Mr Schrödinger's Maggot

I wrote this for the 2014 Cambridge Science Festival, in response to a challenge by Ed Emery to write a science-themed ceilidh dance with this name. It's a terrible ceilidh dance because it is far too hard (including the leading couple remembering which side to finish the swing on), but we have managed it at the Reel Club.

MR SCHROEDINGER'S MAGGOT (R or J 5x32) 5C set

1-8 Quantum Tunnelling 2s+3s+4s+5s make two-handed arches across the set (making the arches as wide as possible - it's easier for the 1s to duck than get thinner!), 1s take both hands with partner and tunnel down eight (seven? six?) slip steps (it'll be a squeeze, and the supporting couples may need to let go to avoid decapitating the 1s. But tunnelling is meant to be hard!) and back and cast onto the end of a line across the set with the 2s, facing down.

9-16 Young's Double Slits Line of 4 make arches, at least at the ends of the line. 3s, 4s & 5s dance up, each couple simultaneously passing though both (all three?) slits and cast down, 3s to the bottom, then the 4s, then the 5s. 1s end in 2nd place. End 21543.

17-24 Heisenberg's Uncertainty (of which side you end up on) Principle 3s at the bottom cross with partner into four SLOW (2 bars or four walking steps per hand, which ceilidh dancers may struggle with) changes of a snowball chain*. 2s stand their ground and do not join in. End 2(3)1(4)5.

25-32 Schrödinger's Circle 2s+3s+4s+5s circle 8H round and back, while the 1s dance a superposition of being trapped in the middle (and swinging) and escaping to the bottom. End in order 2(3)(4)51 (i.e. whichever side the leading couple were on at the end of the chain, they need to remember to end the swing on that side of the set).

Repeat, observing the 1s having got to 5th place.

After five repetitions, everyone should end up exactly where they started°.

*

2L 1L 5L 4L 3L\ Start

2M 1M 5M 4M 3M/

2L 1L 5L 4L--3M After 1st change

2M 1M 5M 4M--3L

2L 1L 5L--3M 4L\ After 2nd change

2M 1M 5M--3L 4M/

2L 1L--3M 5L--4M After 3rd change

2M 1M--3L 5M--4L

2L 3M 1L 4M 5L After 4th change

2M 3L 1M 4L 5M

°

2 (3)(4) 5 1

(3) 4 (5) 1 2

4 5 (1) 2 (3)

5 1 (2)(3) 4

1 2 3 4 5

June 2018 postscript: The 3s get swapped over in the first time through and stay swapped until the last time, whereas everyone else gets swapped over in one time and swapped back the next. So maybe the 3s should start on opposite sides? Their 'one time swapped' is between the last and first times! Then the progression would look like

1 2 (3) 4 5 start

2 3 (4) 5 1

3 4 (5) 1 2

4 5 (1) 2 3

5 1 (2) 3 4

1 2 (3) 4 5

which is much more regular-looking (though the only difference is the side the 3s are on). It makes it easier (are we in middle place? Then we should be on opposite sides, else not), but I'm not sure I like it…