Patty Cake Polka Mixer

Formation: Couples in a large circle with the gent facing the wall and the lady facing the gent.
Music: “Patty Cake Polka”, Lloyd Shaw 228
Footwork: Opposite footwork throughout, gent starts on left, lady starts on right

Download RTF file: Patty Cake Polka Mixer

Prompts:
Intro or
29-32   – – – -; With your partner Heel and Toe;
    1-8  – – – Slide; – – Heel and Toe;
  9-16   – – – Slide; – – Clap hands in 3s;
17-24   – – – -; – – Right elbow;
25-32   – – Move left; – – Heel and Toe;

Description:
    1-8   In butterfly position (partners facing, both hands shoulder high and joined out to the side) and starting with the gent’s left foot and the lady’s right foot, touch heel out to side, then touch toe near the other foot, repeat the heel and toe touches. Beginning with the same foot, slide sideways along the circle with a quick side, close, side, close, side, close, side. (Side = step to the side on the leading foot. Close = move the other foot up beside the leading foot and step on it.)
  9-16   Starting with the gent’s right foot and the lady’s left foot, repeat the action described in counts 1-8 but going the other way (clockwise around the circle).
17-24   Clap partner’s right hand three times, clap partner’s left hand three times, clap both hands with partner three times, clap your own knees three times. (Right, Right, Right; Left, Left, Left; Both, Both, Both; Knees, Knees, Knees)
25-32   Hook right elbows (or Right Arm Turn) and turn your partner one full turn in four steps. Release elbows and each dancer moves to their left to face the next person in two steps. Take butterfly position with this new partner ready to begin again.

Variations:
— Simplify by doing Heel, Toe, Heel, Toe, Side, Close, Side, Touch
— Simplify by having one clap per hand instead of 3. (Right, Left, Both, Knees)
— Replace the partner change with an 8 beat Right Arm Turn with partner
— For adults change from butterfly position to closed dance position

Choreographer: The music goes back to at least 1860 when “Patty Cake Polka” composed by John Hugh McNaughton (1829 -1891) was published in New York. The dance also goes back to the 19th century and is now considered to be a traditional folk dance.
Usage: The suggested variations provide sufficient flexibility to make it possible to use this dance for children and adults in a wide variety of circumstances.

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