The Third Wheel Ceilidh Dance

Hello Folkies!

For those of you who have actually read this before, apologies for the lengthy break between posts.  Life gets in the way of folk.  And blogging.  And folk blogging.  Anyway, on with the blog.


I'm presenting another dance that I wrote today (My head grows by the day, I can barely fit through doors now), this one by the name of The Third Wheel.  I wrote this in response a friend's comment when I shared my blog on FB for the first time - namely that all of the dances were for couples and that I should shake things up a bit.  Fair enough nameless friend, fair enough.

So, here is a dance designed for trios, with a two-person progression at the end of each set.  It's a little more complex than some of the others I've shared on this page, but should still be easy enough to follow.

Now, this dance tells a bit of a story, which you can dress up in whatever way you feel like.  The idea is that there is a couple out on a date (the two outer dancers in each trio) and the Third Wheel (or the gooseberry, depending on your age I guess).  The Couple spend the first half of their dance getting on with their date and largely ignoring the third wheel, and the second half sees the third wheel distracting one person in order to steal the other partner.  Shocking I know.  This new couple then abandons one person, and they become the new third wheel.  Sunrise, sunset.  Well suited for 32 bar jigs or reels.

Forming Up

Relatively straightforward this one, ask everyone to form up into trios, and then to form a circle with dancers facing anti clockwise around the room.  Like the spokes of a bike, if your dancers struggle to follow that.  That's it really.  Seriously, move on to the next session.  Like, now.

The Dance

The first step is for the trio, holding hands, to take 8 steps forward, and then for the outer couple to link hands around the third wheel and circle to the right for a count of eight.  Next is to do almost the opposite of that (without being too pedantic about it) - link hands and walk back around the circle for a count of 8, outer couple join hands and circle to the left for a count of eight.  The tricky part here is just ensuring that the outer couple have enough space between them to fully encircle the third wheel.  Could make for some amusing scenes if two really short people try to encircle someone of substantial girth - like two pixies trying to squeeze a melon in half.  Anyway, back on topic.

That is the end of the A section, and now the third wheel gets to have some fun - first, they're going to skip a right-handed figure-eight between the couple for a count of eight, before spinning a partner of their choice.  This is them "distracting" the partner of the person they want before absconding.  I have to note here that when I called this dance last Friday, I said to the audience that they could spin their chosen person in whatever way they wanted - a young boy then proceeded to spin his partner as if he was playing blind mans bluff (Do children still do that?).  Needless to say, I expect this child to become our overlord some day (Back on topic Phill!  Ed.)  (Leave me alone Ed, you're a horse, you don't have any power here).  Hem.  So, after "distracting" their chosen person by spinning them, the third wheel will then do a left-hand figure-eight around the existing couple for a count of eight, before collaring their beloved and moving off around the circle.  This should leave one person standing all by their lonesome in each set.  The newly joined couple from the set behind will move forward to collect the new third wheel of their set.  Like picking up a piece of sushi with chopsticks, I guess.  At which point, the dance starts over again.

So, to recap
A1. All forward 8 steps, outer couple circle right around the third wheel
A2. All back 8 steps, outer couple circle left around the third wheel
B1. Third Wheel right-hand figure-eight around the existing couple, "distract" a partner of your choice
B2. Third Wheel left-hand figure-eight around the existing couple, take the remaining partner and move off around the circle, picking up a new third wheel from the set in front of you.


Potential Problems
The first time I called this dance, I forgot to explain that there should be a new third wheel in the set every time you progress through the dance, so I saw one poor girl be the third wheel about three times in a row, which was sad.  I would have danced with her.  The other tendency for this dance is for bunching around the circle - everyone has a different step size, and so you'll notice some people catching up to others as we progress through, which can lead to some difficulty when it comes time for the circle or for the figure eights.  Don't be afraid to ask people just to spread out a little or take smaller steps!

Tips
This is much easier to have stick in people's mind if you link it to the story of being the third wheel and stealing the girl.

Variations
I'm sure this works as a Fifth Wheel variation with only a few modifications - the fifth wheel would need to steal a couple each time, which then probably requires some thought as to how to decide who is the new fifth wheel at the end of each set.  I'll give this some thought and come back to it.

Right, thanks for reading this guys.  This is quite a new dance, so if anyone calls it and wants to offer some suggestions or advice/criticism/scorn, that would be much appreciated.

