Wink – English country dance

I wrote this longways English country dance, called “Wink,” on October 18, 2022. The tune is “Wink and She’ll Follow You,” a traditional Irish slip jig in D mixolydian, performed in the video by Whirligig (Greg Anderson, Lisa Gutkin, Matt Darriau, Ivan Goff, and others), and edited (by me) to repeat for the dance. The recording is from the 2000 album “Spin,” which is still available on Bandcamp (and is excellent!).

UPDATE: Wink has been published in the Spring 2024 edition of the CDSS Newsletter! I’m thrilled! 

(jump to instructions)

I’ve loved this tune, “Wink and She’ll Follow You,” since the fantastic Whirligig album came out in 2000, and I’m so happy to have finally done something with it. I also love that it’s in the key of D mixolydian. So cool! I started working with this tune for Katy Muzikar’s dance, which became “Little Grey Cat,” but it wasn’t working for what I wanted to do for her dance. So I switched to a new tune for Katy’s dance, and started from scratch on this tune, listening to the music and letting it tell me more closely what to do. I love the result!

Once I decided I wanted a dolphin hey, I also took some inspiration from the Chris Sackett – Brooke Friendly dance The Potter’s Wheel. Dancers who know that dance can probably see the similarities (though hopefully not too much). 😉 Thanks to Brooke for her advice on writing out the instructions using non-gendered language.

Edited to add: I’m excited that this dance seems to be taking off and getting some traction in the dance community! It’s been published in the Spring 2024 CDSS Newsletter, and I know that both Joanna Reiner Wilkinson and Anna Rain have taught it at some fairly high-profile dance events, such as Lady of the Lake and an advanced workshop in Boston (Joanna), and at Neffa (Anna). (Thanks to both of them!!) Anna is even placing it on the Playford-to-the-Present Ball program in 2024! They’ve both talked with me about their language for teaching the B2 part, which has varied slightly from what I have below.

Wink

An English Country Dance by Renée Camus
© October 18, 2022
Final instructions: January 30, 2023
Tune: Wink and She’ll Follow You, traditional Irish

Duple-minor longways
Intermediate
AAB (4,4,8)
D Mixolydian
9/8 (dotted quarter = 101)

A1	1-2	1st corners Hole in the Wall cross WHILE 2nd corners turn single R.
	3-4	2nd corners Hole in the Wall cross WHILE 1st corners turn single R.
A2	1-2	Partners half poussette CW.
	3-4	All Cloverleaf turn single (end home and improper).
B	1-4	1s R-shoulder Dolphin Hey with 2s: #1Left-file dancer (now on R) crosses down, their partner tucks in behind them, to begin.
	5-8	1s lead down the center and turn away from each other to end in progressed place WHILE 2s go up the outside and continue immediately into a half figure-8 down as if continuing the hey. 1s balance forward and back on bars 7-8. All end progressed and proper, ready to start again.

Teaching notes:

• The As are leisurely, with lots of time for the turn singles and crosses, while the B has more intention: #1Left needs to enter the hey fairly quickly, and 2s need to be close on the 1s’ heels for the figure 8 so they’re clear of the 1s by the time the 1s balance.
  
• A2 1-2: It’s ok if partners end the cross/turn single (A1 3-4) apart from each other and begin the poussette unconnected; don’t stop and wait for your partner.
  
• Keep the set tight (yet not crunched). It’s easy to lose the timing if the set gets too wide.
  
• The motto for this dance is “They who hesitate are lost.” 🙂
  

See more of my English country dance choreographies.