The Limestone Plain Set

Written by Paul Wayper

Composed in memory of John McCauley

Canberra is sited on the Limestone Plain, and the discovery of limestone in the region was one of the reasons that Canberra was settled. I wrote this set in the style of a Plain set with movements that I remember John McCauley enjoying.

First side couple is on the left. All swings are in Waltz hold.

Figure 1 – Cross over 112 bars - Reels

Part	Instruction	Bars
A	All lead around in crossed hand hold, in the last two bars turn the lady under with the right hand into place	8
B	All pass right shoulders to pass back-to-back around your partner, passing by right shoulder, staying facing the way you started (gents ACW around set, ladies CW), and then back by the left shoulder (4 bars). Swing (4 bars).	8
C	Top couples take right hand in right and advance, retire while turning the lady across in front of the gent to swap places, and pass through with the gents in the centre	8
D	Top couples back-to-back and swing in opposite place	8
E	Top couples ladies chain – right hand in centre, left hand turn under the gent who stays facing in, right hand again and left hand around own gent who stays facing in	8
F	Top couples do C again to return home	8
G	All back-to-back and swing	8
H	Side couples do C to F	32
I	All back-to-back and swing	8
J	All house around, doubling the last two bars	8

Figure 2 – Show the lady 112 bars - Jigs

Part	Instruction	Bars
A	All lead around in crossed hand hold, in the last two bars turn the lady under with the right hand into place	8
B	All pass right shoulders to pass back-to-back around your partner, staying facing the way you started (gents ACW around set, ladies CW), and swing	8
C	Top couples advance right hand in right, retire and turn the lady across with the gent stepping behind, and turn the lady under with the right hand going in single file clockwise around inside the set to end up on opposite side, passing the opposite couple by the right shoulder.	8
D	Sides couples do C again to cross sides	8
E	Top couples do C again to return home	8
F	Side couples do C again to return home	8
G	All couples back-to-back and swing	8
H	All couples do C-F again, with the sides going first and the tops following	32
I	All back-to-back and swing	8
J	All house around, doubling the last two bars	8

Figure 3 – Individuals 176 bars – Reels

Part	Instruction	Bars
A	All lead around in crossed hand hold, in the last two bars turn the lady under with the right hand into place	8
B	All pass right shoulders to pass back-to-back around your partner, staying facing the way you started (gents ACW around set, ladies CW), and swing	8
C	First top gent and opposite lady as dancing couple advance in to meet (2 bars), dance in place (2 bars), and dance back-to-back, staying in the centre (4 bars).	8
D	Dancing couple swing in the centre	8
E	Dancing couple take left hand and dance around each other anticlockwise, retaining left hand and taking right hands with their partners to form a line of four across the set (4 bars). Top couples dance on the spot in line (2 bars), then the dancing couple releases left hands. The first top gent dances around his partner clockwise (¾ turn) to end up in his own place, while the second top lady dances forward into her own place (¼ turn).	8
F	Top couples advance, retire turning the lady across, and pass through.	8
G	Second top man and opposite lady dance C-F as dancing couple	32
H	All dance back-to-back and swing	8
I	Side couples dance C-G	64
J	All dance back-to-back and swing	8
K	All house around, doubling the last two bars	8

Figure 4 – Wheelbarrows 224 bars – Jigs

Part	Instruction	Bars
A	All lead around in crossed hand hold, in the last two bars turn the lady under with the right hand into place	8
B	All pass right shoulders to pass back-to-back around your partner, staying facing the way you started (gents ACW around set, ladies CW), and swing	8
C	Top couples ladies chain as in figure 1	8
D	Top couples advance, retire turning the lady across and take left hand in left (4 bars). Top couples advance to centre and first top gent takes the second top lady right hand in right, retaining his left hand hold with his partner with the second top lady releasing her partner’s left hand. The ladies retire with the first top gent, turning toward him up into an ‘under the wing’ hold, while the second gent advances and takes the ladies’ free hands (his partner’s left, the first lady’s right) (4 bars).	8
E	Top couples advance and retire; advance again and the second gent turns the ladies straight into ‘under the wing’ hold	8
F	Top couples advance and retire; advance into the centre, the top gent pulls the ladies toward him, turning them under all the way around into a little Christmas	8
G	Top couples little Christmas, with all hands being held (i.e. not on shoulder). Ladies should retire with the opposite gent, who will be on the ladies’ left	8
H	Top couples do a ladies chain with the ladies starting from opposite places	8
I	Top couples repeat D-G with the second top couple taking left hand in left and the second top gent taking the ladies home at the end of D.	32
J	Top couples do a ladies chain again with the ladies now starting from their home positions	8
K	All dance back-to-back and swing	8
L	Side couples repeat C-J	88
M	All dance back-to-back and swing	8
N	All house around, doubling the last two bars	8

Figure 5 – Diagonal Chains 192 bars - Polkas

Part	Instruction	Bars
A	All lead around in crossed hand hold, in the last two bars turn the lady under with the right hand into place	8
B	All couples back-to-back and swing	8
C	All do a Polka Body around back to place	16
D	Top ladies do half a chain across, taking right hands in the centre and dancing under the gent’s left hand as in figure 1, but the top gents turn anticlockwise (away from the lady passing behind his back) to face the new ladies instead of staying facing in. Side couples stay in waltz hold and dance at home turning once around.	4
E	Side ladies do half a chain across as in D, while top gents dance at home with their opposite lady. At the end of this the side couples face the couple on their right and the top couples face the couple on their left.	4
F	All take right hand in right and advance and retire once to the diagonal couple (4 bars). Top ladies do half a chain on the diagonal with the side ladies, so the top ladies end in sides place and side ladies in tops place (4 bars).	8
G	All back-to-back and swing	8
H	All repeat C-G, with the original top ladies leading the chains from wherever they are in the set	120
I	All house around, doubling the last two bars	8

Figure 6 – Loop the loop 184 bars - Hornpipes

Part	Instruction	Bars
A	All do a Hornpipe Body around back to place	16
B	All house around the set	8
C	All advance and retire with the gents turning the lady across in front of him, finishing facing corner people (i.e. on the gents’ right and ladies’ left) (4 bars). Then all swing corners, with the gents returning to his place in the set and taking the lady with them (4 bars).	8
E	Repeat A-C three more times until back to place with own partners.	96
F	All Hornpipe Body, finishing by taking right hand in right with partners.	16
G	All grand chain, starting by passing partners with the right hand, dancing around past your partner and back to place (12 bars), then dancing a back-to-back with partner (4 bars).	16
H	All swing	8
I	All house around, doubling the last two bars	8