Icy Sidewalk

Back to Border dances

History:

Another Baxter original, as always with innumerable team contributions. This dance is not for the weak of lung. Long sticks, 6 dancers in line, original music.

Tune:

Original music with 16-bar phrases of 9/8 (slip jig) time, like Beaux of London City, only more interesting.

Stepping:

Verses, single, doublestep (3x), single, together-jump; All singles on chorus.

Figures:

Rounds on, Chorus, Half Gyp, Chorus, Whole gyp, Chorus, Cross and Turn, Chorus, Rounds Off. These are mostly as in Simon's frolic, with adjustments for the odd timing. On cross-and-turn, the first single-doublestep is a slow ½ circle with partner, surging back diagonaly across the line of the set in the second bar, and looping back on the third on a line perpendicular to the set, to arrive in partner's position in time for the together-jump. The track looks rather like a "paisley" shape. Figures end with forehand clash on FTJ

CHORUS:

Single step R L R while clashing F B F with partner. Dancers on the ends of the line move three places down the set, to their RIGHT around the other dancers, while others turn 180-degrees RIGHT to clash B F B with the next person, while single-stepping L R L and moving out from the center of the set to make room for the moving dancers. The order is now 236145. New ends move three places down the set, to their LEFT around the other dancers, while others turn 180-degrees LEFT to clash F B F with the next person, while single-stepping R L R and moving out from the center of the set to make room for the moving dancers. The order is now 365214. Repeat this pattern four more times, with 3 and four returning to their own places the last time, and facing each other. All clash B F B with partner and step L R L in place.

A helpful observation: the side of the room that is on your right as you face your partner at the beginning of the chorus is the side of the room on which you will always turn or move in the chorus. There is no rest for anyone in this dance.