The Rose Tree

Tradition: Border

Set: 4 dancers (facing across)

Props: Short sticks

Stepping: Single

Figures:

(See below for explanation of figures.)

• Rounds

• Side Steps

• Back-to-Back

• Allemande

• Promenade

Chorus:

• 1C BF, 2C BF / 1C BF, 2C BF / Across BF, Up-Down BF / Across BF, Up-Down BF

• REPEAT ENTIRE SEQUENCE

All sticking is done rapidly, with double clashes (Backhand then Forehand).

Here is how the pairs of Backhand-Forehand (BF) clashes works:

• 1st Corners (1 and 3) clash (BF)

• 2nd Corners (2 and 4) clash (BF)

• 1st Corners (1 and 3) clash (BF)

• 2nd Corners (2 and 4) clash (BF)

• Dancers Across from each other (1 and 2, 3 and 4) clash (BF)

• Dancers facing Up/Down from each other (1 and 3, 2 and 4) clash (BF)

• Dancers Across from each other (1 and 2, 3 and 4) clash (BF)

• Dancers facing Up/Down from each other (1 and 3, 2 and 4) clash (BF)

Notes:

• FINISH: Raise sticks straight into the air.

Figure Explanations:

• Rounds:

  • From Set: Dance clockwise, expanding into a big circle and collapsing to set.

  • Or from crowd: Dancers step spirally to where the dance will occur, forming a clockwise circle and collapsing to set.

• Side Steps:

  • 4 sidesteps to the Right, 4 steps Forward, Turn Left, 4 steps (new) Forward, Turn Left, 4 steps (new) Forward to Home, passing R shoulders, turn to re-form set.

  • 4 sidesteps to the Left, 4 steps Forward, Turn Right, 4 steps (new) Forward, Turn Right, 4 steps (new) Forward to Home, passing L shoulders, turn to re-form set.

• Back-to-Back:

  • All 4 steps forward, passing R shoulders.

  • 1st corners (1 and 4) step backward, passing R shoulders, to each other’s positions.

  • 2nd corners (2 and 3) step backward, passing R shoulders, to each other’s positions.

  • All 4 steps forward, passing R shoulders.

  • All 4 steps back, passing L shoulders.

  • 1st corners (1 and 4) step forward, passing L shoulders, to each other’s positions.

  • 2nd corners (2 and 3) step forward, passing L shoulders, to each other’s positions.

  • All 4 steps back, passing L shoulders to Home.

• Allemande:

  • 1 dances to 4, does a L arm turn, and dances counter clockwise around the outside of the set to Home.

  • 2 does the same thing with 3.

  • 4 does the same thing with 1.

  • 3 does the same thing with 2.

  • REPEAT (except at the end, 2 comes to meet 3, who goes Home directly because of lack of music)

• Promenade:

  • 1 and 4 cast out and begin and 8 step loop to come in at the other dancers’ positions (1 comes in a 2’s position; 4 comes in at 3’s position). (NOTE: Dancers doing the loop have 4 beats to get to the midpoint of the loop and 4 beats to get to the re-entry window. All exits are made through the windows of the #1 dancer or the #4 dancer.)

  • MEANWHILE, 2 and 3 do a R arm turn 1 3/4 to exit at the other dancers positions (3 exits at 1’s position, 2 exits at 4’s position).

  • REPEAT (SMOOTHLY AND WITHOUT STOPPING) 3 TIMES SO EACH DANCER DOES A COMPLETE FIGURE 8 PATTERN TO HOME.