| Geof Owen | ||
| Folk Dance Caller and Choreographer
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| Home | Dances | Dance Books | Contact me |
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Click here for an alphabetical listing of dances or click on the shape below to see dances in that shape |
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| Circle | Sicilian Circle | Dances for 3 couples | Dances for 4 couples | |
| Dances for 5 couples | Dances for 6 couples | Longways | Squares | Other |
| Name | Beehive Five
© Geof Owen 2002 | |
|---|---|---|
| Date written | 2002 | |
| Format | Square set with fifth couple in middle facing first couple | |
| A1 | 1-4 | First and fifth couples set to each other then right and left through to change places |
| 5-8 | First man right hand star with second couple while first lady right hand star with fourth couple | |
| A2 | 1-4 | First couple set right and left and two hand turn halfway |
| 5-8 | All back to back with partner | |
| B1 | 1-4 | First and third couples set to each other then right and left through to change places |
| 5-8 | Third man right hand star with fourth couple while third lady right hand star with second couple | |
| B2 | 1-4 | Third couple set right and left then two hand turn halfway |
| 5-8 | Haead couples face right, side couples face left, right and left through to change places | |
| Notes | first published in "Footnotes" | |
| Starting position is | ||
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| Position after one turn of the dance | ||
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| Suggested Tunes | 5x32bars Kitchen Girl : Best of Irish Fiddle Tunes : Florie Brown |
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| Name | Cuckoo’s Nook
© Geof Owen 1997 | |
|---|---|---|
| Date written | 1997 | |
| Format | 5 couple longways, First, third and fifth couples improper | |
| A1 | 1-4 | Side lines fall back a double and come forward to meet |
| 5-8 |
All set right and left to partner, then in fours first and second couples & third
and fourth couples circle left half way while fifth couple two hand turn all the
way
(2-1-4-3-5) |
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| A2 | 1-4 | Side lines fall back a double and come forward to meet |
| 5-8 |
All set right and left to partner, then in fours first and forth couples & third
and fifth couples circle left half way while second couple two hand turn all the
way
(2-4-1-5-3) |
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| B1 | 1-4 | Top two couples and bottom two couples right hand star with fourth couple joining star with right hand to left hand of person on their left. (Shooting star) |
| 5-8 | Top two couples and bottom two couples left hand star with fourth couple joining star with left hand to right hand of person on their right. (Shooting star) (Note – during this figure the fourth couple dance a figure of eight) | |
| B2 | 1-8 | Fourth couple (middle couple) cross and dance a figure of eight round both ends of the set, man starting round bottom of set and lady round top of set |
| Notes | first published in "A Second Helping of Sadler‘s" | |
| Suggested Tunes | Seneca Square on “Augmented” by Arden Folk | |
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| Name | Diamond Mine
© Geof Owen 2017 | |
|---|---|---|
| Date written | 2017 | |
| Format | Square - 5 couples; diamond formation for outer 4 couples | |
| A1 | 1-4 | Middle couple do handy-hand stars with top two couples (man left, lady right). |
| 5-8 | Middle couple half a figure of eight through the top two couples, starting by going between the two couples and round each couple. | |
| A2 | 1-4 | Middle couple do handy-hand stars with bottom two couples (man left, lady right). |
| 5-8 | Middle couple half a figure of eight through the bottom two couples (as in A1 5-8). | |
| B1 | 1-4 | All do-si-do partner. |
| 5-8 | All set and turn single. | |
| B2 | 1-8 | Promenade progression with middle couple starting by changing with top right couple. Each couple change with next couple clockwise round the diamond passing left shoulders to start. |
| Notes | first published on this web site 2017 | |
| Suggested Tunes | Kitchen Girl: Best of Irish Fiddle Tunes-Florie Brown | |
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| Name | End of the Year
© Geof Owen 2002 | |
|---|---|---|
| Date written | 2002 | |
| Format | 5 couple longways | |
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| A1 | 1-4 | First, second and fifth couples join hands, balance in and out and circle left two places |
| 5-8 | All do-si-do partner | |
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| A2 | 1-8 | In lines across, heys for three or fours |
| B1 | 1-4 | Third, fourth and fifth couples join hands, balance in and out and circle right two places |
| 5-8 | All do-si-do partner | |
| B2 | 1-4 | Top right four (1st couple, 2nd lady & 3rd man) right hand star while bottom left four (5th couple, 3rd lady & 4th man) do likewise |
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| 5-8 | All set to partner and turn single | |
| Notes | first published in "Footnotes" | |
