William Poole had just about had it. But his well-being and family fortune depended almost entirely on his decorum. It was more than a man of his stature should have to bear.
William Poole looked out of the window and sighed. His dun pony stood beside his brother’s blue dappled stallion in the courtyard below. He turned from the window and looked back across the long hall, the rows of dancers turning in place. The long line parted and then came back together again.
God, how he hated these functions.
A Carriage Works is a short story from the collection Tales from the Red Book of Tunes.
Print the sheet music.
Listen to the tune.
A Carriage Works
dance written by Elizabeth Bloom Albert
Sicilian circle
key:
1s = Couples who are facing CW around circle
2s = Couples who are facing CCW around circle
A1
{with same Neighbors}:
(8) R/L thru with an extra turn on the courtesy turn (see note)
(8) Circle RIGHT 1x
2s: Let go Partner; all: Open to line of 4, facing CW, with 1’s in center
A2
Lines of 4:
(8) Travel 6 steps in CW line of direction; Turn alone (see note)
(8) Travel 6 steps CCW; Fold line into a ring of 4
B1
(4) Balance the ring, (4) Spin one place to the Right (as in Petronella)
(4) Balance the ring, (4) Spin one place to the Right (as in Petronella)
B2
(4) Balance / (12) Swing Partner
{End swing facing original direction}
Notes about the dance:
A1: The courtesy turn at the top of A1 is the point of progression. A normal courtesy turn would have couples face back to those they just R/L thru’d. Here, dancers continue their personal trajectory until they are facing their NEXT neighbors. ALSO: All will be facing their original line of direction.
A2: The A2 resembles what would be called as a “Down the Hall” in a standard contra dance. It was the first image that came to mind when I read the tune/dance title at the contest website—seen from above the lines of 4 would be the spokes of one of the carriage wheels.