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English Gay Gordons

Also known as  La Chapelloise, Progressive Gay Gordons, All American Promenade, T'Smidje, etc.
Formation: Big circle, Couple behind couple all facing anticlockwise, men on the inside.
Difficulty:  1
Style:  English

A: Ballroom direction, inside hand, 4 steps forwards; turn in and change hands, 4 steps backwards.  Four forwards, turn, 4 steps backwards.
B: Balance together, apart; pass the lady across.  Balance together, apart; make arch, lady turns under, man steps forward and left to receive new lady.

Colin says   I get down and dance this with the crowd.  When I say "4 steps backwards", most of them go forwards and there is general chaos.  Then I say loudly "backwards"!  This always gets a laugh.

I like to do it with marches first, starting with "Scotland the Brave" but not running it for too long.  Then I say "You're doing this really well - how about a few more turns without me calling it?" and we repeat it to Scottish jigs.  In the link you'll see the French version - much faster and interminable!

Make sure you tell the men to move in and to the left in the progression, ready to give right hand to their new partner.

I have also danced almost this version in Denmark, but slower.  There are many stories about the dance's origin.  See the Wikipedia link.

Music:  I've put together three Scottish marches in reel time and one in jig time
Thumbnail:  Forward, pivot, backwards; repeat other way.  Balance, twirl, balance, under the arch.