| Suggested Tunes | 5x32bars Hogmanay Jig, Wassail!, Magpie Lane | |
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| Name | Grandma’s Beads
© Geof Owen 1998 | |
|---|---|---|
| Date written | 1998 | |
| Format | 5 couple circle | |
| A1 | 1-4 | All lead in a double and back |
| 5-8 | All two hand turn partner | |
| A2 | 1-4 | All lead out a double and back |
| 5-8 | All two hand turn partner | |
| B1 | 1-4 | All five ladies chain to second man round the circle |
| 5-8 | All do-si-do new partner by the left | |
| B2 | 1-4 | Face new partner, four changes of a grand chain starting with right hand |
| 5-8 | Step right and honour fifth person and pass left shoulders to next dancer turning single as you do | |
| Notes | Note: After first turn of dance: 1M+4L; 2M+5L; 3M+1L; 4M+2L; 5M+3L | |
| first published in "A Final Helping of Sadler‘s salad" | ||
| Suggested Tunes | Orwell:Stowfolk | |
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| Name | Hayhead Wood
© Geof Owen 1996 | |
|---|---|---|
| Date written | 1996 | |
| Format | 5 couples long ways; Second & fourth couples improper | |
| A1 | 1-4 | Lines fall back two steps and come forward two steps |
| 5-8 | First and second couples & third and fourth couples circle left half way, while fifth couple two hand turn all the way (2-1-4-3-5) | |
| A2 | 1-4 | Lines fall back two steps and come forward two steps |
| 5-8 | Second and third couples & fourth and fifth couples circle left half way, while first couple two hand turn all the way (2-4-1-5-3) | |
| B1 | 1-8 | First and second couples & fourth and fifth couples right hand star, third couple holding hand of person on their right and go round with the star (This is called a shooting star) |
| B2 | 1-8 | Back with a left hand shooting star, third couple holding hand of person on their left (Note that during the shooting star, third couple dance a figure of eight) |
| Notes | All places in the calls relate to positions in the set at the time of the call | |
| The couple starting at the top of the set will always dance the circle left with the couple below until they reach the bottom of the set. | ||
| first published in "Saddlers’ Salad" | ||
| Suggested Tunes | Jamaica on “Playford Pops” CD by Chris Dewhurst (5 x 32 bars) | |
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| Name | Lost Luggage
© Geof Owen 2016 | |
|---|---|---|
| Date written | 2016 | |
| Format | 5 couple longways, First, third and fifth couples improper | |
| A1 | 1-4 | In fours at each end left hand star while middle couple left hand turn. |
| 5-8 | Top and bottom couples change anticlockwise while middle three couple circle left half way. | |
| A2 | 1-4 | On the right diagonal change. On the left diagonal change. |
| 5-8 | Hands ten and circle right until opposite partner and turn single. (All home). | |
| B1 | 1-4 | In fours at each end, circle left half way and turn single while middle couple set and turn single. |
| 5-8 | Bottom four couples in pairs poussette half way, men pushing while top couple two hand turn half way. | |
| B2 | 1-4 | Top four couples in pairs poussette half way, men pulling while bottom couple two hand turn half way. |
| 5-8 |
Bottom couple cast to invert the set. (5i-1-4i-2-3i) |
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| Notes | first published on this web site 2016 | |
| Suggested Tunes | Ludlow Castle | |
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| Name | Stepping Stones
© Geof Owen 1997 | |
|---|---|---|
| Date written | 1997 | |
| Format | 5 couples 3 couples facing 2 couples across the set, 2 couples on lady’s side should be central leaving one person over at each end of man’s side The person opposite will always be the same sex | |
| A1 | 1-4 | End threes and middle four, right hand star |
| 5-8 | End threes and middle four, left hand star | |
| A2 | 1-4 | Lines hitch forward and back and cross passing right shoulders |
| 5-8 | Lines hitch forward and back and cross back passing right shoulders | |
| B1 | 1-4 | As couples, on right diagonal, couples who can do a right and left through and set right and left |
| 5-8 | On the left diagonal, couples who can do a right and left through and set right and left | |
| B2 | 1-4 | End threes and middle four, circle left |
| 5-8 | End threes and middle four, circle right | |
| Notes | first published in "A Second Helping of Sadler‘s" | |
| Suggested Tunes | Miss Le Hupes Dance on “The Blackburne Tunes” by Stowfolk | |
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| Name | Swinging Shepherd
© Geof Owen 2016 | |
|---|---|---|
| Date written | 2016 | |
| Format | 5 couples long ways | |
| A1 | 1-4 | On the left diagonal, those who can, back to back left shoulder. |
| 5-8 | Lines fall back and come forward. | |
| A2 | 1-4 | On the right diagonal, those who can, back to back right shoulder. |
| 5-8 | Lines fall back and come forward. | |
| B1 | 1-4 | First couple cast to the bottom of the set while other couples two hand turn moving one place up. |
| 5-8 | All set and turn single. | |
| Suggested Tunes | Swinging Shepherd Blues – Instrumental Gems of the Fifties – Moe Koffman | |
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