THE DOWN CALEDONIAN SET

Study Notes Copyright © William Lynch 2007

First Figure (Polka) 80 bars
INTRODUCTION: Dancers honour their partners, then their corners. 8 bars
1 Top couples:
R and L hand star: dancers take R hands in the centre and dance clockwise (3 bars), ˝ turn clockwise (1 bar) to take L hands and dance back to place (4 bars).
8 bars
Swing partners. 8 bars
Ladies chain: R hands in the centre, link L elbows with the opposite gent to turn with him twice, take R hands again in the centre and waltz hold with own partners. 8 bars
Swing partners. 8 bars
2 Side couples now dance 1. 32 bars
FINISH: Dancers stand in place. 8 bars
Second Figure (2/4 Marches) 112 bars
NOTE: Gents dance flat threes when dancing the movement 'dance across and back’; otherwise a walking step is used throughout.
INTRODUCTION 8 bars
1 Top gents dance across and back: dance into the centre (2 bars), turn into the opposite place (2 bars), dance back into the centre (2 bars) and turn back to place (2 bars). 8 bars
2 Swing partners. On the last bar gents dance in, keeping their arms around the ladies' waists, and take L hands across, tops above sides. 8 bars
3 Lead around, falling back to place on the last 2 bars. 8 bars
4 Top gents dance across and back. 8 bars
5 Swing partners.
Lead around.
16 bars
6 Side gents dance across and back. 8 bars
7 Swing partners.
Lead around.
16 bars
8 Side gents dance across and back. 8 bars
9 Swing partners.
Lead around.
16 bars
FINISH 8 bars
Third Figure (2/4 Marches) 80 bars
INTRODUCTION 8 bars
1 Top couples:
R and L hand star: dancers take R hands in the centre and dance clockwise (3 bars), ˝ turn (1 bar) to take L hands and dance back to place (4 bars).
8 bars
Swing partners. 8 bars
Ladies chain: R hands in the centre, link L elbows with the opposite gent to turn with him twice, take R hands again in the centre and waltz hold with own partners. 8 bars
Swing partners. 8 bars
2 Side couples now dance 1. 32 bars
FINISH 8 bars
Fourth Figure (2/4 Marches) 112 bars
INTRODUCTION 8 bars
1 Top couples:
1st lady and 2nd gent dance in and swing, falling back to place on the last 2 bars.
8 bars
Pass through: couples exchange places, 1st couple passing between the 2nd, turn and pass back, this time the 2nd couple passing between the 1st. 8 bars
All swing corners. 8 bars
2nd lady and 1st gent dance in and swing. 8 bars
Pass through, 2nd couple passing between 1st, then 1st between 2nd back to place. 8 bars
All swing corners. 8 bars
2 Side couples now lead to dance 1. 48 bars
FINISH 8 bars
Fifth Figure (2/4 Marches) 208 bars
NOTE: Dancers dance flat threes for the movements 'House within', 'Half chain' and 'Lead back', otherwise a walking step is used.
INTRODUCTION 8 bars
1 1st top couple house within.  Couples dance 2x3s towards the centre, then 6 within the set and back to place. 8 bars
2 Ladies advance and retire, dancing in, 2, 3, lift, back, lift, back, lift (4 bars) while gents stand.  Gents dance in, turn ˝ turn clockwise and dance out to take waltz hold with their partners (4 bars). 2 bars
3 Swing partners. 8 bars
4 Half chain: partners face each other and chain R and L hand to meet in the opposite place and take crossed hand hold in front, facing anti-clockwise around the set. 8 bars
5 Lead back: couples lead round for 4 bars then, with the same hold, turn clockwise 4 bars to finish in place with R hands still held, partners in each other's positions, the gent facing out of the set. 8 bars
6 Back-to-back: all join hands in a circle and dance 4 bars in place, dancing step, swing, step, swing, step, swing, step, swing.  Partners then take 4 bars to dance past each other into their own positions, the gent turning the lady clockwise under R arm. 8 bars
7 2nd top couple house within. 8 bars
8 Ladies advance and retire.
Gents dance in and out.
8 bars
9 Swing partners.
Half chain.
Lead back.
Back-to-back.
32 bars
10 1st side couple house within. 8 bars
11 Ladies advance and retire.
Gents dance in and out.
8 bars
12 Swing partners.
Half chain.
Lead back.
Back-to-back.
32 bars
13 2nd side couple house within. 8 bars
14 Ladies advance and retire.
Gents dance in and out.
8 bars
15 Swing partners.
Half chain.
Lead back.
Back-to-back.
32 bars
FINISH 8 bars
SOURCE
The set is described as danced on the video 'All Set' which is produced by Craobh Productions, a subsidiary of Eclipse Promotions.

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