THE ELIZABETH QUADRILLE

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A modern waltz quadrille, written by Jack Sankey and “Bunk” Sicotte of San Francisco.

Record: LS 3307

Formation: Regular square of four couples.

Footwork: Opposite in Figures 1 and 6, identical in Figures 2, 3, 4, and 5. Note: Head and side persons and couples will retain their original designation as head or side throughout the dance, regardless of their position in the set.

Styling: When inactive, couples balance lightly in open position. If active, woman hold their skirts in their free hands, and men place the free hand, palm up, approximately on the back hip pocket.

Introduction: 4 measures. Stand still throughout. However, as the intro begins, all take “skirt-skaters’” position: man holds woman’s L hand in his L, her L arm across his chest. Man places R arm around woman with his R hand on her hip, as she holds her skirt in her R hand.

Figure I. The Grand Chain

1-4 HEAD LADIES STAR THREE QUARTERS, WHILE SIDE COUPLES WHEEL

All starting on man’s L and woman’s R, head women make

a R-hand star in the center, and travel 3/4 CW to original

corner man in 4 waltz measures. Simultaneously, side

couples, in skaters’ pos, wheel CCW once around in place

in 2 waltzes; then side women move directly to their corner

man in 2 waltzes. The men may balance in place as the

women approach them. (The head men will turn slightly L

to face the corner woman, and the head women,

approaching their original corner men, will turn slightly L

to face them, so that all women will be facing twd LOD.)

5-8 ALL FOUR COUPLES WALTZ ONE QUARTER AROUND THE SET

All are now facing their original corners, man’s back twd

LOD. Take closed position, and, starting man’s L, dance 3

R-face turning waltzes, and open out into skirt-skaters’ pos,

to end in the next pos CCW – that is, #1 man and new

partner into #2 pos, etc. The step is definitely a waltz.

9-12 SIDE LADIES STAR THREE QUARTERS, WHILE HEAD COUPLES WHEEL

Repeat the action of measures 1-4, with the side women

making the star.

13-16 ALL FOUR COUPLES WALTZ ONE QUARTER AROUND THE SET

Repeat the action of measures 5-8. Men are with opp

woman in her pos.

17-32 REPEAT MEASURES 1-16, so that all are in home pos

N.B. If the head men will remember to send their ladies

into the center, no matter where they are, and the side men

will remember to wheel their lady in place, no matter where

they are, the woman will have no difficulty remembering

whether they are to star or to turn.

Figure II. Lines and Stars

1-4 HEAD COUPLES WALTZ TO THE CENTER AND WALTZ BACK TO PLACE

Head couples, in open pos, move to the center in 2 waltzes,

both starting on the R foot; then bwd to place in 2 waltzes.

5-8 HEAD COUPLES TO THE CENTER; SPLIT THE SIDES; FOUR IN LINE

Head couples in open pos, move to the center in 2 waltzes;

each head man takes the opp woman’s L hand in his R, and

they split the nearest side couple; after passing between,

they drop hands and move around their original corners, to

end facing the center, alongside corner and closest to home

pos, in a line of four (2 waltzes).

9-12 FOURS PASS THROUGH

The two lines of four pass through each other to the

opposite pos, all passing R shoulders with the opposite

person, in four waltz steps. The lines of four are now back-

o-back. Make sure that the line continues to be straight to

this point.

13-16 FORM A RIGHT-HAND STAR AND OPEN TO A LINE

Each line forms a R-hand star and, in 4 waltzes, turns the

star CW, moving around to reform the lines of four, exactly

as before, except that lines are now facing the center and

each other. End dancers exchange ends, center dancers

exchange places (small steps).

17-20 REPEAT THE ACTION OF MEASURES 9-12

21-24 REPEAT THE ACTION OF MEASURES 13-16 turning the star and opening the line so that all are back in the pos of measure 8.

25-28 WALTZ FORWARD TO THE CENTER; – TAKE PARTNERS TO PLACE

The lines of four advance to the center in 2 waltz steps; all

men take their own partner’s L hand in their R, facing

center if not already doing so, and all move bwd to home

pos in 2 waltz steps.

29-32 HEAD COUPLES WALTZ TO THE CENTER; AND BACKWARD TO PLACE

Repeat the action of measures 1-4, Figure II.

