ProgressionWhen a Scottish Country Dance involves Repeats, the dancers must, at the end of each Repeat, be in the order required for the performance of the next Repeat; the process by which this happens in the dance sequence is called the Progression. For almost all forms of The set, the Progression arises completely automatically from some part of the sequence of Figures which make up the dance Repeat. In the most common sequence, 2nd couple Step up While the 1st couple Cast or Cross down though many other sequences may be used. Most commonly, especially in the older dances, the Progression takes place near the beginning of the Repeat though it may occur anywhere; in Kenora Reel, it occurs on the last two bars of the Repeat. At or very near the end of each even Repeat in the exceptional, but very common, Longwise set format with an Active set of 3 Couples in a Full set of 4 Couples (see the section, 3 Couple repeat in 4 couple set), the 1st Couple must Exchange places with the Couple Below them in order to reach 4th place of the Full set. Explicit instructions are not normally given by dance devisers and so the dancers need to choose an appropriate sequence. Where the 3rd couple (of the Active set) are to be Standing at both the end of an even-numbered Repeat and the beginning of the next, they can effect the changeover quite simply by Stepping up on the last two bars of the old Repeat While the 1st couple modify their final Figure so as to Finish one Place Lower; if this is unpractical, they can Step up on the first two bars of the new Repeat While the former 1st couple Cast to 4th place. However, dances exist in which the 3rd couple of the Active set are involved on bar 1 of the Repeat and so the dance can become very untidy at this point. A good teacher should recommend a suitable sequence, or modification of the final Figures, which will make the changeover neat. For example, in The Duchess Tree, the final Figure for the 1st and 2nd couples is an Allemande and in Muirland Willie, it is a Poussette, in both cases with the 3rd couple of the Active set Standing in 4th place of the Full set; the neatest modification is for the 1st couple to change the last two bars of the Allemande or Poussette so that, instead of dancing back into the Side lines, they Take Nearer hands and Lead down to the 4th place of the Full set While the 3rd couple of the Active set (who were Standing in the 4th place of the Full set) Step up to the 3rd place of the Full set, ready to start the new Repeat in which they have to Cast up on bar 1 in both dances. Links to Pages Related to 'The Set'
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