in a row - it's lame).

PEGGING THE NEEDLE
12/3/2004 Alan Winston
5-person-set, in a line holding hands, facing to right of line.
32-bar jig, reel, polka

A1: Thread the needle: keeping hold of hands, #1 leads line
through arch made by 4+5. Finish in circle facing in.

A2: #2-#5 join hands in ring, raise to make four arches;
they sidestep slowly left throughout WHILE
#1, with any stepping and path, goes in and out through the arches.

B1&2: (0) #2 and #5 break; #1 takes #2s hand, and the other arches stay up.
1&2 go under the 2-3 arch;
1&2&3 go under the 3-4 arch;
1&2&3&4 go under the 4-5 arch and draw the line straight in any
direction.
#1 and #2, holding hands only with each other, raise the joined hands
as an arch and take it over the heads of 3-5, finish at bottom and turn
into line, with #1 in fourth place, #2 in fifth place.

-----

NOTE: This has the potential to wander all over the floor.

FIVE-STAR WALTZ
12/3/2004 Alan Winston
five people in pentagon formation
moderate-tempo 32-bar waltz
count off numbers before you start; #1 might be the point toward the band.

A1: All set R&L into center, turn single R, circle left.

A2: All set LEFT and RIGHT, turn single LEFT, circle RIGHT;
#1 exits circle early and finishes next to choice for B1.

B1: #1 and #1's choice, orbit outside the set, waltzing or promenading WHILE
the other three right-hand star in the center, left hands back.
[#1 drops his or her choice off at home and cuts back through the set
to home place.]

B2: #1 & #5, RH 1/2.
#1 & #4, LH 1/2.
#1 & #3, RH 1/2.
#1 & #2, LH 1/2.

(Try B2 with "step left and close; pull by right ..." etc if you prefer.)

[For ECDers or a less prankish crowd, instead of randomly picking somebody
out of the set and having to hustle home, have #1 and #5 (who is one place
CCW from #1) promenade and finish at home, then start the progression in
B2.]

THE LESSER WEEVIL
12/2/2004 Alan Winston
5-person-set, line of 2 facing line of 3
5x 32-bar jig, reel (contra sound for either), or waltz (!)
A tip of the hat to Richard Mason's "The Weevil"

A1: 1-4: Lines balance forward (step close) and back (step close), cross over.
5-8: The same back to place.

A2: 1-2: Stepping into "waves" with hands up and joined, balance forward and
back.
3-4: Allemande right with right-hand neighbor (if any).
5-8: Waves balance f+b, allemande left into line (no hands).

B1: 1-4: Right-hand neighbors do-si-do back into line
5-8: Four changes of a Right shoulder straight hey for five (progressive).

B2: 1: Top person jumps out to 3 side.
2: Next person jumps out to 2 side.
3: Next person jumps out to 3 side.
4: Next 2 people jump out to correct side (having had time to figure it
out).
5-8: 2s swing each other WHILE 3s basket or circle 3; open in the same
position you started the swing.

Other people's dances

Jack Dance (aka Cotton-Tail Rag or Jack Go Back)
5 assorted dancers
32-bar something, briskish, easy, ceilidh
From Erik Hoffman's calling (the quotes are his calls).
Maybe written by Steve Schnurr

Start by choosing the first person to be Jack (the shortest/tallest dancer?)

A1: All five do left-hand star for 8 steps; then Jack promenades back
round the other way while the rest continue to star left
(Call: "Jack go back")

A2: Jack swings someone - anyone, same or different sex for 8 beats while
the remaining three people form into a line.. (Call: "Swing somebody Jack")
Jack and the swung person end the swing in a line of two facing the line of
three. (8)

The line of two and the line of three go forward and back ("Two and
Three go forward and back"). (8)

B1: "New Jack Do Si Do." The new Jack is in the middle of the line of 3.
All make a circle, with all facing in except Jack, who faces out
crossing his or her arms. With her high hand, Jack makes an arch, with the
low hand she pulls two people into the center of the circle.
The people on the inside then arch around the outside people to form a
five person basket (8) "Face out Jack, cross your wrists, arch with the
high and pull two people into the center with you," )

B2: Basket swing. End with breaking the basket to form the left hand star
at the start. To end, "Break that Basket, Left Hand Star!"

DOUBLE DOT
Rickey Holt on sharedweight email list; "I" is Rickey.
5person set
From the calling of Marianne Taylor, from whom I learned the dance.

