April 2012 English country dance by Joseph Pimentel

longways, duple minor, proper

tune by Adam Broome, 114 bpm, 6/8, A major

 A1 1-8  1st Corners set forward, turn single to place, 2-hd  turn 

 A2 1-8  2nd Corners set forward, turn single to place, 2-hd  turn  

 B1 1-2  1s lead down the center     

    3-4  1s wheel as a couple (W going forward, M backing up)  
       
    5-6  1s cross up through the 2s to original places 
        
    7-8  1s cast down while 2s move up 
    
 B2 1-4  Star R 
       
     5-8  Star L

Teaching Notes:

This is a simple dance which works well for new dancers, and the tune is so wonderfully joyful that

everyone seems to enjoy it. B1. I like each figure to fit two bar phrases, and for all four figures

to feel like one fluid movement. Though I do not often use the words “gate” and “half figure eight,”

I think newer dancers begin to get the feel for those figures here without even knowing it. That is

intentional. B2. Encourage intermediate dancers to start the star L on their right foot, so the new

first corners have a nice transition into the setting at the top of A1BackgroundFor Bobbie Friedman,

our closest friend at Harbour Square, the Washington DC cooperative complex where we live. We met at

yoga class and mentioned going English country dancing on Wednesday nights in Glen Echo. Bobbie said

she had English dance friends from upstate New York. Gary and Rowena Roodman! She accepted our

invitation to join us on December 28, 2011, and soon became a Glen Echo regular. We are grateful for

her good company on the weekly ride, at our favorite sandwich shop along the way, and on the dance

floor.The dance also honors the great band Crowfoot, and takes its name from the tune by its

guitar player Adam Broome. At a contra dance one night, I asked them for a joyful, welcome-to-

the-party sort of tune, and “The Farmer's Joy” was their perfect selection. I liked it so much, I

wanted to use if for an English dance, and Adam graciously and happily agreed to the idea. For

several years now, I have enjoyed working with Crowfoot, marveling at the magic they create with

contra dancers, watching them develop into skillful English dance musicians, andjust being glad

I get to hang out with the cool kids. The tune is medleyed with another of Adam's tunes on the

Crowfoot CD As the Crow Flies.I had been thinking for a while about writing a dance for

Bobbie, but then realized that I had already written it. Figure eights often find their way

into our conversations, so the hidden half figure eight here is just perfect. Bobbie speaks of

the joy English dance has brought her and she grew up on a farm, so the name of the dance

already fit well, too.Copyright Notice: Joseph Pimentel 2014

Source:

<ahref=“http://www.cdss.org/” target=“_blank”>CDSS</a>,

The Goldcrest CollectionSticker Number: OECDC 2016 - 2 (CD: -1)