strathspey@strathspey.org:45076

Patricia Ruggiero

RE: Instruction and music for the "Irish Washerwoman."

April 18, 2006, 9:12 p.m. (Message 45076, in reply to message 45072)

Source: A Choice Selection of American Country Dances of the Revolutionary
Era, 1775-1795.  Collected and edited by Kate Van Winkle Keller and Ralph
Sweet.  Published by the Country Dance and Song Society, Massachusetts,
1976. (3rd edition: 1993)

Irish Wash Woman 32J/3cpls
Longways for as many as will
Play AABB
(Original instructions from Asa Willcox)

1-2:  All chasse'  across the set, W facing up, M facing down
3-4: All rigadoon
5-8: repeat to places

9-16: 1s and 2s allemand; then allemand reverse (that is: allemand R, then
allemand L)

17-24: 1s down the center and back, cast off

25-32: Circle 6 hands round and back.

Modern dancers convert this to a duple minor, with circle 4 hands round and
back.

Note that the allemand is the "behind the back" handhold.

Pat