Bird in the Cage
Author: Traditional AmericanFormation: Square
Difficulty: 1
Style: American
| Figure: | |
| First couple lead out to the right and circle four (with the twos). | |
| Bird in the cage and shut the door (the other three circle left around the first lady). | |
| The bird fly out and the crow hop in (the other three circle left around the first man). | |
| Those two couples swing partner. | |
| Now the ones move on to the threes and repeat the figure. Then ones with fours, and everybody swing. | |
| Break: | |
| See below. | |
| Each couple in turn leads the figure. | |
The dance isn't phrased to the music - watch the dancers and call to them. Encourage the "bird" and "crow" to play-act rather than just stand there!
You need a break involving all four couples. This could simply be: Circle left. Circle right. Swing partner. Promenade. For more experienced dancers you might also try: Allemande left corner. Right to partner: Grand chain (Grand right and left). Swing partner. Promenade. You can vary the break, and you don't need to teach it in advance - just stick with figures they already know: do-si-do, swing, circle, etc.
A version of this appears in "Old Square Dances of America" by Neva L. Boyd & Tressie M. Dunlavy, Chicago, 1925, so it's been around a long time.
It's used in Kentucky Running Set
Music: Unphrased (not too tuneful) American reels.
Thumbnail: Circles, swing.