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In these descriptions the dancing couple are taken to be the first couple and the corners are taken to be the second and third couples.
Double triangles begin with the 2nd couple having moved into 1st place and the 1st couple, in second place, having moved into the centre back to back facing out to their own sides of the dance. The 1st Man takes the 2nd Man’s right hand in his right hand and the 3rd Man’s left hand in his left, that is he takes the right hand of the person on his right in his right hand and the left hand of the person on his left in his left hand. The 1st Lady does likewise with the 2nd and 3rd ladies.
All then set for 2 bars. For the next 2 bars the 2nd and 3rd couples continue setting while the 1st couple rotate clockwise, back to back, to face the opposite side of the dance where they repeat the first 2 bars but with the opposite sex. The 1st couple finishes the figure by rotating back to their own side of the dance in 2nd place. The 1st couple remains back to back throughout, until the last bar. If the arms are not long enough to take hands then the 2nd and 3rd couples dance in to reach; the 1st couple does not dance out to meet them.
If the 1st couple go back to the position in Double Triangles after 4 bars the hands they held belong to people who are known as corners and thinking of Double Triangles makes it easier to remember who and where these corners are. After 4 bars of Double Triangles the 1st couple are facing the wrong side of the dance and the 1st Man has hold of the hands of the 2nd and 3rd Ladies while the 1st Lady has hold of the hands of the 2nd and 3rd Men. The 1st Man holds the 3rd Lady’s right hand in his right hand and she is known as the Man’s 1st corner while 1st Lady holds the 2nd Man’s right hand in her right hand and he is known as the 1st Lady’s 1st corner. The 1st corners are diagonally opposite each other. Similarly the 2nd Lady and the 3rd Man, whose Left hands are held, are known as the 2nd corners.
Many figures are referred to by the 1st couple’s involvement with their corners. This is especially the case with reels, however, there are some figures where the corners are danced with separately and in turn. Two very common such figures are known as ‘Turn corner, partner, corner, partner’ and ‘Set and turn corners’.
Turn corner, partner, corner, partner, commences with the 1st couple turning their 1st corner by the right hand right round for two bars. That is the 1st Man turns the 3rd Lady and the 1st Lady turns the 2nd Man. The 1st couple then turn each other by the left hands 1¼ times to finish facing their 2nd corners, that is the 2nd Lady and the 3rd Man. They then turn their 2nd corner right round with the right hand and finish turning each other by the left hand, usually back to place or back to face their 1st corner. Skip change of step is used throughout this figure.
In set and turn corners the 1st couple each set to their 1st corners and then turn their 1st corner right round with both hands using setting step. They finish facing their 2nd corner who they also set to and turn, usually finishing facing their 1st corner.
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