Formation: 4 people on the ends of a plus sign with the fifth person in the
middle facing up (or if it easier to picture, 4 people on the sides of a
square as if each was missing a partner, plus that fifth in the middle).
Left and Right are from the perspective of the middle person - who is facing
up

A1 Middle person, top and right hand person - Star Right
Into a Star Left for middle, bottom and left hand person

A2 Hey for 3 up and down the middle - for middle, top and bottom;
middle and top, right shoulders to start

B1,2 Middle and RIGHT hand person balance together and away and change
places (i.e. allemande right 1/2 way)
Repeat for NEW middle and bottom
Repeat for new middle and next
Repeat for new middle and current top. Do not let go of this last
change and form the star to start the dance again.

Rickey sez: I like to use waltzes, Marianne used Reels

(Alan sez - yeah, waltzes would be cool, especially on the B.
Very much like Domino 5.)

Polka Dots (? author) (4/4 G Green Mountain Petronella - in several tune
books, and I have music as well)
5 people - a diamond with #1 in middle, #2 with back to the music)
via Mary Devlin

A1 1 & 2 start hey for 3, R sh (up & down hall)
A2 1 flow into hey for 3 (L sh) across with #3 & #5

B1 1 & 2 set; R-hand turn 1/2 to change places
2 & 3 set; R-hand turn 1/2 to change places
B2 3 & 4 set; R-hand turn 1/2 to change places
4 & 5 set; R-hand turn 1/2 to change places
(and 5 is now #1)

WILSON FIVE-HAND REEL
via Heiner Fischle on trad-dance-callers
THE COMPLETE SYSTEM OF ENGLISH COUNTRY DANCING
BY THOMAS WILSON, Teacher of Dancing

Reel of five
To be danced by three Ladies and two Gentlemen,
or three Gentlemen and two Ladies

E B D

The Lady in the middle at B, heys with the ladies at A C, then sets to them,
then heys with the two Gentlemen at F D, and takes the place of the
Gentleman at E, who will then occupy the centre: he then finishes the Reel
by setting to the persons at E D, then hey with the Ladies at C A, and
leaves one of them in the centre, so that they all progressively occupy
every situation in the Figure.
N.B. This is the common Reel of Five, which I have added to those invented
by the author, to render the work more complete.
This Reel will take a tune repeated in long measure, as the Morpeth Rant or
Fisher's Hornpipe, and the Figure must be applied to the music as follows:
The heying with the Ladies at C A will take the first strain, and the
setting will take another strain, which will be the first strain repeated,
the heying across will take the first strain of the second part, and the
setting will take another strain, which will repeat the second part, and
finish the Reel.

Alan's modern rendition:
Five dancers.
Music: 64-count hornpipes or reels (AABB), although jigs or polkas should
be fine.

A diamond shape with four on the outside (12, 3, 6, 9) and one in the
middle.

Middle faces 12 to start.

A1: Right shoulder hey-for-three along the 12-6 axis. (Chasse [skip-change]
step; jete-assemblee at counts 8 and 16.)

A2: 1-4: Middle and 12 set / rigadoon / beaten step
5-8: Middle and 6 set /rigadoon / beaten step; middle finishes facing
9.

B1: Right shoulder hey for three on the 9 - 3 axis, PLUS AN EXTRA CHANGE
that leaves 9 in the middle.

B2: 1-4: New middle and 9 set / rigadoon / beaten step
5-8: New middle and 3 set / rigadoon / beaten step

On the next round, that new middle changes with the old 12. Anyone who finds
themselves middle twice needs to change out on the second hey.

(Call: Hey up, set up, set down, hey across).

Bob Archer's collection of five-person dances
Content-type: text/plain; name="5 hand reels.txt"
Content-disposition: attachment; filename="5 hand reels.txt"

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COTTONTAIL RAG (or Hot Tub Rag) by Steve Schnur
Circles of 5 dancers; each circle pick jack/jill to start

A1. Left-hand star; jack/jill rolls out, walks clockwise around circle while
others continue single file
A2. Jack chooses anyone, balance and swing
End facing the others who are three in line
B1. Two face three, forward and back
Do si do: the twosome with the center person in the line of three (who
will become new jack/jill)
B2. New jack faces out of circle with hands crossed, others face in and all
join hands in a ring. Jack pulls two individuals through an arch made by his
upper arm to form a basket, and all basket swing to the left. Finish to form
new l.h. star.

NOTES.

I usually end up doing this as a 40 bar dance. It is possible to get into
the basket in about a bar and a half, however most people don't manage to
do this first time, and many don't manage to do it second, third or fourth
time either.

