Kathy Anderson

Dance Title	Type	Deviser (or Editor/Publisher), Date, Interpreter	Music Performers	Formation
Labor of Love		Kathy Anderson (date unknown)		Duple Minor

Anonymous

Dance Title	Type	Deviser (or Editor/Publisher), Date, Interpreter	Music Performers	Formation
The Royal Kentish Bowmen		Anonymous (date unknown) A. Simons ~1990		Duple Minor
A Trip to Wessterham		Anonymous 1801 A. Simons ~1990		3 Couple Longways permutation: 231

Bishop

Dance Title	Type	Deviser (or Editor/Publisher), Date, Interpreter	Music Performers	Formation
Maidstone Hall		Bishop 1788 A. Simons 1972		3 Couple Longways permutation: 231

Thomas Bray

Dance Title	Type	Deviser (or Editor/Publisher), Date, Interpreter	Music Performers	Formation
Love and a Bottle - Bray		Thomas Bray 1699 Anonymous 2001		Duple Minor

Thomas Budd

Dance Title	Type	Deviser (or Editor/Publisher), Date, Interpreter	Music Performers	Formation
Ramsgate Assembly		Thomas Budd 1795 A. Simons 1972 Playford Ball	Bare Necessities	3 Couple Longways permutation: 231

W.M. Cahusac

Dance Title	Type	Deviser (or Editor/Publisher), Date, Interpreter	Music Performers	Formation
The Duke of Kent's Waltz ~ Simons		W.M. Cahusac 1801 A. Simons 1970 Playford Ball	Bare Necessities	Duple Minor

Philippe Callens

Dance Title	Type	Deviser (or Editor/Publisher), Date, Interpreter	Music Performers	Formation
Patrick's Waltz		Philippe Callens 1995		3 Couple Longways

William Campbell

Dance Title	Type	Deviser (or Editor/Publisher), Date, Interpreter	Music Performers	Formation
Trip to Hawkhurst		William Campbell ~1789 A. Simons ~1990		3 Couple Longways permutation: 231

J. Francis Carter

Dance Title	Type	Deviser (or Editor/Publisher), Date, Interpreter	Music Performers	Formation
Cornish Waltz		J. Francis Carter ~1993		Duple Minor

Vic Ceder (website)

Dance Title	Type	Deviser (or Editor/Publisher), Date, Interpreter	Music Performers	Formation
One Hundred		Vic Ceder 2019		Duple Minor
Whirl and Chase		Vic Ceder 2019		Becket

Longman, Clememti & Co.

Dance Title	Type	Deviser (or Editor/Publisher), Date, Interpreter	Music Performers	Formation
Walmer Castle		Longman, Clememti & Co. 1801 A. Simons 1970		3 Couple Longways permutation: 231

Johnny Davis

Dance Title	Type	Deviser (or Editor/Publisher), Date, Interpreter	Music Performers	Formation
This Old Riverboat ~ 4 Couple		Johnny Davis ~1966		Square
This Old Riverboat ~ 5 Couple		Johnny Davis ~1966		Circle as many as will

Jean Gorrindo

Dance Title	Type	Deviser (or Editor/Publisher), Date, Interpreter	Music Performers	Formation
Kylie's Homecoming		Jean Gorrindo (date unknown)		Duple Minor

Sharon Green (website)

Dance Title	Type	Deviser (or Editor/Publisher), Date, Interpreter	Music Performers	Formation
The Unknown Buccaneer		Sharon Green 2009		Duple Minor

Scott Higgs (website)

Dance Title	Type	Deviser (or Editor/Publisher), Date, Interpreter	Music Performers	Formation
Atossa's Gift		Scott Higgs 2017		Duple Minor

Loretta Holz

Dance Title	Type	Deviser (or Editor/Publisher), Date, Interpreter	Music Performers	Formation
Gotham Jubilee		Loretta Holz 2006		Duple Minor
My Lady of the Lake		Loretta Holz 2005		Duple Minor

Colin Hume (website)

Dance Title	Type	Deviser (or Editor/Publisher), Date, Interpreter	Music Performers	Formation
The Birthday Waltz		Colin Hume 1996	Colin Hume	Duple Minor
Emma's Waltz		Colin Hume 2009	Susan McNeill, Lawrence Wallin and Robert Winokur	4 Couple Longways permutation: 3142
Felicity		Colin Hume ~2002	Bare Necessities	4 Couple Longways permutation: 2413
Little Venice		Colin Hume 1992	Bare Necessities	3 Couple Longways
Maggie's Waltz Square		Colin Hume 2002	Frank Hoppe, Robert Winokur, and Susan McNeil	Square

Susan Kevra (website)

Dance Title	Type	Deviser (or Editor/Publisher), Date, Interpreter	Music Performers	Formation
A Trip to Provence		Susan Kevra 2015	Dave Bartley, Ruthie Dornfeld and Terry Wergeland	Duple Minor

Orly Krasner

Dance Title	Type	Deviser (or Editor/Publisher), Date, Interpreter	Music Performers	Formation
A Garland for Judy		Orly Krasner 2007 Orly Krasner 2008		4 Couple Longways permutation: 3142

Eric Leber

Dance Title	Type	Deviser (or Editor/Publisher), Date, Interpreter	Music Performers	Formation
The Gypsy Round		Eric Leber 1979	Bare Necessities	Duple Minor

Bob Lilley

Dance Title	Type	Deviser (or Editor/Publisher), Date, Interpreter	Music Performers	Formation
Florence's Frolic		Bob Lilley 1988		Square

