Al & Mark's Quadruplet
by Al Olson and Mark Widmer
4-couple contra line, improper
 
A1 Neighbor do-si-do	
   Circle left once around	

A2 Dip & dive: 1's arch, 2's duck under to start	
   After top couple reaches bottom of set and returns to #2 spot (facing up):	

B1 Top foursome: circle left halfway, neighbor swing	
   Bottom foursome: neighbor balance & swing.	

B2 Promenade across (with neighbor you swung)	
   Partner swing (in middle), end facing up or down to form 2 foursomes	
-----------------------------------------------

July 2010
 
Comments:  The dancers never wait out at the ends in this 4-couple dance, so it
is well suited for when there are only 4 couples present in the dance hall.  It
is a variation I wrote of Al's Quadruplet #1 by Al Olson.  In Al's dance,
people alternate dancing with two of the other three couples but never dance
with that third couple.  In this variant, people get to dance with everybody
else in the set.
 
Teaching/calling pointers
 
It is desirable for the top couple to have an experienced dancer.  I recommend
asking the 8 dancers to elect a Captain amongst themselves, one who is
experienced, assertive, and  confident.  While the dancers hold their
"election", the caller may confer with the band on how many times through the
dance they will go; some multiple of 3 is preferable, and we ran it 9 times
through the first (only) time I have called it.
 
Once the dancers have chosen a captain, the captain and her/his partner should
move to the top of the set to become the top couple.  They will remain the top
couple every time through the dance and can guide their foursome into the
circle-left-halfway in B1, which may be an unexpected move for their neighbors.
 
A2 & B1:
A2.  Start with the 1's (couple #'s 1 & 3) making an arch, and the 2's duck
under the arch as a couple to advance one place up or down the line.  Then the
2's arch while the 1's duck under.  The pattern repeats, each couple
alternating between arching and ducking.  When out at the end, couples should
turn as a couple, then take a cue from the dancers approaching them whether to
arch or duck.
B1.  The caller can watch for when the top couple has nearly reached position
#2 (after making an arch in a temporary middle foursome), and call out the
moves for B1.  The call could be something along the lines of "bottoms balance,
tops circle ... neighbor swing". 
 
More comments
 
Trivia fact: Nils Fredland was Captain the first time this dance was called.
The progression: couple #1 (includes the captain) remains couple #1; couple #2
becomes couple #4 at the bottom; couple #'s 3 & 4 each move one place up,
towards the top of the set.