Strip the Willow is an ever popular set dance for four couples. Played to lively jig music it’s almost impossible not to clap along when you’re not dancing. The sample tune is the Muckin o’ Geordie’s Byre.

DIFFICULTY RATING: MEDIUM, ENERGETIC

WHAT YOU WILL NEED

Sets of 4 couples.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE STARTING

The set of 4 couples is arranged so that gents are side-by-side in a line with their left shoulders pointing to the band (ladies in a line with their right shoulder points to the band), partners facing each other at sufficient distance for a couple to spin in-between the line of ladies and gents. The couple nearest the band in each set of 4 (the 1st couple) starts.This arrangement is known as longwise formation. The dance is flexible in terms of numbers and sets of up to 6 couples are possible but the steps below are for the standard set of 4.

Don’t worry too much about the exact timing of the right hand/left hand turns as you work your way up and down the set - you don’t need to count this out. You can adjust the amount of spinning you do at the top or bottom of the set to compensate for any deviations in the time for the steps. Similarly, if you have more than 4 couples in your set adjust the amount of spinning that you do or the top couple can start spinning while the couple at the bottom are spinning for the last time.

THE STEPS

Beats Description 1-16 (16) 1st couple links right arms (or other preferred hold for spinning round) and turn/spin clockwise for the count of 16 then release hold (and get your bearings if you have been spinning too fast!). 17-40 (24) 1st lady turns 2nd gent with left arm, then their own partner (who should be following her down the line of the set and be ready waiting to be turned) by his right arm, 1st lady left hand turns 3rd gent, then right hand turns their own partner, 1st lady left hand turns 4th gent. 41-56 (16) 1st couple link arms at the bottom of the set and spin for 16. 57-80 (24) Gent left hand turns 4th lady, right hand turns their partner (who should be following him up the line), gent left hand turns 3rd lady, right hand turns their partner, gent left hand turns 2nd lady. 81-96 (16) 1st couple link arms at the top of the set and spin for 16. 97-120 (24) Both lady and gent will work their way down the line - 1st lady left hand turns the 2nd gent, while the 1st gent turns the 2nd lady, then 1st couple right hand turn each other before repeating with the 3rd and 4th couples to the bottom of the set. 121-128 (8) 1st couple link right arms and spin a the bottom of the set. The 2nd couple now become the 1st couple and repeat the dance until the couple that started originally are back to the top of the set.

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Email: mail@headlanders.co.uk, or telephone/text: 07721 494 004

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