Dance Steps

Dance Steps for the 2022 Olde South Ball

All dances will be explained and called at the ball. No prior practice is necessary. 
You are also invited to attend a free dance practice in the main ballroom of the Embassy Suites at 12:30 pm.

These dance steps are listed just for fun for those who wish to practice ahead of time.

Virginia Reel

Link to video
Sets of six couples, men facing ladies in long lines

Bow & Curtsey (1st time only)
Partners - Right hand around
Partners - Left hand around
Partners - Two-hand turn around
Partners - Do si do (back to back)

Lead couple - Sashay down the set and back up
Lead couple - Reel the line (turn by the right arm with your partner, turn by the left arm the next person in line)
Lead couple - Sashay back up the set
Lead couple - Cast off
Everyone else - follow the member of the lead couple in your line
Lead couple forms a "London bridge" and everyone goes through it back to place

Start over with new head couple

Duke of Kent's Waltz

Link to video

Form lines, men one side, ladies on the other, partners facing, in sets of four people

In your set of four people, do a right hand star
Then do a left hand star

First couple take both hands and take two side-steps down center and back up
First couple cast down (slowly) and second couple move up (gent offers hand to lady)

Right hand balance – Partners take right hands and step in, out, and the gent turns the lady under his arm as they trade places
Left hand balance – Partners take left hands and step in, out, and the gent turns the lady under his arm as they trade places
Right diagonals - everyone give their right hand to the person diagonally to their right and turn all the way around
Partners left hand turn all the way around


The Comical Fellow

Form lines, gents facing ladies

First gent set towards the second woman, fall back, and two hand turn her back to place
First woman set towards the second man, fall back, and two hand turn him back to place

Couple one lead down the set and back up
Couple one cast down, couple two leads up into their place
All clap 4X and two hand turn partners halfway around
All take hands and circle left
Circle right
All clap 4X and two hand turn partners halfway around


The Queen's Jig

Form lines, gents on one side, ladies on the other

1st corners right shoulder balance, fall back, set, turn single
2nd corners right shoulder balance, fall back, set, turn single

1st corners change places
2nd corners change places 
Partners 2-hand turn halfway

Right hand star
All turn single the OPPOSITE DIRECTION from the way they were starring

Spanish Waltz

Link to video
Form a ring of 2-couple "boxes," couples facing each other, ladies on the gentlemen's right

First figure: Box
Imagine a box with four sides. You are on two sides of the box - the other two sides are beside you and are empty. Each time through the set of steps, you will move to a new side of the box.
Gentlemen, hold your inside hand (closest to your partner) cupped, ladies put your inside hand underneath

All four - Step in, Step out
All four - Change partners by gents slipping their hand off of their partner's hand, and onto the opposite lady's hand. Turn her under your arm 1/4 turn to put you both on a new side of the "box."
Do this four times, until everyone is back in their original places.

Second figure: Star
All four - Right hand star
All four - Left hand star

Third figure: Pinwheel
Promenade your partner in a pinwheel

(Promenade position: Partners take right hand in right hand, and left hand in left hand, continuing to both face forward.)
(Pinwheel: Gentlemen step shoulder to shoulder, one couple facing forward, one couple facing backward, process around in eight waltz steps)

On the 7th beat, Process to the next couple in the circle to form a new box.

Soldier's Joy


Form a ring of 2-couple sets, couples facing couples, lady on the gentleman’s right
Everything is in 8 counts except 16 count ladies chain

Partners hold inside hands
Forward four small steps and back four small steps

Two-hand turn your opposite

Balance your partner (turn and face your partner, walk towards them so that you are right shoulder to right shoulder, then fall back)

Two-hand turn partner

Ladies chain 
Ladies take right hands, pull by
Gents turn their opposite ladies by the left hand
Repeat

Forward and back (holding inside hands)

Drop hands, pass through to a new couple

German Waltz

Link to video
Form a large circle, all holding hands, each lady on her gentleman's right
Holding hands, all turn a little to the left so that you are facing clockwise.
Take three waltz steps left.
On the fourth step, drop hands, and gents turn and face the ladies. 

Grand Chain
Take right hands with your partner and pull past each other 
Take left hands with the next person and pull past 
Take right hands with the next person and pull past 

Take waltz position with the next person 
With your new partner, waltz in a small circle, rotating slightly each time so that you go around in a circle. You have six waltz beats.

Open into the circle again. Make SURE the lady is on the gent's right as you open up.

Lancer’s Quadrille Figure 5 

Form sets of four couples each, facing in on the four sides of an imaginary box
Couples are numbered 1, 2, 3, and 4

Grand chain two times around
Start by facing your partner and taking rights hands and pulling by
Left hand to the next person, pull by, etc.
Meet and honor your partner halfway around, keep going to meet partner again.
End in a promenade position with your partner

Active couple, starting to the right, walk around the inside of the quadrille, nodding to each couple. They will end in their original spot, facing backwards 
Second couple (to their right) falls in behind & follows them. 
Third couple (couple opposite) does not move and will be last couple in the line. 
Fourth couple (couple to their left) falls in behind second couple to make a line of four couples. 
*Note: The line will face opposite direction from the starting position of the active couple

All sashay across (ladies to the left in front of the gents), step forward then back
Sashay back, step forward, then back 

Whole line cast like a VA Reel, meet partners, come back up
Ladies take hands long lines, gents take hands long lines
*Note, the lines will be on different sides of the square depending on who is the active couple. If the active couple were to face each other in their normal quadrille position, the lines should run parallel off of them

Lines forward and back, partners 2-hand turn, ending back in quadrille position and ready for grand chain 


"Cheat" or Coquette Quadrille

Link to video
Form a box of four couples
Couples are numbered around the circle 1, 2, 3 and 4

First couple swings to the right and steps forward and back with the third couple
First couple two hand turns their opposites with the third couple

First couple swings to the right and steps forward and back with the second couple
First couple two hand turns their opposites with the second couple

First couple swing to the right and steps forward and back with the fourth couple
First couple two hand turns their opposites with the fourth couple

NOTE: It is optional that you actually turn the person you're supposed to turn, hence the name "Cheat Quadrille." You may suddenly decide to turn anyone you please, or someone else may decide to turn you.

Carolina Promenade

Form ring, partners holding inside hands and facing counterclockwise, men on the inside of the ring

Partners take inside hands and walk FORWARD four steps
Turn towards each other and then backward, switching hands
Partners walk BACKWARD four steps

Gents swing the lady in, swing her out, swing her in, swing her across your front and into the middle of the circle, switching hands
Gents swing the lady in, swing her out, swing her in, swing her UNDER your arm (do NOT move yourself).
Lady steps back to the outside of the circle and to the gent behind her, taking inside hands with him.

Snowball Virginia Reel

Longwise sets, ladies on one side, gents on the other

Gents hold hands in long lines, Ladies hold hands in long lines.
Gents and ladies step forward towards each other four steps and back four steps.
Repeat
Turn your partner by the right hand all the way around
Turn your partner by the left hand all the way around
Turn your partner by both hands all the way around
Do si do (back to back) with your partner

Head couple reels the line.
As each couple on the line is turned by the reeling couple, they MOVE UP one place.
Once the reeling couple reaches the fourth couple on the line, the next couple begins to reel the line.
Once initial top couple is back to the top, wait until all couples are done reeling.
Hands long lines, forward and back 2 times.
Each couple sashay down the line. At the bottom, fall into line and gradually move up, moving up one place as each new couple falls into line.
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