Bob --

If I were you, I wouldn't do Sackett's Harbor as a triplet for a bunch of 
10 year olds on Civil War Day.

(I'm assuming that these kids aren't experienced country/contra dancers.)

It's not a representative Civil War era dance - fairly representative 
War of 1812 dance, and there are easier and more representative dances
of the era (more below).  

The change of orientation (circle left 3/4) can be confusing for experienced
adults, and you don't get any benefit from it in triplet formation.  (As a
triple minor, you have the benefit of it containing the contra corners so 
there's no chance of grabbing people from outside your set; this makes it a 
potentially good dance for introducing contra corners.)

I'd suggest Sicilian circles: Rustic Reel, Soldier's Joy, Haste to the Wedding
(all of them much closer to your historical period, documentable, and likelier
to succeed); some form of Virginia Reel and/or Opera Reel (as whole-set dances,
less likely to fall apart).

Directions on request.

-- Alan



> Hi all,
> I'm thinking of going to my son's school's Civil War day and teaching a dance.
> The idea of Sackett's Harbor is nice because it is relatively local (Upstate New York)
> and has the cool history from 1814?(dance used to be called Speed The Cable - google it),
> But I am leery of teaching a triple minor with contra corners as a progression dance.

> I'm wondering if anyone out there has called this dance as a tripLET, and fixed the
> progression by having the 2's and 3's trade places while the ones go "across the hall?"
> If not, I will claim it as my own!! If so, I would like to know the name of the dance and the
> author, so credit can be righteously given.

> Also, what do you think are the prospects of teaching said dance to a group of 5th graders?

> Finally, Sackett's Harbor has been called so many times in our weekly dance of late that
> I have taken to adding the following "flourish" when the involved dancers are all experienced:
> As an idle dancer during the contra corners part, Join in for stars of 3 when the active is turning
> the person across from me. (I could also do the 3 person star with the person behind me, but
> I haven't done it because I can't keep track of who's in that set and don't want to confuse the
> beginners) It really adds some zest to an otherwise ho-hum (no partner swing) dance.
> Any comments?

> For reference:
> Sackett's Harbor:
> Hands six circle 3/4 Left?(8)
>  Actives "down" the hall -really across the hall, and Rigadoon?(8)
> (this is where I would have 2's and 3's trade places with allemande or sashay or do-si-do)
> Actives Turn alone come back and cast to
> ??? middle position (in original dance cast is with 2s, in triplet version it's with 3's) (8)
> Contra corners (this is where I add my zest) (16)
> Actives fall back to place (-)
> Lines of 3 forward and back
> Hands Six circle RIGHT (8)

> In the triplet version, the 1's become 2's, the 3's become 1's and the 2's become 3's.
> In the original, the 1's stay 1's and the 2's and 3's trade back and forth until the end of the set.

> Bob
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-- 
===============================================================================
 Alan Winston --- WINSTON at SSRL.SLAC.STANFORD.EDU
 Disclaimer: I speak only for myself, not SLAC or SSRL   Phone:  650/926-3056
 Paper mail to: SSRL -- SLAC BIN 99, 2575 Sand Hill Rd, Menlo Park CA   94025
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