Up the Middle and down the Sides
Author: Collected by Cyril PapworthFormation: Set dance, 4 couples, longways
Difficulty: 2
Style: English
| A1: | First couple take both hands and dance 4 sideways steps down the middle and 4 side steps back, all that again, face up on the last bar holding inside hands. |
| B1: | First couple wheel around, make an arch and dance round the set - man inside - with the arch over the heads of the men first, wheel around and arch over the heads of the women; so back to places. |
| A2: | All take both hands with partners, first couple weave to the bottom of the set, first man pushing and then pulling while the other 3 couples move back and forward, keeping together in line, the men pulling and pushing (i.e. half-poussettes). |
| B2: | The 2 couples at the top take ballroom hold and round each other once while the 2 bottom couples do the same. |
From Cyril Papworth's booklet "Polka Round" which is available online 
B1 and B2 are danced with the Cambridgeshire polka step, which is a 1-2-3-hop with the knee raised on the hop. A2 is done to a walk step.
B1 and B2 are danced with the Cambridgeshire polka step, which is a 1-2-3-hop with the knee raised on the hop. A2 is done to a walk step.
Music: The suggested tune is "Shave the Donkey", which has many variants.
See one of them here
Thumbnail: Gallop, arch, poussette, dance round.