Circulating Knot for 2 Couples
This undeservedly rare Scottish Country Dancing Figure, the Circulating knot for 2 couples, is an elegant derivative of the Knot for 2 couples combining the standard form with the inverted form and following the rectilinearity of the originals, exactly; the Top couple Dance the inverted Knot for 2 couples While Bottom couple Dance The knot for 2 couples, both as the leading Couple. Like the antecedents, it requires 8 bars and either the Strathspey travelling step or Skip change depending upon the Tempo of the implementation.For clarity, it is convenient to number the Couples in the order in which they Start this Figure rather than the order in which they Started the current Repeat of the dance. Both Start in their Places in the Side lines, 1st Couple on Opposite sides. In detail:
Bars 1-2
Both Couples Turn By the right halfway, each Lady continuing to Turn on the spot, clockwise, under her Partner's arm, Finishing on the Centre line in Allemande Hold, 1st couple Facing Up, 2nd couple Facing Down;
Bar 3
retaining Allemande Hold, both Couples Turn By the left one quarter (Men Turning on the spot) and Dance Out to the Side line, 1st man Finishing in his Original Place, 2nd Man in 2nd Lady's Place;
Bar 4
retaining Allemande Hold, both Couples Turn By the left one quarter (Men Turning on the spot) and begin to Dance along the Side lines, 1st couple Down, 2nd couple Up;
Bar 5
retaining Allemande Hold, both Couples continue to Dance along the Side lines until 1st man reaches 2nd man's Place and 2nd man reaches 1st lady's Place, release right hands and Turn By the left one quarter, Men Turning on the spot to Finish all in the Side lines, 1st lady Below 1st man, 2nd lady Above 2nd man;
Bar 6
changing to an Open hold, both Couples Turn By the left one quarter, at the same time moving Across the set to Finish in Line across the Centre line, 1st couple in 2nd Position, 2nd couple in 1st Position on Opposite sides;
Bars 7-8
retaining the Hold, and making it as Open as possible, both Couples Turn By the left halfway and release the Hold to Finish 2nd couple on Own sides in 1st Place, 1st couple on Opposite sides in 2nd Place.
Diagonal covering is appropriate throughout.
The Scottish Country Dance, A Couple of Keepers, includes the Circulating knot for 2 couples in bars 9-16 where it actually Starts with the Couples disposed as above though the Finishing Position for 1st couple is modified to suit the succeeding Figure. The Magic Roundabout (Freemantle) includes the Circulating knot for 2 couples with the last two bars modified to suit Circulating allemande for 2 couples which follows it.
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