(Teaching hint: On measure 12, during teaching only, have the dancers turn around momentarily and face center. Thus, they can see where they will be at the close of measure 16. It is permissible, on measures 11 and 12 (and their repeats) to start moving into star formation, but the R hands are not raised until measure 13.

Figure III. Around the Square

1-4 HEAD COUPLES TO THE CENTER – AND BOX THE GNAT

Both starting on R foot, head couples advance twd the

center in 2 waltz steps. Each head man joins R hands with

the opp woman, and “Box the gnat” in 2 waltzes (that is,

exchange places, the woman turning CCW under joined R

hands). In this figure, watch your timing! There are 6

counts for each action – 6 to go to COH, 6 to box the gnat,

6 to box the flea, etc. Cues precede action.

5-8 BOX THE FLEA WITH YOUR OPPOSITE – BOX THE GNAT WITH YOUR CORNER

With the same (opposite) woman, head man “Box the flea”

in 2 waltz steps – (that is, exchange places, the woman

turning CW under joined L hands). All face original corner

and box the gnat.

9-12 WITH YOUR OPPOSITE, BOX THE FLEA – WITH YOUR CORNER, BOX THE GNAT

Head men face original opp; side men turn to face original

partner, and all box the flea; all face original corner and box

the gnat.

13-16 WITH YOUR OPPOSITE, BOX THE FLEA – HEAD COUPLES BACK TO PLACE

Repeat measures 9 and 10. Head couples back up to pos in

2 waltz steps.

17-32 WITH SIDE COUPLES LEADING, repeat measures 1-16.

Figure IV. Arches

1-4 HEAD COUPLES ADVANCE – THREES ARCH AND PASS OVER – ALL TURN TO PLACE

Both start on R foot. Head couples, inside hands joined,

advance to center in one waltz step; #3 couple raise joined

hands and pass over #1 couple, who pass under, in 1 waltz

step; head couples continue into opposite pos in 1 waltz

step, drop hands, turn twd each other to face center.

Simultaneously, in open pos, side couples dance 4 step-

swings – to R, L, R, L.

5-8 SIDE COUPLES ADVANCE – FOURS ARCH AND PASS OVER – ALL TURN TO PLACE

Side couples repeat the action of measures 1-4, #4 making

the arch.

9-12 REPEAT THE ACTION OF MEASURES 1-4, #1 making the arch.

13-16 REPEAT THE ACTION OF MEASURES 5-8, #2 making the arch.

Figure V. Waltz Chain

1-4 BALANCE FORWARD; BALANCE BACK; TURN PARTNERS ON TO THE NEXT

Men facing LOD – women opp. Both start on R foot. All

face partners and join R hands, 1 waltz balance twd partner;

1 waltz balance away from partner; in measures 3 and 4,

man moves fwd in LOD in 2 waltzes, to next woman, as he

turns his partner L-face under joined R hands so she can

meet the next man in RLOD.

5-16 REPEAT MEASURES 1-4 THREE TIMES, meeting partner on opposite side of the set.

Figure VI. Waltz Promenade

1-6 DIP BACK; BOX WALTZ IN PLACE; WALTZ ONE QUARTER AROUND THE SET

Opposite footwork. Starting on man’s L, woman’s R, in

closed pos, men facing LOD, man balances bwd on L,

raising R slightly (woman opp); starting man’s R, woman’s

L, do ½ box waltz in place turning ½ CW. On measures 3-

6, do 4 natural R-face turning waltzes, moving 1/4 around

the set, ending with man’s back to center.

7-12 BALANCE AWAY; BALANCE TO MANEUVER MAN’S BACK TO LOD; ALL WALTZ 1/4 AROUND SET

Partners facing, (man’s back to COH) join both hands, and

balance away from and then twd partner, maneuvering

man’s back to LOD; then repeat measures 3-6, ending at

home, but with man facing diagonally RLOD and wall.

13-16 PIVOT CLOCKWISE IN PLACE; TURN THE LADY; AND BOW

As music slows down, do a 6-count pivot in banjo (or

closed) pos, CW in place; man faces COH and turns

woman CW under joined hands to face him (woman turns

in 3 walking steps) woman’s back to COH. Woman does a

deep curtsey as man bows.