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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Cuckolds

A dance for 4

Begin with partners next to each other, facing the other pair across the set line.

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Take hands with partner, in a double and back, twice.

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Turn single halfway CW while moving toward neighbor to bump into them from behind, continue to turn single halfway CW to home.

Exchange places with neighbor by slipping CW face to face (shuttle hands), repeat to home. No stop in the middle.

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Repeat bump and shuttle sequence but with partner.

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Side partner. Side neighbor.

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First corners cross by R shoulder while second corners turn single CW.

Second corners cross by R shoulder while first corners turn single CW.

Take hands, slipping ring CW to home.

Second corners cross while first corners back up.

First corners cross while second corners turn single.

Take hands, slipping ring CW to home.

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Arm R with partner, Arm L with neighbor.

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2 hands with neighbor, pousettes CW. Set lines up on beat 4 and in partner’s place on beat 8. Odds lead partners a full cast out of set (CCW).

Repeat pousettes CW. Odds lead partners a full cast out of set (CW) to home. Honor.

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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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