The Two Cousins
or Hero and Beatrice
Dance by Wil van den Berg, unpublished.
Music: Paspie Menuet from Speelmansboek van Tongeren,
A.J. Vanpelt de Maastricht 1786-1824.
Formation: Double circle, men inside facing partner on outside circle.
Three steps to the bar.
Tune: The Two Cousins
Al 1-4 Partners “siding one quarter”, partners gypsy three quarters clockwise to partner's place. 5-8 Partners balance forward and back, turn single (Clockwise). A2 1-8 Repeat all that back to places. B1 1-4 Couples face clockwise, take inside hands, dance round the circle and turn in to change hands. 5-8 Dance counter clockwise two bars and turn single away (women clockwise, men counter clockwise). B2 1-8 Repeat all that counter clockwise, then clockwise, men turn single, but women cast one place to meet new partner who was behind them.
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0WIeTQNdw0&t=31s
N.B.: If more progression is desirable, the men can cast one place at the
end of B1.
* One quarter siding: with partner start as in Cecil Sharp siding,
curving in to finish right shoulder to right shoulder with partner,
men facing in and women out. (Use four steps, close with right
foot on the fifth and pause on the sixth).
The dance is called after two characters in Shakespeare's “Much Ado
about Nothing”.