Dargasson

A dance for 6, in a line across the diagonal of the stage

This dance is a loping step, and looks very different from skipping.

Normal longways set formation at back of stage to start.

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Hold partner’s hands L-L and R-R (in Skater position). Group lopes down to front of stage, across front of stage, diagonally up to opposing rear stage corner. Odds stay diagonally near front of stage while Evens continue to back of stage, turn and come back along diagonal. Order is #6-4-2-1-3-5, with all facing toward the center pair.

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Everyone sets and turns to center of line.

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First (central) pair sides over and back, set and turn past each other WHILE the others wait.

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#2 with #3, and #1 with #4: side over and back, set and turn past each other WHILE the ends wait.

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#2 with #5, #3 with #4, #6 with #1: side over and back, set and turn past each other to exchange places.

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Repeat the all-active siding sequence to get to #6-1-4-3-2-5. Ends wait while #2 with #3 and #1 with #4 active. Then only #1 with #2 active while the others wait.

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First pair Arm R all the way around, Arm L 1-½ places to exchange. Same pattern as before, ending back at original order #6-4-2-1-3-5.

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Rights and Lefts, with hands, starting with #2-1 by R, then #4-1 and #2-3 by L, then #6-1 and #4-3 and #2-5 by R, continuing until everyone has returned to pass through their original position (but not slowing down or stopping the Rights and Lefts).

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The next time you take hands with your partner, you move as a pair to the front of the stage. The first pair moves out of the way to one side, the second pair to the other side, and the final pair rushing down to the center. All honor along the front of the stage.

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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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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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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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