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Five Hand Reel (from Brian Scowcroft's site)

Difficulty=2 (depends on the dancer's ability to step and reel)
Source= Traditional via Dave Townsend
Music= 16 bar reel/polka
Couples= 5 people standing like the dots on the 5 side of a dice

* Reel of 3. The person in the middle faces any other person. This will
form a line of three people including the person behind the "piggy in the
middle". They dance or walk a reel once around to place and one extra
change. This will put a new person into the middle.

* Stepping. The person in the middle steps 4 times with the person they
are facing; they turn to the person behind and step with them. The "Piggy"
then turns through 90 degrees to face someone along the other diagonal and
the dance begins again.

The steps can be the usual rant step but there are many variations which
probably have more traditional credibility.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Five Hand Reel (2) (from Brian Scowcroft's site)

Difficulty=2-3 (again, involves stepping and reeling)
Source= Trad, based on the dance from the village of Dummer, from Roy Dommett (adapted
by B.Scowcroft)
Music= 32 bar Polka/reel
Couples= 5 people in a circle

One person is nominated as number one; rest number off (2-5) anticlockwise

* A1 All circle left then No.1 weaves back through the other dancers
who step on the spot

* A2 No.1 and No.3 step to each other; No.1 turns about and steps to
No.5

* B1 No.1,3,5 dance a reel

* B2 Basket for all five

Next time No. 2 leads the dance and will step and reel with No.4 and No.1

------------------------------------------------------------------------

DUMMER'S REEL
Collected from Tony Saletan Houston '93?
Circle of 5 people

A1 Circle Left; Same way single file
A2 Jack (the "it" person) turn back and weave in and out
B1 Jack swing somebody; Swing their opposite
B2 Hey for 3
A1 Jack swing somebody you haven't swun; Swing their opposite
A2 Hey for 3
B1 Circle left; Jack raise left hand and pull himself and 1 other
under
B2 Basket swing

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chris Brady posted this on rec.folk-dancing in 1998:

Newsgroups: rec.folk-dancing
Path:
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!194.162.162.196!newsfeed.nacamar.de!dispose.news.demon.net!demon!peernews
.ftech.net!ayres.ftech.net!news.ftech.net!peernews.cix.co.uk!cix.compulink
.co.uk!usenet From: cbrady@cix.compulink.co.uk ("C J Brady") Subject: Re:
Dummer's Reel Message-ID: Organization:
Compulink Information eXchange References:
Date: Thu, 23 Jul 1998 19:30:17 GMT
Lines: 102 Xref: nntp.Stanford.EDU rec.folk-dancing:28226

Ahem - if I might interject. This dance is not Dummer's - whoever he/she
is supposed to be. It was actually collected from the Women's Institute in
the village of Dummer, Hampshire, England in the 1950s by Ann-Marie Hulme.

A while later Roy Dommet published it in his notes (apparently published
by CDSS and avail. from them). However the basket figure he describes and
has taught at various workshops is a far more complicated and
sophisticated version than the one first collected.

Whilst the directions given in previous post(s) are nearly 'correct'
[whatever that means in traditional dance] I have attached below the
traditional unadulterated version as first collected.

The tune 'Brighton Camp' or 'The Girl I Left Behind Me' fits the dance
admirably.

The 'jack' is actually a stuffed 'joker' or 'Punch' head held on a stick
about 18 inches long. A shrunken head from Papua New Guinea would be
admirable [I joke of course but that would be a good example!!]. It should
have bells on it so that it rings as it is shaken by the person who is
'it' at the time.

DUMMER FIVE-HAND REEL (with joker)

Music: 'Brighton Camp', 'Rose Tree', (brisk) - A+ABs
Change tune after 2nd basket for next open ring

Five people:

1
4 Joker 2
3

Steps: Single pas-de-bas (*), Dolly's back step(**)

Dance:

A All five circle left with hands, holding joker vertically
B All drop hands, and continue circling R, except for joker who
turns to R and weaves the moving ring the other way

A All stop in ring with joker in centre, joker steps to someone x4,
then turns them twice clockwise with two crossed hands and
'buzz-step' (i.e. as for normal non-walking swinging), then B
Joker steps to person directly behind x4, and turns them twice.

A Reel of three with the joker and those stepped to - this is
initiated by the Joker leaving the one just turned, and
immediately going to the one behind and passing them by the left
shoulder, etc. The reel should continue for 8 bars.

