Dances I Have Written
I have published two books of dances which I have written. In due course they will be available for sale directly from this website. Currently they are available at $8 each from the Country Dance and Song Society (CDSS) Store. They are:
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28 new English dances of diverse formations, including 7 mixers by Michael Barraclough | 21 new Contras, 1 Triplet, 1 Circle Mixer, and 2 Mescolanzes by Michael Barraclough |
Alltogether, I have written over 100 dances and these are listed below.
I have also 'reconstructed' many dances first published hundreds of years ago. These are listed at the bottom of this article.
Dance | Year | Formation | Contra | Ceilidh | USA ECD | UK Club | ONS | Family | Published |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2 MANY LIES | 2012 | improper | x | ||||||
35 4 THE ROSENS | 2006 | becket | x | RR | |||||
4 MORE YEARS | 2012 | becket | x | ||||||
5 LEAF CLOVER | 2012 | circle mixer | x | x | x | ||||
ABBEY, THE | 2004 | double sicillian | x | x | x | RR | |||
ADDINGTON TUNNEL DANCE | 1980 | L4-6 | x | CB | |||||
ALL THE EIGHTS | 2008 | becket | x | RR | |||||
AMATEURS AND ACTORS | 2012 | L3 | x | x | |||||
ANNANDALE EXCHANGE | 2012 | C3 | x | x | x | ||||
BARBARA WOODHOUSE REEL | 1980 | L3 | x | x | CB | ||||
BEBBINGTON BELLE | 1984 | L4 improper | x | x | x | CB | |||
BESIDE THE RIVERSIDE | 2016 | whole set becket | x | x | x | ||||
BLUE KNICKERS | 2000 | circle mixer | x | x | CB | ||||
BOB | 2008 | improper | x | RR | |||||
BOB'S BIRTHDAY | 2009 | circle mixer | x | x | x | x | RR | ||
BRIDGEGATE | 2015 | improper | x | x | |||||
CALIFORNIA TWIRLITZER, THE | 2009 | impropr | x | RR | |||||
CATIE GETS AROUND | 2011 | becket | x | x | |||||
CATIE'S IN THE CLOVER | 2011 | becket | x | x | |||||
CATIE'S LINE DANCE | 2011 | becket | x | x | |||||
CATIE'S QUARTET | 2011 | two couple (becket) | x | x | |||||
CHAIN GANG | ? | sicilian becket | x | x | |||||
CHARLIE PILZER, or CHARLIE'S IN THE MIX | 2012 | sicillian circle (3s) | x | ||||||
CONTRA SONIC | 2011 | becket | x | ||||||
COUNTRY BUMPKIN, THE | 1990 | L4-6 | x | x | x | x | |||
DES PLAINES REEL | c2001 | improper | x | RR | |||||
DICK SQUIRE'S JIG | 1982 | proper | x | x | CB | ||||
DIRECTOR, THE | 2010 | improper | x | x | |||||
EZPZ | 2010 | improper | x | x | |||||
EZPZ2 | 2010 | improper | x | x | |||||
FADED HOPES | 2009 | improper | x | x | |||||
FARNWORTH FLING | 1998 | siciliian circle | x | CB | |||||
FLIGHT TO FREEDOM | 2011 | scatter sicillian | x | ||||||
FOR HE'S A JOLLY GOOD FELLOW | 2016 | improper | x | x | |||||
GATE TO THE GRAVEYARD IS ONE WAY ONLY, THE | 2005 | improper | x | RR | |||||
GREEN STOCKINGS | c1973 | circle mixer | x | x | x | x | CB | ||
GYPSY AROUND | 2003 | improper | x | RR | |||||
HAYSTACK ROUNDABOUT | c1970 | triple circle mixer | x | CB | |||||
HEDGEHOG HELPER | 2013 | improper | x | x | |||||
HUGGERS WALTZ | c1970 | couple | x | ||||||
HUNTERS HOEDOWN | c2010 | longways whole set | x | x | |||||
HYPER-INFLATION REEL | c1970 | improper | x | ||||||
INSTITUTE, THE | 1983 | sicillian becket mixer | x | x | x | CB | |||
INSTITUTU | 2012 | sicillian circle improper mixer | x | x | x | ||||
JIM'S SQUARE | 2013 | square (3s) | x | x | x | ||||
JULIAN'S JOLLY | 1970s | longways whole set | x | ||||||
JUMP FOR JOY | c1975 | sicillian circle | x | x | CB | ||||
JUNE APPLE | 2013 | improper | x | x | |||||
KENT SHORT DANCE | 1980 | L5-6 | x | x | x | x | CB | ||
KEYMER CLOMP | 1979 | L4 | x | CB | |||||
KNITTING DANCE, THE | c1975 | L5 | x | x | x | CB | |||
LEESBURG ASSEMBLY TOO | 2012 | improper | x | x | |||||
LESSON, THE | 2009 | omproper | x | x | |||||
LIFE IS A BOWL OF PERRIES | 2014 | becket | x | ||||||
LOOP THE LOOP | 2013 | improper | x | x | |||||
LOSING WEIGHT | 2010 | improper | x | x | RR | ||||
LOVE SHACK, THE | 2012 | becket | x | ||||||
