Sir Roger De Coverley

Tout Ensemble!

John Kirkpatrick & Ashley Hutchings.
Philip Pickett, Bert Cleaver, Simon Nicol,
Roger Swallow, Rod Skeaping, Jeremy Montagu,
Dave Mattacks, Gary Watson,Francis Baines,
Sue Harris, Richard Harvey,
Adam Skeaping, Alan Lumsden, Terry Potter,
Dave Kettlewell,Alan Ward, Fanny Warnock,
Peter Knight, Ray Warleigh, Elisabeth Baines,
Loni Patt, Peter Vel

The Roger de Coverley
Three couple set...

* Some notations have a 4, 5 or 6 couple set... each to their own :-) A three couple set means that you 'feel the width' rather than dance up and down a long set... a long set also means that you spend more time dancing and not watching first and second corners enjoying themselves (and in this dance, the first and second corners do do a lot of enjoying themselves).
* If you are standing watching people dance, take a step back, keep the set wide and give the active couples a little room.
* The first part of the dance is full of things for the 'first corners' and 'second corners' to do alternately, so the sections are addressed alternately ...

First corners right hand turn ...

* It's a fairly quick right hand turn (you need to get out of the way of the second corner who will be coming in to do the same). The fun bit is that instead of going back to your place and waiting for the next figure, you don't stop and make a big cast round through your place to and head back to the centre while the ....

... Second corners right hand turn
* You'll be waiting for the first corners to get out the way but you'll really want to be heading towards each other before the first couple have got out the way. Don't run into them but trust them to move. It's a little risky, but.... Remember that you will also have to be out the way fairly quickly as the first couple will be heading back in again.

First corners left hand turn - Second corners left hand turn

* There'll be a pattern emerging, you'll head back to you partner in the middle of the set and turn with the left hand... First couples first, then second couples
* You'll make those quick turns quicker if you hold you arm fairly tense, you are helping your partner round, they are helping you round. You both want to turn quickly and enjoy the slow cast round again.

First corners two hand turn - Second corners two hand turn

* Again.... with a large cast. If you've space, you'll sweep into the middle and give a two hand turn

First corners back to back - Second corners back to back

* Back to Back, hmmm... and there's no helpful arm to stop you speeding past. Safer not to consider the 'back to back' as really meaning you go past, step sideways and reverse out without hitting anyone. You are allowed to turn and watch as you go past, put as spin in if the music says and get out the middle facing forwards :-)

First Couple Strip the Willow to the Bottom and ...

* Now back to maybe familiar territory, a double Strip the Willow. (See the description
* in the Elements) Look to see what line you are on, and then a more careful look at the line opposite, you'll be dancing with each one of these in turn. Or rather, dancing with your partner, with the first of the line, with you partner, with the second and so on...
* Hold on to the mantra; left arm down the line, right arm to your partner and what you are doing is giving your right arm to you partner, turning them until you see the person of the opposite sex and give your left arm to them.
* (If you are on the sides waiting for the man or woman to come out of their turn and give you their left arm, stick your left arm out unambiguously and catch them. They'll probably appreciate it).

... dance to the top of the set

* You've stripped with everybody in the line, you're going to go back up the set, the rest of the set are going to be waiting for you...

All face up, first couple continue with their dance up the set and cast out, all follow.

* ... you come out the top of the set, cast out down the outside, everybody was waiting will follow you.

First couple meet with an arch, all pass through ...

* ... and when you get to the bottom you'll meet up with your partner, they'll be people following each of you. Stick your arms up and make an arch with your partner and wait for the rest of the set to dance underneath.
* Then, no time to relax for the lady, the music continues and you'll need to be heading into the First Corners Right Hand Turn