We're making progress!

Hi everyone,

Instead of looking at a specific dance today, I thought I would take a look at the concept of "progression" in English Country Dancing for those dancers who are newer to this style.

As always, the 1st couples (or active couples) progress down the set, with either 2nd or 3rd couples working their way up the set to become active couples.

Duple Minor

In modern English Country Dance, many dances are duple minor (meaning that the figures are performed by 2 couples only). This is to ensure that as many dancers as possible are active throughout the dance. Here is a diagram I created showing the duple minor progression:

Green = 1st couple
Yellow = 2nd couple

Once the dance has progressed through one repetition, the 2nd couple who just danced with the active couple is left out at the top with no one to dance with. They wait out for one repetition at the top of the set and then return to the action as an active couple.

The same happens at the bottom of the set, as the 1st couple makes their way down to the bottom of the set, there is no one to dance with. They wait out for one repetition and return to the action as a 2nd couple.

Triple Minor

A triple minor dance (in which 3 couples are active and performing the figures) is the historically accurate dance form which would have been found in the Regency ballroom. This form entails that the 3rd couple often has little to do, as 1st and 2nd couples perform the majority of the figures. However, the progression is not as simple as in a duple minor dance.

Green = 1st couple
Yellow = 2nd couple
Pink = 3rd couple

This diagram shows that, once the 2nd couple in the 1st repetition have completed the figures, they wait out 2 repetitions of music before they return as a 1st couple and have 2 more couples with whom to complete the figures.

For the 2nd and 3rd couple it is very important to keep track of who you are dancing with, because your role will keep changing, repetition by repetition, until you reach the top of the set. If you start the dance as a 3rd couple, you will start as a 3 in 1 repetition, then be a 2 the next round. It will continue alternating (3, 2, 3, 3...) until you reach the top. The same happens if you are a 2 in the middle of the set (2, 3, 2, 3...). Be very aware so that there is less confusion within the set! Here is a diagram describing this changing role for the 3rd couple. 

At the beginning of the 1st repetition of the dance, the 3rd couple is, obviously, in 3rd place. By the end of the figures, as the 1st couple progresses down 1 place and the 2s progress up one place, the 3s are now directly below the 1st couple. Now they have to perform the figures as a 2nd couple in the 2nd repetition. At the end of the 2nd repetition, the 1st couple progresses down 1 place again and the 2nd couple move up one place, now above the 1st couple. This 2nd couple has to change roles again and be ready to dance as a 3rd couple in the next round. 

I hope that makes some kind of sense. At some of the balls I have attended, whenever there has been a triple minor longways dance, there has been some confusion in the ballroom as to which group of people the 2nd or 3rd couples are dancing with. Once you are aware that this is what is happening on the dance floor, hopefully we will be able to avoid some of that confusion and have the dances go much more smoothly at the Duchess of Richmond's Ball!

Here is the dance list, according to dance form, for the ball so far:

Dance	# of couples	Dance Form
Leamington Dance	2 or 3? * The figures found in the Dance & Danceability CD cover do not include figures for 3 couples. I don’t know if the original instructions would be different.	Duple Minor
3 ecossaises	2 * The ecossaise is a duple minor dance in which 1st couple is improper. See my blog post on that dance form.	Duple Minor
Brussels Waltz	3	Triple Minor
Duke of Wellington Waltz	3	Triple Minor
The Triumph	3	Triple Minor
Opera Reel	3	Triple Minor
3 Anglaises	? * Don’t have access to this source	?
Reel for 5	5 PEOPLE (not couples)	Reel
Paine’s 4th set of Quadrilles	4	Quadrille
Quadrille 1	4	Quadrille
Polonaise	As many as will	Polonaise - Follow the leader!
Russian Waltz	As many as will	Turning Waltz

I hope that clarifies things a bit and that the dances will run smoothly on the night of the ball! That's all for now - until next time... Happy dancing!