The Culver City Collection
Sweet Sixteen
A 32-bar Strathspey for 2 couples
Devised by Oberdan Otto
for my darling daughter, Jennifer
on the occasion of her sixteenth birthday
The movements in the "sweetheart" formation, which are common in couple dances
are adapted here for the Scottish country dance genre.
- 1-8:
- The Greeting: First couple advance toward partner joining right hands
(1 step) and retire (1 step), then turn two hands. Both couples repeat,
second couple ending facing out ready for...
- 9-16:
- Double Figure of Eight.
- 17-24:
- First couple dance the Sweetheart.
- 25-32:
- The Double Sweetheart.
Repeat, having passed a couple.
The Sweetheart: Windup (bars 1-4) followed by Unwind (bars 5-8)
[Note: the man continually dances clockwise around his partner; after the
first bar, mans left hand (lady's right) remains at shoulder level or above,
while his right hand (lady's left) remains at waist level].
Windup: The couple begins a two handed turn not quite 3/4 the way
around (bar 1); continuing to turn and retaining partner's hands, the man
raises his left hand and lowers his right so the lady may pivot clockwise
quickly under his left arm until her left hand is pressed against the small
of her back and they are facing their own sides of the set with partner to
their right (bar 2); retaining this position turn clockwise once (bars 3-4).
Unwind: From the position at the end of the Windup, facing own side
of set, as the man continues to dance clockwise, the lady pivots anti-clockwise
under the man's left arm until they face each other, both hands joined as in a
two hand turn facing own side of set (bar 5); without releasing hands, the man
continues to dance clockwise as the lady continues her anti-clockwise pivot,
turning under the man's left arm a second time until his lowered right arm is
against the small of her back, hands of the inside arms joined at the lady's right
hip, hands of the outside arms joined in front, both facing down the set (bar 6).
The couple casts to their right into own sidelines, immediately releasing the
front hand but retaining the other hand as long as comfortable (bars 7-8).
The Double Sweetheart (2 couple progression): Both couples Windup (bars 1-4),
but end bar 4 with the men passing under their own left arms so all are facing away
from partners toward own sides, hands still joined. Releasing hands, all four dance
around each other two positions to the right to end progressed on partners side of
the set (bars 5-6), then cross to own side giving right hand to partner (bars 7-8).
Teaching Hints for the Sweetheart
© Copyright, 1992, by Oberdan Otto
184 Estaban Drive, Camarillo, CA 93010-1611, U.S.A.
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