Bird in the Cage

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Bird in the Cage

Traditional Square from Wes McVicar’s 75 Favorite Square Dance Calls, Toronto, 1949

First couple balance and swing,
Lead to the right and form a ring,
Join your hands and circle four,
Bird in the cage and shut the door,
Circle three hands round the floor,
Bird fly out and crow hop in,
Join your hands go round again,

Crow hop out and pick up two,
Join your hands and circle six,
Bird in the cage and shut the door,
Join your hands and circle some more,
Bird fly out and crow hop in,
Join your hands go round again,

Crow hop out and pick up two,
Join your hands and circle eight,
Bird in the cage and bar the gate,
Circle seven hands around the floor,
Bird fly out and the crow hop in,
Circle Left, you’re gone again.

Bird hop in and that pair swing,
Now six hands round in a great big ring,
Swing in the center and six hands round,
Jump right up and come right down,
Now allemande left, a left allemande,
A right to your partner and right and left grand,

Hurry up boys and don’t be slow,
Mix your meal and sift your dough,
Stub your heel and bump your toe,
Swing her high and swing her low,
Bring your pepper, salt and sage,
Next couple out for bird in the cage.

Repeat for second couple, third couple and fourth couple.

Description:
— Lady number one steps into the center of a ring formed with couple two. The ring circles left as the number one lady turns to the left and makes the sound of a bird if she wishes.
— The gent number one trades places with lady number one. The ring continues to circle.
— The gent joins the ring and picks up couple number three with his left hand to repeat.
— Gent one picks up couple number four for a last repeat.
— End with couple one Swing in center, Allemande Left, Grand Right and Left, Promenade.

Bird in the Cage Three Hands Round with a Right-Hand Cross

From Herb Greggerson, Herb’s Blue Bonnet Calls, Copyright 1937, Sixth Edition 1949

First couple balance and swing,
Lead to the right and form a ring,
With four hands around,
Cage the bird and three hands around,
Bird hops out and crow hops in,
Ring up three and you’re gone again,

Crow hops out with a right-hand cross,
Then back with the left and don’t get lost,
Form a ring and around you go,
(Use appropriate trim — perhaps a Lloyd Shaw type docey-doe)
Or try:   Ring, ring, pretty little ring,
    Break that ring with a corner swing,
    Your’s is pretty and mine’s so fine,
    You swing your’s and I’ll swing mine,

Repeat with the first couple visiting couple three and then visiting couple four.

All circle left and promenade home.

Repeat this starting with Second couple balance and swing etc.
Then repeat again for the Third couple and finally for Fourth couple.

Description:
— The right-hand cross is a right-hand star made by reaching across and joining hands with the dancer directly across. Usually the ladies join hands beneath and the gents join above.
— Then reverse direction and form a left-hand star with the same type of handhold.
— The original end of this dance was a Lloyd Shaw style docey-doe. The variation shown is a simpler “trim” appropriate for Beginner or Community dancers.

Bird in the Cage Three Hands Round with Right and Left Thru

Traditional Square from Community Dance Program Handbook

Use the same start as above.

Crow hops out and circle four,
Go once around and a little bit more,
    (Couples circle left until couple number one is on the outside of the square.)
Right and left thru, and lead on to the next,
    (Couple number one after doing a right and left thru, turns a little bit more and leads on to couple number three.)

Repeat and end in the same way as above.

Birdie in the Cage and Seven Hands Round

Traditional Square from Community Dance Program Handbook

Number (one) gent lead to the right of the ring,

Turn the right hand lady right arm around,
Go back home, turn partner left arm around,
Turn the opposite lady with the right arm around,
And a left to your partner as you come down,

It’s birdie in the cage and seven hands round,
The bird hops out and the crow hops in,
Circle up left and you’re gone again,
The crow hops out and everybody swings,
Promenade go round the ring,

(Repeat for couple two, couple three and finally for couple four)

Description:
— This version begins with an arm turning sequence as described.
— The gent turns his partner left arm turn all the way around. He then leaves her in the center of the set and the seven other dancers join hands and circle left.
— When the crow hops in it is important that lady number one takes gent number one’s place in the circle so that the order is correct for the promenade.
— After sufficient tweeting and cawing, the circle dissolves and everyone swings their own partner. Then all promenade back to their home.

This page from http://dances.callerlab.org (CALLERLAB Dance Resource)