My next public engagement as a caller is at the Portsmouth Festivities, calling for my good friends, Threepenny Bit.  More details after the link;

http://www.portsmouthfestivities.co.uk/whats-on/item/ceilidh-in-the-tower-with-threepenny-bit-folk-band


Folk and Hugs,
Bigg Hungry Phill.

Clopton Bridge

Happy Monday Folkies!

A nice satisfying hornpipe today known as Clopton Bridge (32-bar Hornpipe).

This is a longways set dance for four couples, doing the age old ceilidh-dance thing of the head couple moving down to the end of the set each time to let other people have a turn.    This is a dance that I think is particularly useful, because it's quite simple but if you can get the sets to step-hop all the way through, they'll tire themselves out, need more breaks, and you need to know fewer dances to keep everyone happy...

Forming up
Nice and simple this one, longways sets for four couples.  Don't be afraid to ask sets of more experienced dancers to form up a set at 90 degrees to other sets if you don't have quite enough space for all of those who want to dance - as long as there is someone there who knows what "head couple" means and can act as an example couple for everyone else.   If you are double-stacking your sets, (that is having two sets end-to-end) be sure to get them to leave enough space between them to help distinguish sets.

The Dance

The first thing you want to do (unless you're calling for people who know what they're doing and will be indignant about being told how to suck eggs) is to demonstrate the step-hop which is common to this and most other hornpipe-based dances.  I usually find myself calling for quite young audiences, so I can just tell them that it is the same as skanking - unfortunately, this don't work for everyone.  The step hop is made up of four different parts;

1. Step on the left foot
2. Hop on the left foot, and kick out with the right.
3. Step on right foot
4. Hop on the right foot, kick out with the left.
5. Repeat
6. Curse your tired calves the day after.

Get out into the middle of the floor and do this to show them how!  Let them practice it for thirty seconds or so before moving on to the next dance


So, the first step in the dance is for the head man and bottom woman to come together into the middle for a right-hand turn, lasting for a count of eight, then a left hand turn for a count of eight.  this is the point at which they should be step-hopping.  Rule #1 of Clopton bridge - if you're doing a dance figure, you should be step-hopping!  This is then repeated by the bottom man and top lady.  Feel free to apologise to the middle couples, who spend the first 16 bars of music getting bored.  Their turn comes next, when the middle couples perform a right-hand star for a count of eight, then a left-hand star for a count of eight.

The top couple then get to spin down the center of the set for a count of eight.  You can either tell them that this is their chance to show off, and that they can dance down in whatever way they fancy, or specify a two-handed spin down - watch your audience and remember to tailor it to their level of experience.  Once they reach the bottom (and be sure to mention that the set should move up slightly to make space) everyone spins down to the end of the set, and the dance begins again.  (NB - this is where problems start with this dance, because people haven't realised they're in the head or bottom couple, or the wrong partner will come down - keep an eye out and give 'em a nudge if necessary).

Potential Problems

For me, the hardest part of calling this dance is getting the top and bottom couples to realise what is supposed to be happening.  The first two patterns of Clopton Bridge require opposite corner partners to come into the middle for a Right-hand turn (arms linked) and then a left hand turn, but explaining which couples should be doing it can be tricky without a reference point.  So, my advice for this would be to explain to people which corner couple they are - reference a door, or a window, or someone in the band - anything which helps get it in peoples minds.

As I mentioned in the last paragraph of the previous section, when the second turn through the dance comes around it's quite common to see people not paying attention and missing their turn to go down the middle to dance with their opposite - in my experience, the rest of the set will often remind them, but don't be afraid to give them a bit of a nudge

Music
I don't think I've ever called this dance to anything other than King of the Fairies - probably because the bands I call for come from the same pool with the same exposure to the same music.  This is quite nice because, if the band you're calling for plays the stops in the B section of King of the Fairies, then it gives a nice dramatic little pause during the head couples' spin down to the bottom of the set.  I'm sure other hornpipes work just as well.

Canadian Barn Dance

Hello Folkies!

Not one of mine today, but the first ceilidh dance I ever learnt to call.  Mostly because it was about the simplest one I could find.  Today's dance is called The Canadian Barn Dance (or, sometimes, the Highland Barn Dance) (32-bar Jig, Reel or Polka)

This is one of those amalgamation circle/couple dances of which there seem to be a whole lot.  It is probably one of the simplest dances out there, as it consists of a handful of steps, repeat ad nausea (or at least, until you are nauseous).

