Dumbarton Drums

Formation: Lines of 4 facing lines of 4, in columns. The lines nearest the prompter have their backs to the prompter. There may be an extra line at the bottom facing up. Male and female partners would normally dance with the lady on the gent’s right.
Music: “Dumbarton Drums” on Lloyd Shaw 172 or try “Macho Man” on Lou Mac 212

Download RTF file: Dumbarton Drums

Prompts:
Intro or
57-64   – – – -; With the music Forward and Back;
    1-8   – – – -; Right Couple in front Sashay and Stamp;
  9-16   – – – -; With the music Forward and Back;
17-24   – – – -; New Right Couple in front Sashay and Stamp;
25-32   – – – -; Each Four Right-Hand Star;

33-40   – – – -; Same four Left-Hand Star;
41-48   – – – -; Lines go Forward and Back;
49-56   – – – -; Arch to the head, Dive to the foot;
57-64   – – – -; [With the music Forward and Back];

Description:
    1-8   The four in line join hands and all take 3 short steps forward, bow to the one they face on the 4th count and take 4 steps back to place.
  9-16   Each half of the line will exchange places with the other half in six beats (3 sets of “Side, Close”), then quickly stamp lightly in place 3 times during beats 7 and 8. The exchange is always done with the right-hand pair sliding in front of the left-hand pair.
17-24   (Same as 1-8 above.)
25-32   (Same as 9-16 above.)

33-40   Each half of the line makes a 4-hand Right-Hand Star with their facing pair and turns it once around.
41-48   The same four dancers reverse to make a Left-Hand Star and turn it once around to end with each pair back in their original line.
49-56   (Same as 1-8 above.)
57-64   Partner pairs maintain their handhold while releasing the center handhold in each line. Those pairs facing the prompter raise their joined hands to make an arch. Both lines move forward as those pairs with their backs to the prompter, dive under the arches to meet a new line of four. When a line reaches the head or foot of the hall, the dancers face back the other way and wait for the next Dive. If the couples are a male and a female pair they may do a California Twirl (Arch joined arms, lady turn to her left under their arched arms, man turn to his right around lady, pass right shoulders with each other and face back the other way as a normal couple).

Optional Variation for Double Progression: If all columns have an even number of lines, you may wish to “Dip and Dive” passing two lines so that all dance every time. For the second Dive Thru exchange roles, so those facing the foot make the Arch while those facing the prompter Dive Thru.

Choreography by: Dorothy Shaw, Colorado
Source: Printed in Dancing For Busy People, page 246 and printed in CD Journal, October 2006.
Usage: This is a classic Mescolanza. It has a simple action and makes efficient use of space.

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