B Then all dance forwards into a basket for five, turn this clockwise
(to form basket everyone, with his/her left arm diagonally up
and right arm diagonally down, dances forwards without turning
round into a natural basket - with arms behind the person
immediately on either side everyone takes hands with the *next*
person round on either side by raising the right arm under the
outstretched arms and bringing the left arm over the
outstretched arms)

A Joker steps to and turns someone new, then
B Joker steps to and turns remaining person.

A Reel of three with these.
B Basket for five during which the Joker is passed on to someone
else behind the backs.

Music now changes tune and dance repeats.

Finish with extra B for a circle L and lead off with joker in
front.

(*) Traditional 'pas-de-bas':

Timing: 1,2,3, pause, 1,2,3, pause, etc., ...

Step is entirely on balls of feet, with small weight changes from one foot
to the other

Step to left (about 12 inches), then place right foot just in front of
left toe (so that the raised right heel is just above the left toe) and
the same time lift left foot slightly off the ground, step onto left foot
again, pause, repeat the other way, ...

There should be no bounce or lift as in country dance-style setting, keep
it neat and low to the ground.

(**) Dolly's 'back step' - collect in a pub in Hampshire from a lady
called Dolly:

Timing: Hop, 1,2,3, Hop, 1,2,3, etc.

Hop on left foot leaning body very SLIGHTLY to the left, place right foot
behind left foot and step onto right foot lifting left foot up slightly in
front, step onto right foot still in front and lift left foot up slightly
at back, step back onto left foot behind right foot; Hop onto right foot
leaning very slightly to the right, etc., ...

Enjoy.

Chris Brady.

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THE DUMMER REEL
Variation from Bob Adams

A1&A2 Circle left
'Leader' raise left arm and turn clockwise under it, followed by 2 and 3
Bring arms over into basket
Basket
B1: Finish basket and bring arms back over. 2 leads out (backwards)
through gap to right B2: Leader weave the set - ending in middle
A3: Leader balance & r.h.t someone
Balance & l.h.t the one behind
A4: Those 3 reel
B3&4 Repeat with others - finish back in original place in circle

Original number 2 becomes new leader

This is how Bob Adams used to call it with Cock & Bull. The beauty being
that it effectively gives 24 bars for the whole getting in and out of the
basket bit. That gives time for most sets to get it approximately right -
whilst the really energetic sets can fit in an even longer basket if they
are very slick.

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THE DUMMER REEL
Variation from Dick Stanger
48 bar reel or polka
Circle of 5 people

A1 4 rants left and right (ie circle each way)
A2 One person to the centre, face anyone and do 4 rants with them, turn
and face the one opposite, 4 rants with them into....
B1 Reel of three with those two
B2 Reel of three with the other two
C1 Circle left... into the 'Dummer Basket' [All keep hands linked and lift them in the air - one
person leads into the centre followed by one more - to make the 'inner
circle' - all lift arms over neighbour to make the basket]
C2 Basket to left, at end out into the circle again

Next time through different person to centre for the reels...in fact quite
good if this is also the one who leads into the centre for the Dummer
Basket, then all get a turn in each position!

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POLKA DOT POLKA
Colin Andrews
5 people in a cross:

1
2 5 4
3

#5 starts facing #1

A1 1, 5, 3 reel of three
A2 2, 5, 4 reel of three
B1 5 & 1 set (or step), change places by the right hand (half or one and a half)
1 (now in centre) and 2 set or step, change places by the right hand (half or one and a half)
B2 2 (now in centre) and 3 set or step, change places by the right hand (half or one and a half)
3 (now in centre) and 4 set or step, change places by the right hand (half or one and a half)

All now in new places ready to start again

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THREE AND TWO
Ray Hartridge 1989
Published in Sussex Folk Harvest, 3rd crop

A line of 5 people - 3 women and 2 men alternating:

1W 2M 3W 4M 5W

A1. End couples balance and swing while middle person does a figure 8 round the
set.
A2. #1 person face rest of set, rest of set faces #1. #1 weaves down the set,
start with right shoulder past #2. As #1 goes past #2, #2 turns to follow, as
they go past #3, #3 turns to follow etc. At the bottom, #1 cast left followed
by the others into a circle.
B1. Circle right
Left hand star, the two men cast out and rejoin one place back
B2. Continue left hand star
The original middle person (the second of the two women who are now together)
break from the star and lead the set back to a line.

Progressed positions are:

3W 2M 5W 4M 1W

Notes:

I have done this dance and it does work, but needs careful teaching. I've also
had it fall apart on me for no apparent reason (probably due to less than
careful teaching). It's really for people who know what they're doing.