Longman

Dance Title	Type	Deviser (or Editor/Publisher), Date, Interpreter	Music Performers	Formation
Margate Pier		Longman 1801 A. Simons ~1990		3 Couple Longways permutation: 231

Joseph Pimentel (website)

Dance Title	Type	Deviser (or Editor/Publisher), Date, Interpreter	Music Performers	Formation
Dance of a Lifetime		Joseph Pimentel 2012	Goldcrest	Circle as many as will

John Playford (website)

Dance Title	Type	Deviser (or Editor/Publisher), Date, Interpreter	Music Performers	Formation
Catching of Quailes		John Playford 1670 Cecil Sharp 1912		Square
Catching of Quails		John Playford 1670 Cecil Sharp 1912		Square

Robin Rodgers-Brown

Dance Title	Type	Deviser (or Editor/Publisher), Date, Interpreter	Music Performers	Formation
The Log Cabin		Robin Rodgers-Brown 1988		Duple Minor

Gary Roodman (website)

Dance Title	Type	Deviser (or Editor/Publisher), Date, Interpreter	Music Performers	Formation
Anna Turns Five		Gary Roodman 2012	Cilantrio (Karen Axelrod, Peter Barnes, and Mary Lea)	5 Couple Circle
A Double Duet		Gary Roodman 1999	MGM and Reunion	Duple Minor
Honeysuckle Cottage		Gary Roodman 2003	Jessica Murrow, Karen Axelrod, Mary Lea, and Naomi Morse	Duple Minor
Honeysuckle Cottage ~ Mod		Gary Roodman 2003	Jessica Murrow, Karen Axelrod, Mary Lea, and Naomi Morse	Duple Minor

Dan Seppeler (website)

Dance Title	Type	Deviser (or Editor/Publisher), Date, Interpreter	Music Performers	Formation
Lambs on Green Hill		Dan Seppeler 2011	Bonnie Insull, Susan McNeil, and Robert Winokur	Duple Minor

Jenna Simpson

Dance Title	Type	Deviser (or Editor/Publisher), Date, Interpreter	Music Performers	Formation
Sweet Cream		Jenna Simpson 2011		Duple Minor
Whirled Peas		Jenna Simpson 2018	Bare Necessities	Duple Minor

Victor Skowronski (website)

Dance Title	Type	Deviser (or Editor/Publisher), Date, Interpreter	Music Performers	Formation
Anna		Victor Skowronski 2009		Duple Minor
The Civil Engineer		Victor Skowronski 2002		Duple Minor
Ruins of Athens		Victor Skowronski 2013		Duple Minor
Susan's Waltz		Victor Skowronski 2014		Duple Minor
Would You		Victor Skowronski 2010		3 Couple Longways

Jeff Spiro

Dance Title	Type	Deviser (or Editor/Publisher), Date, Interpreter	Music Performers	Formation
Rattlesnake Rag		Jeff Spiro (date unknown)		Duple Minor

Thompson

Dance Title	Type	Deviser (or Editor/Publisher), Date, Interpreter	Music Performers	Formation
Trip to Castle Howard ~ Cook		Thompson 1775 Tom Cook 1980	Colin Hume	3 Couple Longways permutation: 312
Tunbridge Races		Thompson 1797 A. Simons ~1990		3 Couple Longways permutation: 231

Gwyn Williams

Dance Title	Type	Deviser (or Editor/Publisher), Date, Interpreter	Music Performers	Formation
Farewell Marian		Gwyn Williams 1967	Bare Necessities	Circle as many as will

Number of dances	Number of versions	Number with music
49	49	18

Warning: The figures for each dance is generated programmatically by regular expression matching and may be in error. Also, for old dances, they reflect the figures used by the interpreter which may not match those of the deviser.

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Box The Gnat

An online definition may be found here.

Bars: 2.

This figure involves a facing couple, they join right hands and raise them, then they trade places. The woman turning left 180° as she passes under the raised hands, the man turning right 180° as he walks around her. The right hands remain joined afterward.

History

Box the Gnat is a figure in Cecil Sharp's Running Set from 1918. However that box the gnat has very little to do with the modern figure.

First man turns his partner half-way round with the right hand and once round with the left.

Lloyd Shaw does not mention it in his Cowboy Dances from 1939.

In Sept 1949, Sets in Order published a list of standardized calls agreed at a recent callers' meeting. It describes box the gnat as:

BOX THE GNAT—Opposite right, opposite left, opposite right and pass her behind him to his left side. Partner left, Partner right, Partner left and pass her behind him to his right side. It is suggested that other words be used for Partner to avoid confusion, e.g., Box the Apple, Box the Pear.

In March of 1951 Sets in Order published how box the gnat was danced in California, and in Texas. In the California version there is both a dance called "box the gnat" and a figure inside the dance, also called "box the gnat", but the figure inside the dance looks like the modern figure:

Now you box the gnat

Give right to corner and exchange places, walking past each other, the lady turning with a left-face turn under the man's right arm.

Box the flea

Pertains to the left hand with the same person, girl walking forward does a right-face turn, back to original position.

Note that this figure is very different from the standardized figure published a year and a half before.

In June of 1951 there's another dance where a left handed box the gnat is still called box the gnat (nothing about a flea).

In Northern Junket, June, 1970, page 29, there is a reference to "box the gnat". I presume that means it had reached the East Coast by 1970.

Recently I have seen the term "Twirl to Swap" used to mean a non-gendered version of "Box the Gnat".

See Also

• Swat the Flea

This website is copyright © 2021-2026 by George W. Williams V
My work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Most of the dances have more restrictive licensing, see my notes on copyright, the individual dance pages should mention when some rights are waived.