Basic dance figures
Bob Dalsemer gives an introduction to the common break figure found in Morgantown, West Virginia: "Dance around your corners all and dance around your partners all." He explaines that it's like doing an allemande left with your corner and an allemande right with your partner, but with no hands.
You can also see video footage of this dance, where Bob called "Chase That Rabbit, Chase That Squirrel." After that, couples turn opposite person and partner, and circle. As the first couple reaches the fourth couple, the second couple follows up with the third couple, and after the figure is completed the two groups of four revolve around each other in a Pokey-O. (This is the same figure referred to as a "bouquet waltz" in some other traditions.
Recorded at Dare To Be Square, Seattle, in 2009.
The figure of alternating hand turns is known in the west as a Docey-Do and in some Southern communities as Do-Si-Do (Kentucky) or Georgia Rang Tang (North Carolina). Bob explains that in New Creek, West Virginia, they simply call it "Left hand lady with the right hand around, right hand lady with the left hand around." Bob talks through the figure and then a group of four dancers demonstrates.
Recorded May 5, 2012, at the evening dance at Dare To Be Square, Riner, Virginia. Bill Ohse, traditional West Virginia square dance caller, is at the mic.
Musicians are Chance McCoy -- fiddle; Bill ___ -guitar; Mac Traynham -- banjo; Frances West - first bass player; Andrew Norcross - second bass player.
Another video that shows this figure being taught can be found here.
Recorded May 5, 2012, at the evening dance at Dare To Be Square, Riner, Virginia
Musicians are Chance McCoy -- fiddle; Sebastian Zijp -guitar; Mac Traynham -- banjo; Frances West - first bass player; Andrew Norcross - second bass
