The Castle Set

The Castle Set.  Copyright © 1984, 1999 Brooks Academy.
Learned from Connie Ryan and Betty McCoy.

The Castle Set - Figure 1

Figure 1 Slide - 200 bars
Opening Position: Couples adopt the standard position.
A House Top couples dance around the house inside. 8 bars
B Pass Through 1st tops & 2nd tops advance towards each other and pass through, ladies in the centre, left shoulder to left shoulder (4 bars).  When they reach the opposite side each dancer turns clockwise on the spot.  The two couples advance and pass back through to their own places, ladies in the centre, right shoulder to right shoulder, and turn clockwise to face in again (4 bars). 8 bars
C Advance & Retire Top couples join right hands in front.  They advance to the centre and retire twice. 8 bars
D Swing All four ladies turn to the gents on their right and swing with them.  At the end of the swing the ladies should end up to the right of their new partners. 8 bars
E Advance & Retire All dancers join hands in a cirlce and advance to the centre and retire twice. 8 bars
F Swing The ladies return to their original partners and all four couples swing in place. 8 bars
G Repeat Top couples repeat A to F. 48 bars
H Repeat Side couples repeat A to F.  When sides dance the figure the ladies to go the gents on the left at D. 48 bars
I Repeat Side couples repeat A to F.  The ladies to go the gents on their left at D. 48 bars

The Castle Set - Figure 2

Figure 2 Polka - 136 bars
Opening Position: Couples adopt the standard position.
A House Top couples dance around the house inside. 8 bars
B Advance & Retire Top couples join right hands in front.  They advance to the centre and retire once. 8 bars
C Change Top ladies dance straight across to the opposite gents (2 bars) and swing once with him (2 bars). 8 bars
D Wheel Top gents keep their hold on their new partners with their right arms and release their partners right hands.  Top ladies join right hands in the centre and the top couples form a straight line, each couple facing clockwise around the circle.  They wheel around in a clockwise direction until back in gents place. 8 bars
E Swing Top couples swing in place (gents in their own place and ladies in the opposite places). 8 bars
F Repeat Top couples repeat A to E. 32 bars
G Repeat Side couples repeat A to E.  During their first time through the figure the side ladies change partners. 32 bars
H Repeat Side couples repeat A to E.  During the repeat the side ladies return to their original partners. 32 bars

The Castle Set - Figure 3

Figure 3 Polka - 200 bars
Opening Position: Couples adopt the standard position.
A House Top couples dance around the house inside. 8 bars
B Ladies Chain Top ladies dance to centre, chain with right hands and pass each other, give left hands to opposite gents and dance around them, the gents turning with the ladies, dance straight back to their own partners, give right hands to their own partners and dance around them. 8 bars
C Swing 1st tops gent and 2nd tops lady come out of the chainto face each other in the centre, each with their back to the couple on their left.  They swing in the centre.  At the end of the swing they separate and dance back between the side couples they had their backs to.  Each group of three dancers links arms behind each others backs. 8 bars
D Advance & Retire 1st tops lady and 2nd tops gent advance to centre and retire twice.  While they are advancing and retiring the side threes dance in place.  Then the side threes advance to the centre and retire, twice, while the tops dance in place. 8 bars
E Swing The four original couples re-form and swing in place.  The dancers should take two bars to dance into place and then join up and swing. 8 bars
F Repeat Top couples repeat A to E.  1st tops lady and 2nd tops gent dance the figure at C, leading into the swing from the same direction as their partners did, and dancing in threes with the same couples as their partners. 48 bars
G Repeat Side couples repeat A to E.  1st sides gent and 2nd sides lady dance the figure at C. 48 bars
H Repeat Side couples repeat A to E.  1st sides lady and 2nd sides gent dance the figure at C. 48 bars

The Castle Set - Figure 4

Figure 4 Hornpipe - 152 bars
Opening Position: Couples adopt the standard position.
A House 1st tops and 2nd tops dance around to each other's place in two bars, using the normal hornpipe step (hop 1 2 3 - hop 1 2 3), and then dance on around, back to their own places in two bars, using the doubled hornpipe step (hop 1 hop 2 hop 3 hop 4). 4 bars
B Change Top gents dance straight across to the opposite ladies, in two bars. 2 bars
C Clap & Stamp Tops clap hands three times (1 bar) and dance on the spot stamping their feet (alternating feet) three times (1 bar). 2 bars
D House Top gents with their new partners repeat A. 4 bars
E Change Top gents dance straight across back to their own partners in two bars. 2 bars
F Clap & Stamp Top couples repeat C. 2 bars
G Repeat Top couples repeat A to F. 16 bars
H House Top couples repeat A. 4 bars
I Repeat Side couples repeat A to H. 36 bars
J Repeat Top couples repeat A to H. 36 bars
K Repeat Side couples repeat A to H. 36 bars

The Castle Set - Figure 5

Figure 5 Polka - 264 bars
Opening Position: All dancers face to centre joining hands in a circle.
A Circle Advance and retire twice. 8 bars
B House Top couples dance around the house inside. 8 bars
C Slide & Change a) Slide.  Top couples dance sideways to the centre.  Gents dance: L-R-LRL, and ladies: R-L-RLR (2 bars).  They then dance back to their original places using the opposite steps (2 bars).

b) Change.  Top couples dance half-way around the house to each other's places.

c) Repeat.  Top couples repeat (a) and (b) to bring them back to their original places again.

 16 bars
D House Top couples dance around the house inside. 8 bars
E Ladies Chain Top ladies dance to the centre, chain with right elbows and pass each other, give left hands to opposite gents and dance around them, the gents turning with the ladies, dance to the centre again, chain with right hands and pass each other and join left hands with their parnters left hands and dance around them, ending up on the outside of the circle facing anti-clockwise around, holding their parners left hands in front and right hands behind.  During the last two bars the other two couples dance into the same position. 8 bars
F Lead Around All four couples dance around anti-clockwise to the next position (2 bars) and dance in place (2 bars).  This movement is repeated three more times until all couples are back in their original positions. 16 bars
G Repeat Repeat A to F, the figure being danced by the side couples. 64 bars
H Repeat Repeat A to F, the figure being danced by the top couples. 64 bars
I Repeat Repeat A to F, the figure being danced by the side couples. 64 bars

The Castle Set - Figure 6

Figure 6 Slide - 168 bars
Opening Position: All dancers face to centre, joining hands in a circle.
A Circle Advance and retire twice. 8 bars
B Swing All four couples swing in place. 8 bars
C Change Partners All couples separate.  Gents dance one bar into the centre and then dance one bar on the spot while turning clockwise to face around the set in an anti-clockwise direction.  During the same two bars the ladies dance around anti-clockwise to the next position to their right, level with the gent at that same position with whom they link up, arms around each other's backs.

The four new couples lead around anti-clockwise in six bars until they return to the gents original places.

 8 bars
D Circle All dancers face to the centre joining hands in a circle, and advance to the centre and retire twice. 8 bars
E Swing All four couples (gents in their original places with new partners) swing in place. 8 bars
F Repeat Repeat A to E.  The four ladies move on one place again. 8 bars
G Repeat Repeat A to E.  The four ladies move on one place again. 8 bars
H Repeat Repeat A to E.  The four ladies move on one place again. 8 bars