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CIRCASSIAN (and BIG) CIRCLE  (CDM)

Music: A jig tune for part one, a reel for part 2.
APW interprets: Do part one til you're bored, then do part 2.

Part I:

Sicilian Circle

A1: Right and left through (or girls cross left, men cross right), repeat
    to places.

A2: Partners balance and swing.

B1: Ladies Chain

B2: Swing and change OR promenade to next couple

Part II:

Big Circle

A1:  Forward and back twice

A2:  Women to center and back to place
     Men to center and back to woman originally on his left (not partner).

B1:  They swing

B2:  Promenade around, open to to big circle.
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(Since this is supposed to be a traditional dance, and is certainly at least
135 years old, I don't feel like I'm stepping on anybody's toes by posting 
this.)


At this point, everybody who hasn't already stopped reading probably ought to.
I happen to have some old dance manuals here at work with me - really, I don't
ordinarily -  and here's what they  say (imagine ". . . " scattered liberally
through these quotes):

Hillgrove, 1865: 

 SICILIAN CIRCLE (called Sicilienne Circle in the table of contents)

  Music in Two-Four Time - Four Parts

  1. Right and Left  -               8 bars.
  2. Balance to Partners, and turn   "        
     [This balance is a seven step chasse.]
  3. Ladies' Chain                   "
  4. All Promenade - Passing once and a half round, and finish facing
     the next couple, with whom the same figure is again repeated.  

The dance was formerly a great favorite at public balls, but is now very seldom
introduced, on account of the rude manner of performing it.  Instead of setting
to their partners and turningin places, or passing once and a half round in the
promenade, the majority of rude dancers move hastily off witha gallop,
sometimes passing more than half the length of a ball room, and at crowded
balls are often unable to find the places which they left.  When properly
danced, however, it is a very social dance.


Wilson, 1899:

  THE SICILIAN CIRCLE (under "Contra Dances" in the ToC)

 Two couples: right and left          8 measures
 Balance and turn partners            "
 Forward and back                     4 "
 Forward and through to next set (as in La Tempete, p 100)

This turns out to be a 1s arch/ 2s duck under progression, not a promenade
one and a half.


Wirth, 1903:

  THE CIRCASSIAN CIRCLE

  Figure: Hands across, set and turn partners, Ladies' Chain, promenade once
around and across to another couple.

(A few pages later Wirth, oddly, has "the Scotch Reel or 'Sicillian Circle'",
which resembles no other Scotch Reel I've encountered, by, among other things,
not having any reel.  "This reel is still used when a party wish to have a
jolly time and want to romp and play, especially when all are acquainted."
Swing with right hand / Swing with left hand /Right and left/ Ladies' Chain/
Half promenade / Right and left back/ Forward and back /Pass through and face
the next couple.)