Abbesses

Notes

1

B1 1-8 is a 'Trip To Tunbridge' style contra corners with hands

 

 

 

 

2

If you don't have a 28-bar tune available, Alan also offers a 32-bar (AABB) and a 48-bar (AABBCC) version of the dance.

• 48-bar version/
  • A1/A2 as 28-bar version
  • B1/B2 Circle six left and right
  • C1 1-8: as B1 1-8 in 28-bar version
  • C1 9-10: 1s (improper lead to top
  • C1 11-14: 1s cast to the bottom (3s moving up)
  • C1 15-16: 1s right-hand turn ½
• 32-bar version/
  • Same as 32-bar version, but omit B1/B2

 

 

 

 

3

Alan says "Abbesses is the deepest Metro station in Paris, and there is a right-hand-thre ad spiral staircase at the base. This has a sign in French which says, approximately, "If you're not feeling this adventurous, the elevator is around the corner." I was in too big of a hurry to read that. The sense of spiraling right inspired the dance. Only the right hand is used except for the A2 5-8, when the free hands are joined overhead. The first eight bars of B are essentially "Trip to Tunbridge" contra corners in waltz time; it's easy for the dancers to get ahead, and care should be taken to emphasize that passes are curved and take six steps (especially the up-and-down pass from turning first corner to 2nd), while turns also take six steps. Credit due to James Langdell for selecting and notating the music."