Confesse

A longways dance for 6 (mixed lines)

As the directions below will use numbers to identify dancers, here is the starting configuration:

1 2
3 4
5 6

All take hands in line, forward a double and back, twice

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Middles move to their R (#3 is between #5 and #6, and #4 is between #1 and #2), taking hands also with the person on their L, out a double up/down the set (4 beats)

All turn around CW, in a double with hands (4 beats),

take 2 hands and exchange (4 beats)

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Out a double in lines with hands, all turn around CW, in a double with hands,

take 2 hands and exchange.

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All face Left (evens face odd line and odds turn around to face the same direction), take hands in lines and walk 8 steps. All turn around CW, return to set in 8 steps.

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All turn single CW.

#1 and #4 set away from each other and toward each other, leaning in to make a double-handed arch WHILE the other 4 dancers turn CCW. Then the 4 dancers ring quickly with hands under the arch around #4.

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All turn single CW.

#3 and #5 set away from each other and toward each other, leaning in to make a double-handed arch WHILE the other 4 dancers turn CCW. Then the 4 dancers ring quickly with hands under the arch around #3.

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All face Right (odds face even line and evens turn around to face the same direction), take hands in line and walk 8 steps. All turn around CW, return to set in 8 steps.

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#1 and #2 take hands facing up the set, likewise #5 and #6 take hands facing down the set, they walk out a double up/down the set, turn around by facing each other (Easy Turn), walk in a double WHILE #3 and #4 cast in a large circle to their CCW out of the set and back to home. #1, #2, #5, #6 take hands and ring CW back to home while #3 and #4 turn single CW and turn single CCW.

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Repeat entire figure, except #3 and #4 ring after their cast while #1, #2, #5, #6 turn single CW and turn single CCW.

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Take hands in lines, in a double and back, twice.

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#1 and #2 cast down the outside of the set WHILE #3 with #5 and #4 with #6 take hands and walk up a double. #3, #5, #4, #6 easy turn to take hands and form arches while walking down a double WHILE #1 and #2 walk up under the arches. Turn all the way around CW by 2 hands.

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#5 and #6 cast up the outside of the set WHILE #3 with #1 and #4 with #2 take hands and walk up a double. #3, #1, #4, #2 easy turn to take hands and form arches while walking down a double WHILE #5 and #6 walk up under the arches. Turn all the way around CW by 2 hands.

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Form the U shape, probably in #1-3-5-6-4-2 order, facing up and honoring as a curved line of six.

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Christchurch Bells

Longways duple minor progressive dance for as many as will

Hands 4 from the top to determine duple minor sets.

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First corners turn (CW) by R hands, Tops (CCW) by L, second corners (CCW) by L, Bottoms (CW) by R.

Notice that Odds always change hands while Evens never change hands.

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Slipping circle (CW) to L for 8 counts to get home (all the way around)

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Clap your own hands together, R with partner, together, L with partner, cast to progress with tops casting down outside of bottoms who cast up (Eggbeater turns).

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Repeat: New iteration starts with first corners immediately turning by R hands.

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Childgrove

Longways duple minor progressive for as many as will

Shoulder to shoulder with partner (by R), Back to back with partner (by R)

Shoulder to shoulder with neighbor (by R), Back to back with neighbor (by R)

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2 hand turn CW with neighbor 1-½ to exchange, R hand turn with partner to neighbor’s place

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Tops (at bottom) skip figure 8 up through bottoms, evens ahead of odds.

Bottoms (at top) skip figure 8 down through tops, evens ahead of odds.

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Repeat with new duple minor set.

Double cast variation:

While Tops are skipping figure 8 up, Bottoms turn up the set to cast away from each other (Eggbeater Up) and follow their neighbor through the figure 8 pattern, staying one position behind their neighbor, and ending where they started the figure 8.

While Bottoms are skipping figure 8 down, Tops turn down the set to cast away from each other (Eggbeater Down) and follow their neighbor through the figure 8 pattern, staying one position behind their neighbor, and ending where they started the figure 8.

