Family Dance

Hi everyone,

A group of homeschoolers do folkdancing during term 3 each year, this year Mum decided we would do it as well. It ran for the first 8 weeks of the term.

I did Scottish Country Dancing, which they had for 13+ year olds. Each week we worked on perfecting steps (slip-step, skip-change), timing, as well as learning a few dances. One of the main ones was The Kingston Flyer.
Last week Saturday we had the 'Family Dance' when each group presents a few of the dances they learned during the term.

We arrived at 2:45pm, and got organised (mostly trying to remember how our dances went!) Then at 3pm, the dances started. The youngest group - up to 5/6yrs present their two - one being We're going on a bear hunt, next the 5 - 7 year old group, then the 8+ folkdance group. Then it was us!
We marched on in couples, and got into sets of 4 couples for Sandy Butterly, next into 3 couple sets for The homeschool reel, written (or whatever) especially for us!
Lastly we went back to 4 couple sets, and danced The Kingston Flyer through twice, then most peaple chose another partner from the audience, and danced it through 4 times (which fits the music).

After this everyone had to get up for Are you sleeping, Yes, i know it's boring! which we had to do in three circles, inside, middle, outside, as a round. You had to sing as well. So two circles would be singing Are you sleeping, while the last circle was singing Brother John.

Afternoon tea was next, and we were allowed to go and get it in our age groups - youngest first.
To aid the food in being digested, we spun in a circle - crossing arms and joining hands, then leaning back and spinning until you got dizzy (or the other person did!!)

For the last couple of hours a square dance instructer guided us in some more dancing - He would say circle left, circle left, circle left, circle right, circle right, circle left, right, left, left, right, right turn with partner, alamanzo (or something to that effect) left with corner (holding each others elbow, lower arms together), right pull by, left pull by and so on, which was basically walking around the circle. etc, etc.
It also included the boys joining hands high (star) and turning that 'star' in a circle; head ladies swapping back and forth; advance, and step back two steps; walking single file in a circle 'indian style' after a bit 'ladies' would cast away and walk in the opposite direction. I can't think of everything, but hopefully you get the basic idea from this muddle!

We also had a big circle (everyone) at the end and were doing heel, toe, heel, toe, side close side, and somewhere clapping with right hands, left hands, both hands, knees, and then turning in a circle and moving on to next partner.

Anyway, it is 12:07 am, and I should go get the Double Choc Chip Muffins out of the oven, and then go to bed.

CYA,
Bee