New Dances

Two of the dances on the 2019 Aurora ball programme were new, unpublished, dances. The full instructions are given here, for your convenience.

The Seal and the Beaver (J4x32) 4C set  (3rd & 4th couples on opposite side)       K Ferguson-Jones

Written for Louise and Joshua Msika, on the occasion of their wedding, August 2018

1-8 1st couple dance down the middle and back 
9-10 1st and 4th couples cast off/up, as 2nd and 3rd couple step up/down.
11-14 1st and 4th couples dance Right Hands Across in the centre (once plus a tiny fraction extra) to end with ladies facing out the sidelines, men facing out the top/bottom of the set.
15-16 1st and 4th couples cast one place to their left, 1M casting left shoulder round 2M, 1L round 2L, 4M round 3M, and 4L round 3L, to end facing in:
17-22 1st and 4th couples dance 6 bars of Hello-Goodbye setting, to:
23-24 4L and 2L, 1L and 3L turn right hands to sidelines while men dance two further bars of Hello-Goodbye setting. End on side lines in the order 2 4 (1) (3)
 25-32  All 4 couples circle 8 hands round and back.

Wining and Dining (J5x32) 5C set        K Ferguson-Jones

A 5*32 jig, to celebrate the occasion of Sara Andrews’ 50th birthday. Bars 13-20 are very slightly borrowed from the Aurora classic, the Elephant’s Stampede.

1-8 1st and 3rd couples (dancing couples) long cast to 2nd and 4th places, 2nd and 4th couples stepping up on bars 3 and 4. Dancing couples spin to finish facing first corners.

9-12 Dancing couples set to their own corners (corners set back), and turn two hands, opening out so that the dancing ladies and their corners face down the set, and the dancing men and their corners face up the set.

2M – 1L 2L
4M – 3L 1M – 4L
5M 3M – 5L
Positions at bar 12

13-16 Dancing couples, with corners, advance and retire on the diagonal.

17-24 Dancing couples pass right shoulder with their own corners to dance reels across the set, reels of 3 at the top and bottom and a reel of 4 in the centre.

25-32 Dancing couples turn left hand ¾, cast off one place on their own sides, and spin to finish. 24153.