Dance Party

Set Lists

Dance Instructions

Set 1 Dances

Pavane (couples)

Pease branle (In a circle, alternating lord and lady)

Montarde branle (In a line of 4 or 6 people, alternating lord and lady)

Earl of Essex Measure (couples)

Lebens Distonys (couples in a column)

Official’s branle aka "Toss the Wench" (In a circle, alternating lord and lady)

Sweet Kate (longways set for any number of couples)

Black Nag (set of 3 couples)

Sellinger’s Round (circle)

Virtu-L Dance Party

Many of these dances have regional variations. Videos linked may not exactly match Avacal style for step execution. In some cases I have linked one video for learning the steps, and an alternate that will go on the ball playlist as it has better music and/or a longer run-time.

The dance party will be divided in two halves. After about 10 minutes to check in, we’ll play set one, then take a 10 minute break, then play set 2.

Set Lists

Set 1

1. Pavane

2. Pease bransle

3. Montarde bransle

4. Earl of Essex Measure

5. Lybens distonys

6. Amoroso

Set 2

1. Double bransle

2. Baron’s bransle

3. Official bransle

4. Sweet Kate

5. Black Nag

6. Sellinger’s Round

Youtube Set 1

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_OB-qg4tR2WCccKR0t0QbFZUQqplnez2

Youtube Set 2

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_OB-qg4tR2Xe0CK9aLFX_DKzsSYYeVha

Dance Instructions

Step descriptions and abbreviations

L = left; R = right

S = single step (2 counts); D = double step (4 counts); K = kick

French and ECD singles and doubles end with a closed foot.

English alman singles and doubles end with a lifted foot.

English country dance figures

Doubles: DL forward, DR back. Repeat.

Siding: DL forward, DR back, passing shoulder to shoulder. (Named by side you pass by)

Arming: Take right arms, go around each other in 8 counts. Reverse.

Turn single = turn over your left shoulder in 4 counts, starting with L foot.

Set 1 Dances

Pavane (couples)

SL SR DL forward

SR SL DR forwards

Variation: repeat going backwards

Learn the steps here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B10z9b_PRXw

Music on playlist here (music only, no video)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OvKvbAGcK84

Pease branle (In a circle, alternating lord and lady)

A: DL DR DL DR sideways

B: Men pause and jump in place; women pause and jump place; men step L, 3 small jumps left

Women pause and jump in place; men pause and jump in place; women step L, 3 jumps left

Learn the steps here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-vhurxIKcjM&list=PLtqhz9tPBBbkoYm_aMeaCL0QpzLdpQTto

Music on playlist here (music only, no video)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VAs3YJWI-Fo&list=PLtqhz9tPBBbkoYm_aMeaCL0QpzLdpQTto&index=4

Montarde branle (In a line of 4 or 6 people, alternating lord and lady)

A: Holding hands, 4 or 8 doubles to the left (depends on music)

B: Drop hands, sequentially down the line in turn, turn single L in 4 kicks

Repeat, with person at the head of the line weaving under the arms of the rest to end of line during A.

Learning and playlist both

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXYDL-DRfCs

Earl of Essex Measure (couples)

A: DL forward SR backward, x4

B: SL sideways, SR sideways, DL forward, DR backward

Learning and playlist both

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59yDQKFxMvQ

Lebens Distonys (couples in a column)

A: DL DR forward holding hands, then drop hands.

B1: Man forward ½ time step LRL, turn; at same time Woman backwards step LRL pause

DL together, take L hands and exchange in a DR, face forward (will have exchanged sides)

B2: Repeat B1 except Woman forward Man backward then together & exchange sides

C: Take inside hands, SL forward, SR backward, cast to turn single

Learning and playlist both

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTVitGKmsDQ

Amoroso (couples)

Entrance (8 Pive).

Man does Sequence A (Step Step Piva Step Step Step). Woman repeats.

Man does Sequence B (Piva Piva Piva Step). Woman repeats.

Man does Sequence A, turns, both Reverenza, Man returns with Sequence B. Woman repeats.

Sequence A: Single L, Single R, Piva L, Single R, Single L, Single R

Sequence B: Piva L, Piva R, Piva L, Single R

Single = 1 open step

Piva = up, up, down (tip-toe-flat)

Learn the steps here *

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yScguiy_KSA&t=71s

Video for playlist here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGw6msbA8bo

Set 2 Dances

Double branle

DL DR

Alternate – for the final DR, sub in a single step R then 3 kicks

DL DR

DL SR; kick LRL

Learn plain version here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQCUt7Ed5vI

Music for playlist here (no video, speeds up)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhAhVvusQIA

Baron's branle

= second half only of the double bransle

DL SR; kick LRL

No instruction video

Music for playlist here (no video, speeds up)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EY40PNtHFCk

Official’s branle aka "Toss the Wench" (In a circle, alternating lord and lady)

A: DL DR DL DR sideways

B: 6 SL sideways, then lift/walk the lady to the space to the left in 4 counts. Repeat B.

Learning and playlist both

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZdQwceu1HY

Sweet Kate (longways set for any number of couples)

V1 doubles forward back x2; V2 siding; V3 arming

Chorus: Jump, touch ankles x 2; clap & cross x2; spin & break x2; turn single. Repeat all.

Learning and playlist both

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjziz7iC6kw

Black Nag (set of 3 couples)

Verses: Doubles, siding, arming.

Chorus 1 “Skippitys” Each couple joins hands and does 4 slips up from the set in turn, 1,2,3. All turn single. Reverse & return 3,2,1 and all turn single.

Chorus 2 “Switches” Lord 1 and lady 3 exchange diagonally, holding out their hands to their sides. Then lady 1 and lord 3, and finally lord and lady 2 (leading with L hand). All turn single.

Switch back with lord 1 & lady 3 exchange; lady 1 & lord 3; couple 2. All turn single.

Chorus 3 Lords hey then Ladies hey.

Person one starts the hey by turning out as if you were casting off, and then trace out a figure of eight. The other two follow behind. If done correctly, you should be cutting in between the other two people in your line as you move.

Learn the steps here *

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DqLQZWe5ihA

or here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQC4EaYXJFU

Video for playlist here (3 repetitions)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h32tH8CKLPY