Forming up
Very simple to get started; tell everyone to find a partner, and then to stand in a circle around the room in a promenade hold [Gents on the left facing anticlockwise around the circle, gents with right hands behind the ladies back, ladies with left behind the gents back, remaining hands clasped in front.  Or whatever version of a promenade hold you fancy.  I'm not fussed].  That's it.  Make sure there is a fairly even spacing around the circle so as to avoid bunching an toe-treading.

The Dance
This dance has a repeating theme, which I think of in terms of; 1 - 2 - 3 - STOMP.  That is the point to stress to people, as it is the main focus of the dance.  So the first step, couples walk forward for three steps (Right foot first, but that's not that vital...) and then STOMP, followed by three steps back and then STOMP.  Couples then split, so that the men head into the middle of the circle and women head away from it, for three steps and then STOMP, and then back to your partner (1, 2, 3, STOMP).  When they get back to the partner, it's going into a waltz (or at least, waltzish) hold, pointing anti-clockwise around the room,  then, three steps to the pointy end (STOMP) and three steps to the blunt end (STOMP).  Then there are two options;

1. Couples polka to the end of the phrase
2. Couples polka for four, then stomp for four

Both are easy enough to do, so it's entirely up to you how you manage the end of that.  You'll notice my diagram says polka then stomp.

Potential Problems
this is a ludicrously simple dance, so I wouldn't anticipate too many problems.   As with any circle dance, there is the potential for clumping, but once the dance is in full swing this is difficult (and pointless) to combat.  Most people will sort this out for themselves.

Tips
I like to explain that the STOMP is kind of like a reset button, as every time you STOMP you either go back the way you came or start a new figure.  Because it is so simple, it's a good dance to get everyone back in after a half-time break, and a good dance to really ramp up the speed of.  I've always wanted to have the guts to ramp up a dance until no one can do it, and this is a good candidate for that.  Know your audience though, not everyone is going to want to have their shortcomings pointed out so publicly.

Music
I've called this to Star of the County Down (in 4) which works quite nicely.  You could use pretty much any tune you wanted to be honest, it's not dependent on a specific time signature.  Polkas also work well (a band I call for play Peg Ryan's and John Ryan's together for it)

Mitosis Circle Ceilidh Dance

Greetings Folkies!  I'm going to share today a dance of my own devising.  It is known, for reasons which may or may not become obvious, as the Mitosis Circle (32-bar Jig or Reel).

It's a circle dance for a fixed number of people (unusual for a circle dance, I'm let to believe) and can be danced to any 32-bar reel (although I think a jig would work just as well to be honest).  The dance is quite simple once it is set up, but may throw people who are expecting a balanced number of left-right steps.  The dance involves left-right circles, with each circle splitting into two smaller ones at the end of each section.  So, how does it work;

Forming Up
This is, by a long margin, the hardest part of this dance.  Because the circles need to be constant each time to avoid people fighting over partners, you are best off getting people to organise themselves in the following way;

1. Everybody find a partner
2. In your couples, find another couple to dance with
3. Each group of four, find another group of four
4. Each group of eight find another group of eight to make a circle of 16 people.

Which all sounds simple enough, but I guarantee there will be people confused by this.  You will need to stress that they remember the groups they were dancing in at each stage.

So, from there it's a case of some simple counting and basic fractions;  join hands and circle left for a count of eight, then back round to the right for a count of four, before breaking the circle and forming two smaller circles in a count of four.  The dance just repeats this figure until they are reduced to groups of four, at which point the figure becomes left hand star, right hand star, and then couples doing a left hand turn followed by a right hand turn, before everybody rushes back to the big 16-person circle to start the dance over again.  Simple right?

Dealing with rogue groups

Very few ceilidhs have the right number of people for every dance, but with this dance you can cope with incomplete circles by getting the group to perform the first step twice and to not break the circle until the second time through.

Variation
If you feel you have a big enough group, you might consider trying to work out a version where the circle splits into multiples of three.  Good luck to you if you try.

Potential problems

I've said it before, the biggest problem is the initial set up.  Take your time and let them sort out the couples, fours, eights and sixteens in their own time.  Start the dance slow so they get into the rhythm of breaking and reforming circles, but once you've spotted that they have this down pat, don't be afraid to tell the band to really start getting silly with it.

Music

As I said before, any 32-bar reel or jig will suit this nicely.  I've called it to Cooley's Reel and Drowsey Maggy before now, and that works quite nicely.  Possibly the constant Em chords in those tunes are a little serious for this silly little dance...