MICHAEL LEFT HIS BRAIN IN BED | 2003 | improper | x | x | RR | ||||
MICHAEL'S TRIPLET #1 | 2005 | L3 | x | x | RR | ||||
MOLL IN THE WAD | 1970s | proper | x | x | x | ||||
MORTAL WOMBAT | 2009 | improper | x | RR | |||||
NIGHTDRESS, THE | 1998 | L4 | x | CB | |||||
NOT ANOTHER BALANCE | 2012 | becket | x | ||||||
NOT GODFREY'S GALOP | c1990 | sicillian circle | x | x | x | x | CB | ||
OLD BRUN'S BARN DANCE | 1981 | circle mixer | x | CB | |||||
OVER THE TOP SQUARE | c1982 | square +1 | x | CB | |||||
PAULA'S PIT STOP | 2005 | becket | x | x | RR | ||||
PEEPING TOM THE NEW WAY | c1970 | L6 | x | x | x | CB | |||
PETAL, THE | 1983 | sicillian circle | x | x | x | CB | |||
PETRONELLA SWING #2 | 2013 | becket | x | ||||||
PLAZA REEL | c1970 | mescolanzes | x | x | CB | ||||
PORTSMOUTH REVIEW | 1980s | L5 | x | x | x | ||||
POTLUCK #2 | c2005 | improper | x | x | |||||
PYEWACKETT GALOP | c1980 | sicillian circle | x | x | x | CB | |||
RED ADMIRAL | 1975 | sicillian circle | x | x | x | CB | |||
RED AND GREEN CHILLY | 2014 | improper | x | x | |||||
RHONDA'S ON THE RAZZLE | 2004 | improper | x | RR | |||||
RHONDA'S RESOLUTION | 2004 | imporoper | x | x | x | CB, RR | |||
RHONDA'S RETURNING | 2007 | becket | x | RR | |||||
RHONDA'S RICHES | 2008 | improper | x | RR | |||||
RHONDA'S ROMANCE | 2000 | improper | x | x | RR | ||||
RICHARD'S WET NOODLE | 2016 | becket | x | x | |||||
ROW WELL YE MARINERS | 1970s | circle improper | x | x | x | x | |||
RUGGETS ROUNDABOUT | 1977 | triple circle | x | ||||||
SELSDON PARK | 1981 | square | x | x | x | CB | |||
SHEILA'S ON THE FIDDLE | 1996 | sicillian circle | x | x | CB | ||||
SMOOTH RIDE | 2008 | improper | x | ||||||
STOLEN FROM ERIK | 2005 | improper | x | RR | |||||
STUDIO PLUS | 2003 | improper | x | RR | |||||
SUMMER OF 96.5 | c2005 | becket | x | ||||||
SUMMER STORM | 2006 | improper | x | ||||||
SWINGING FOR IT | 2013 | L4 + 1 | x | x | |||||
SYLVIA'S SAUNTER | c1980 | circle mixer improper | x | x | CB | ||||
TRIP TO FLORENCE | 2010 | proper | x | x | |||||
TRIP TO SANTA BARBARA | 2015 | improper | x | x | |||||
URSA MAJOR | 2011 | proper | x | x | |||||
WAITING FOR THE VISA | 2007 | improper | x | x | RR | ||||
WE DON'T HAVE NO SNOW SHOES HERE | 2014 | improper | x | x | |||||
WHEN THE LIGHTS WENT OUT AT HALSWAY | 2004 | becket | x | x | |||||
WHITBY CHAINS | 2004 | mescolanzes | x | x | CB, RR | ||||
WHO'S IN THE CENTER | 2013 | sicillian circle (3s) | x | x | x | ||||
ZAG ZIG WHIRL | 2006 | improper | x | RR |
Many of the dances we dance at English Country Dance Clubs (USA) or Folk Dance Clubs (UK) were originally published in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. What we do today are modern interpretations. In many cases, these interpretations differ, sometimes significantly, from how the dance might have been done originally. This is quite understandable - today's audience is very different from the original audience for whom the dance was written. What might have been very desirable then, eg doing nothing for a long time (except for having a chance to talk to one's partner unchaperoned), would be considered boring today. Sometimes, however, a 'correct' interpretation is required. Perhaps for a period ball. Perhaps in a play or a film where great attention has been payed to getting other historical details correct in the music, language, clothing, mannerisms, etc.
There are 100+ dances which were originally published in the seventeenth & eighteenth centuries which I have reconstructed as closely as I can to the way I believe that it was done when it was published. I am slowly publishing these on my website. Some of these have never been reconstructed by anyone and some are reconstructions where I disagree with what has been published elsewhere. The following is a list of the reconstructed dances published so far.
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