Wind up the Ball of Yarn ~ The Running Set

My animation software does not have the capability to show a bend at the elbow, and in this dance, incorrectly shows peoples' right arms stretched out behind them when they should be wrapped around the dancers' necks with the forearms resting on the left shoulders. My apologies.

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.

Sharp mentions that these dances are always called: Normally, the caller recites certain prescribed verbal phrases, a mixture of prose and doggerel rhyme that, in the course of time, has become stereotyped. Sharp provides an appendix with the calls used at one of the dances he saw. Sadly the calls he gives for the introduction don't appear to match the figure he describes.

This style of dance begins with a common introduction:

• Circle left
• Partner two hand turn
• Corner two hand turn
• 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

Each time a new figure is called, it begins with a "Grand Promenade." Sharp defines this as: partner two hand turn, corner two hand turn, promenade with partner half round, reverse direction (turn inward, without releasing hands), promenade back, partner two hand turn, corner two hand turn, partner promenade all the way around.

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.

Most of the time the "Little Promenade" comes between repetions of the figure.

Then the 2nd couple repeats the whole thing, starting with the 3rd couple.

Another "Little Promenade"

Then the 3rd couple.

Another "Little Promenade"

Then the last couple.

In this particular figure, a special sequence is done to "unwind" everyone. (there is no promenade (little or grand) between the 4th winding, and the unwinding).

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

Sharp writes that the "Little Promenade" consists of:

Men turn their partners half-way round (four steps), turn their contraries half-way round (four steps), rejoin their partners, cross hands, and move once round the circle, with them, counter-clockwise to places, men on the inside (i.e. on the left of their partners).

For this figure, Sharp writes:

All join hands except first man and fourth woman. Fourth man and fourth woman make an arch.

First man, followed by his partner, second and third couples, passes under the arch, turns to his right and moves around in a circle clockwise. As the third woman passes under the arch, the fourth man turns on his axis three-quarters round, clockwise, and places his right hand over his left shoulder. The fourth man is now said to be "locked."

Fourth man and third woman now make an arch under which the first man passes, followed by his partner, second couple, and third man, turning to his right as before. This locks the third woman.

This circular movement is repeated until the first woman is locked.

Fourth woman places her right hand over her left shoulder; while first man makes a whole turn clockwise; places his right hand over his left shoulder and clasps the fourth woman's right hand with his left.

All dance round, clockwise, to places

The path which the first man traces after passing under each arch should be as nearly as possible a circle.

The dancers, as they are locked, should move in toward the centre, so that when the first man links up with the fourth woman the eight dancers may be in a circle.

Then to unwind:

Unwind the Ball of Yarn

At the conclusion of the last repetition of the receding Figure (led by the fourth man), the dancers may, if they please, unwind themselves, as follows:—

Fourth man, releasing his left hand, raises his right arm, unwinds himself by making a whole turn clockwise, then passes under an arch made by the fourth woman and first man, turns to his right, and moves round in a circle clockwise, as in the preceding movemnt, unlocking the fourth woman.

Fourth man, followed by his partner passes under an arch made by the first man and first woman, turns to his right as before, unlocking the first man.

These movements are repeated until all dancers are unlocked.

Hands eight to places

Hugh Stewart says the dancers should circle eight before man1 and lady4 drop hands and start winding.

I'm not sure why Cecil Sharp only has an unwind after the last iteration. Perhaps it is simply a matter of time? Winding and unwind take a while, and it's quicker just to break hands and go on to the next. Still it feels incomplete to me.

I spent hours trying to force Sharp's description of the unwinding process to make sense. Finally I read Hugh Stewart's gloss which begins with lead man "cast left" rather than "a whole turn clockwise". Casting left makes much more sense and the whole thing then falls into place.

In Kentucky Square Dances,, 1928, Ida Levin's description of the unwinding process is quite different. The first man is at the end of the line of dancers and pushes the others through ahead of him, he also casts left to start.

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