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Chestnut

A longways dance for 6

Up a double and back twice

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Take hands in lines, back a double, forward a double and drop hands to pass through by R shoulders (middles go long!), turning over R to take hands and circle (CW) to end in partner’s place

That again

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Arm partner R and L (yes, this is out of the regular order)

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Take hands in lines, back, forward, pass through as before, face partner for half a mirrored morris hey (tops cast outside middles and lead inside bottoms WHILE middles follow tops around to return to their same place WHILE bottoms cast outside tops and come in to the top) to invert the set

That again (with same heads and same orientation) to end at home

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Siding, twice

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Take hands in lines, back, forward, pass through as before, Tops invert the set by casting down the outside of the lines with the rest following.

That again, but Tops lead up the middle of the set with the rest following down the outside to the bottom before leading up to home. Take hands with partner as you lead up. Honor.

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Bobbing Joe

A longways dance for 4 – or multiples of 4, arranged as duple minors

Up a double, twice

Set and turn to your partner, twice

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Top pair take 2 hands and slips down between Bottom pair while Bottom pair slips up the outside of the set lines (shuttle figure), hands 4 and circle CW halfway to neighbor’s place. Same top pair take 2 hands and slips down to repeat the shuttle sequence. Hands 4 and circle CW halfway to home.

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Odds exchange places, passing by R shoulders and theatrically snapping on beat 1.

Evens the same. Odds the same to return home. Evens the same.

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Siding, twice.

Set and turn to your partner, twice. End close to partner after the last set and turn.

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Set back and forward, turn while casting into neighbor’s place. (Odds turn CCW while Evens turn CW. All turn to face up and continue that turn direction. Also called Eggbeater turns.) Repeat to end at home.

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Cross partner by R shoulders, hands 4 and circle halfway to home. Repeat to end at home.

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Arm R and L.

Set and turn, twice.

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Odds take hands, back a double, turn CW into place. Evens the same.

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Cross neighbor by R shoulder, cross partner by R shoulder, cross neighbor by R shoulder, cross partner by R shoulder. (First corners move CCW around box, turning ¾ CW at each position. Second corners move CW around box, turning ¼ or 1-¼ CW at each position.) Honor your partner.

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Black Nag

A longways dance for 6

Up a double and back, twice

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Face partner, take 2 hands. Top pair slips up for 4 beats. Middle pair the same. Bottom pair the same. All turn single. Bottom pair slips back up to home. Middle pair the same. Top pair the same. All turn single.

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Siding twice

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First corners (1&6, head Odd and foot Even) slip to each other’s place, passing face to face, R foot lead. Second corners (2&5, head Even and foot Odd) slip to each other’s place, passing face to face, L foot lead. Third corners (3&4, middles) slip to each other’s place, passing face to face, R foot lead. All turn single. Repeat exactly again to return to home.

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Arm R and L

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Odd line heys, all turn single

Even line heys, all turn single, honor all

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Ashford Reunion

A longways dance for 6


Up a double:

All face up, take hands with partner, up a double and back. Twice.

Chorus:

Face to diagonal right, set, exchange by 2 hands CW, turn single CW.

Meanwhile, second corners skip outside the set CCW to empty spot in corner’s position and arrive in time for the turn single.

All face across the set, exchange by 2 hands CW, turn single CW.

Siding:

Side twice

*Chorus*

Arming:

Arm R, clap, arm L

*Chorus*

Repeat dance until musicians are finished or Last Time is called.

Note: Often, musicians and other dancers prank into the dance by stepping into empty second corner positions while their occupants are skipping around the outside of the set. When this happens, just skip on past the position and right off the stage. Or wait around and take back your spot on the next chorus.

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Appley House

Longways for as many as will (duple minor progressive)

Take hands 4 from the top of the set to determine starting duple minor sets.

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Odds take hand with neighbor (in duple minor set only), back a double, turn (CW) back to place.

Evens the same.

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All 4, R hand star halfway to corner’s position, turn single (CW)

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Bottoms cast up and out of the set to their partner’s place, face up and take hands WHILE Tops follow the Bottoms and end their cast outside of the tops, forming a line of 4, all taking hands.

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Up a double and back, folding the lines into a box where everyone faces their partner.

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Tops cast down outside of set to cross by R below to progressed home while Bottoms lead up and cross by R to progressed home.

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Repeat entire sequence with new duple minor.

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