Treat 'Em All Right ~ The Running Set

The Kentucky Running Set is the name Sharp gave to a style of dancing he found in the Southern Appalachians when he visited in 1917. The locals called the dances square dances even though they were often danced in large circles. Sharp, however, describes squares, and this is an attempt to follow his description.

I have, however, changed the calls into modern terms because I find the old terms confusing. "Swing corners" seems to mean "allemande left" rather than what "swing" means to me.

This style of dance begins with a common introduction:

• Circle left
• Partner allemande right
• Corner allemande left
• Promenade home
• Heads circle four
• and do-si
• Left hand turn and promenade home
• Sides circle four
• and do-si
• Left hand turn and promenade home

Then starts the first figure: the first couple moves right to the 2nd couple and does some figure with them. Then they move on to the next couple (3s) and do the same figure. Then on to the last couple and do the same figure. Then they do a do-si with that couple and promenade home.

At this point they would do the introduction again, and the 1st couple would start with a new figure, and so forth.

For this figure, Sharp writes:

The first man turns his partner once round with the left hand, and then turns the second woman in like manner.

The first man turns his partner with the left hand, and then turns the third woman in like manner.

The first man turns his partner with the left hand, and then turns the fourth woman in like manner.

The first man turns his partner with the left hand, then fourth woman with the left hand, third woman with the right hand, second woman with the left hand, and finally, partner with the right hand.

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