Farmer’s Jig

Formation: Contra lines of four couples with partner’s facing each other, ladies on the prompter’s left and gents on the prompter’s right. When necessary, any partner combinations will work. More than four couples cannot complete the figure in the time allowed.
Music: Any brisk 64 beat marching music, or a brisk jig.

Download RTF file: Farmer’s Jig

Prompts:
Intro or
57-64   – – – -; – – March up 8;
    1-8   – – – -; Turn alone and march down 8;
  9-16   – – – -; Join 2 hands, Sashay up in 8;
17-24   – – – -; – – Sashay back;
25-32   – – – -; Each four Star Right;

33-40   – – – -; Same four Star Left;
41-48   – – – -; Top couple turn out & lead Cast Off;
49-56   Leaders Arch at foot; others come through;
57-64   – – – -; – – March up 8;

Description:
    1-8   Dancers all face the prompter in two single file lines. Join inside hands with partner and march forward seven steps up the hall, then turn on the eighth beat to face away from the prompter.
  9-16   Partners join inside hands and march back down the hall seven steps and turn on the eighth beat to face partner and join both hands.
17-24   Slide sideways in eight quick Gallop or Sashay Steps (Side and Close seven times, then Side and Touch) up the hall.
25-32   Maintaining the hand hold, slide sideways the other way back down the hall in eight more quick Sashay Steps.
33-40   Each box of four dancers Star Right for eight beats (once around if possible).
41-48   The same four dancers Star Left the other way back for eight beats. Finish with all the ladies in the left line and all the gents in the right line.
49-56   All dancers turn individually to face the prompter. Each dancer in the top couple (nearest the prompter) then turns away from the center to lead a Single File Promenade down the outside of each line to the foot of the set.
57-64   The leaders join both hands to make an arch at the foot. All the others come through the arch in pairs and move forward ready to immediately begin the March up eight. The original leaders become the last couple while the original second couple is now at the top.

Choreography: “Jig y Ffermwyr” is a traditional Welsh folk dance. Known as Farmer’s Jig, the dance has become a popular classic at Barn Dances and Ceilidhs throughout the United Kingdom and across North America.
Source: Printed in CD Journal, February 2005
Usage: Useful when teaching history through dance in the schools. A long dance hall, youthful energy and alertness are needed for this dance. Warn dancers to watch out for the changing groups in the Stars.

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