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Changier Quadrille

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Jane Farwell BACKGROUND

Information: A dance.

Pronunciation: shawn-ZHAIR ka-DREE-ye

Region: Germany

Source: Wilhelm Wulf(f?) collected this North German dance, perhaps from Lubeck, and taught it to Jane Farwell in 1958 who taught it to dancers in the United States shortly thereafter.

Meter: 2/4

Formation: Square of 4 couples, numbered CCW: C1, C3, C2, C4. C1 has their backs to the music.

BARS ACTION
  Introduction.
chord You may acknowledge your partner with a bow (for the men) or curtsy (for the women).
 
Verse 1.   Circle L and R. Join hands at shoulder height.
1-16 Starting onto L ft: walk 16 steps to L & 16 steps to R, CW & CCW around your circular square.
Note: During bar 9, a typical German change of direction step would be: facing to L, step back onto L ft (ct 1), turning to face center, step to R onto R ft (ct 2). Finish turning and continue walking to R.
 
Verse 2.   Chorus: Changier and chain. Join near hands with corner and let go partner.
1-4 Couples 3 & 4 dance passive path; couples 1 & 2 dance active path. Partners meet & change places on opposite side of square as the woman turns 1/4 CCW under joined R hands. (Active women precede active men through sides.)
5-8 Couple 1 changes places with couple 2, giving R hands and passing R shoulders. In original positions, turn by the L hand 1/2 with partner CCW.
9-16 Repeat action of bars 1-8, couples 1 & 2 reversing roles with couples 3 & 4.
17-22 Face partner. Dance rights and lefts around the square to meet your partner.
23-24 Turn partner by the R hand (thumb grip) with 3 steps onto: L ft, R ft, L ft (cts 1,2,1), balance away from partner by stepping back onto R ft (ct 2).
25-30 Repeat action of bars 17-22.
31-32 Turn partner by the R hand (thumb grip) once 'round with 4 steps.
Note: Note: the Changier active figure may be done with this step: 2 linear polka steps (bars 1,2), and 4 walking steps (bars 3,4).
 
    Now, since no mortal could possibly understand the foregoing 32 bars in writing, here they are in diagramatic form:
Verse 2.   Couples 1 & 2 solo.
1-6 Couple 1, in ballroom position, dances 6 turning polka steps CCW around the inside of the square. Others clap thrice during each bar (cts 1,&,2).
7-8 Couple 1 turns twice in place with 4 pivot steps. Others clap (cts 1,2,1,2).
9-16 Repeat action of bars 1-8 but couple 2 solos (or duets).
  Repeat the chorus.
 
Verse 3.   Couples 3 & 4 solo.
1-16 Repeat action of part 2, but couples 3 & 4 polka (sequentially, not simultaneously) instead of couples 1 & 2.
  Repeat the chorus.
 
Verse 4.   Double your pleasure, double your fun . . .
1-16 Couples 1 & 2 simultaneously polka and pivot, then couples 3 & 4.
  Repeat the chorus.
 
Verse 5.   Finale: Circle and polka. Join hands at shoulder height.
1-8 Starting with L ft, dance 8 linear polka steps to L, CW around circular square.
9-16 Partners, in ballroom position, return to places with 8 (not 6) turning polka steps.

REFERENCE

DOCUMENTS

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