Dance Resources

“Big Set” Dance Instructions

8-12 couples, tops (“Couple 1,” counterclockwise progression) and bottoms (“Couple 2,” clockwise progression)

Role terms: gent/lady::lead/follow::lark/robin::Left/Right

Practice recording begins with 8 countoff beats, then 4 beats of string vamp leading into the dance.

(Practice recording timestamp) | Movement | (Counts/duration)

PART A (4×16)

  1. (0:09) | ALL circle left. | (8 counts)
  2. (0:13) | ALL walk in. | (4)
  3. ALL walk out. | (4)
  4. (0:18) | Take promenade hold, L on the left, R on the right, facing counterclockwise along the Big Set.
  5. Promenade hold: left hand in left hand, right in right, right hands around chest height above left hands.
  6. ALL promenade right, R dancers outside. | (16 counts)
  7. (0:26) | R dancers move to the inside without breaking hold. ALL continue to promenade. | (8)
  8. (0:31) | L dancers cast off turning over right shoulder, walk clockwise outside R dancers who continue walking counterclockwise. | (16)
  9. (0:40) | Meet partner, swing. | (8)

PART B (4×16)

  1. (0:44) | Open up to Big Set circle, ALL facing in (4). Take hands four in a ring: COUPLE 1 folds in from the left to face out of the Big Set, COUPLE 2 faces in (4). | (8
  2. (0:48) | Turn ring of four left all the way around. | (8)
  3. (0:52) | COUPLE 2 raises arms, COUPLE 1 goes under. Without breaking hands, COUPLE 1 turns to face in (turn away from partner — L turns over left shoulder, R turns over right shoulder). COUPLE 2 is now facing out of the Big Set, COUPLE 1 is facing in. Arms form a clover/knot in the center. | (8)
  4. (0:56) | Turn knot of four all the way around to the right. | (8)
  5. (1:01) | COUPLE 1 raises arms, COUPLE 2 goes under to undo the knot. Ends in a ring with COUPLE 1 facing out of the Big Set, COUPLE 2 facing in. | (8)
  6. (1:06) | Drop hands with partner, swing neighbor. | (8)
  7. (1:10) | L dancers anchor, R dancers pass right shoulders to meet partner (4). Swing (8), then open to Big Set, ALL facing in (4). | (16)

Couples have progressed one place.

(1:19) Repeat.

If repeating Part B only, modify first figure as ALL are already facing into the Big Set:

COUPLE 1 folds in to create ring of four (4), four in a ring step in and step out (4). | (8)