Round Dance Instruction

Fig 12 Scissors:

All Scissors figures are single measure figures comprising three steps:  Side, Close, Cross,-;  They always change position relative to your partner and facing direction. The variations are created by defining which dancer crosses in front or behind.   

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Fig 12a Scissors Thru’:

The simplest figure is Scissors Thru’ in which both dancers step Side, Close, Cross in Front turning to Open (starting with Trail feet) or Left Open position (starting with Lead feet) as appropriate. 

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Butterfly position with the Man facing the Wall, with Lead feet free 

Man:  Side Left, Together R,  Cross L in front to Left Open position facing RLOD, Touch ;     

Lady:  Side Right, Together L,  Cross  R in front to Left Open position facing RLOD, Touch ;   

 

Butterfly position with the Man facing the Wall, with Trail feet free 

Man:  Side Right, Together L,  Cross  R in front to Open position facing LOD, Touch ;   

Lady:  Side Left, Together R,  Cross L in front to Open position facing LOD, Touch ;     

 

Practice 12.1:

Butterfly position with the Man facing the Wall, with Lead feet free 

Side TwoStep Left & Right ;;  Scissors Thru’ face RLOD ; Walk 2 to Butterfly ; 

Scissors Thru’ face LOD ;  Walk 2 to Butterfly ;  Box ;; 

 

If you wish to dance Scissors Thru’ twice, you will need to blend to a facing position after the first Scissors Thru’ in order to make the Side step to start the second Scissors Thru’. 

 

Practice 12.2:

Butterfly position with the Man facing the Wall, with Lead feet free 

Side TwoStep Left & Right ;; Scissors Thru’ face RLOD ; Scissors Thru’ face LOD ; Walk 4 to Butterfly ;; Box ;; 

 

 

Fig 12b Scissors to Sidecar or Banjo position:

If we now change the figure slightly for the Lady so that she crosses Behind instead of in Front (the Man’s steps stay the same) the figure will finish in Sidecar position (Left hips adjacent) if starting with Lead feet or Banjo position (Right hips adjacent) with Trail feet.  We usually start the figure in Closed position so the Man can lead the Lady to Cross Behind.  This figure introduces new body positions where the Lady stands slightly to the Man’s Left or Right Side with both feet outside the Man’s feet.  The positions should not be exaggerated: there should still be a good amount of body overlap. 

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Scissors to Sidecar:  Closed position with the Man facing the Wall, with Lead feet free 

Man:  Side Left, Together R,  Cross L in front to Sidecar position, Touch ;     

Lady:  Side Right, Together L,  Cross  R behind Left to Sidecar position, Touch ;   

 

Scissors to Banjo:  Closed position with the Man facing the Wall, with Trail feet free 

Man:  Side Right, Together L,  Cross  R in front to Banjo position, Touch ;   

Lady:  Side Left, Together R,  Cross L behind Right to Banjo position, Touch ;     

 

Practice 12.3:

Closed position with the Man facing the Wall, with Lead feet free 

Box ;;  Scissors to Sidecar ;  Scissors to Banjo ;; 

Walk 4 to face ;;  Side TwoStep Left & Right ;; 

 

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Fig 12c  Progressive Scissors to Sidecar or Banjo position:

More commonly we would use the previous figure starting in Closed position facing Line of Dance.

The crossing steps cause us to progress down Line of Dance but our facing directions are now diagonals. 

 

Progressive Scissors to Sidecar: Closed position Man facing LOD, with Lead feet free 

Man:  Side Left, Together R,  Cross L in front to Sidecar position facing DLW, Touch ;     

Lady:  Side Right, Together L,  Cross  R behind Left to Sidecar position facing DRC, Touch ;   

 

Progressive Scissors to Banjo: Closed position Man facing LOD, with Trail feet free 

Man:  Side Right, Together L,  Cross  R in front to Banjo position facing DLC, Touch ;   

Lady:  Side Left, Together R,  Cross L behind Right to Banjo position facing DRW, Touch ;     

 

Before we practice this figure, we will practice moving towards Line of Dance in Closed position, so the Lady is moving backwards. 

 

Practice 12.4:

Closed position with the Man facing the LOD, with Lead feet free 

2 Forward TwoSteps ;; Walk 4 ;;   repeat 

 

Practice 12.5:

Closed position with the Man facing the LOD, with Lead feet free 

2 Forward TwoSteps ;;  Prog Scissors to Sidecar & Banjo ;; 

Walk 4 to face wall ;;  Box ;; 

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Now you know a number of figures which leave you in different finish positions and directions, we need to look at ways of returning you to the start position to repeat a sequence.  We have already met Walk 4 and Blend to a facing position:  now we will change this a little so you finish in Closed position facing Line of Dance 

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From Open position facing Line of Dance with Lead feet free, the Man will Walk forward 4 steps, making the last step a little smaller.  This will allow the Lady to take her fourth step and then swivel in front of the Man to Closed position.  This is also known as PickUp position. 

 

Practice 12.6:

Closed position with the Man facing the LOD, with Lead feet free 

2 Forward TwoSteps ;;  Prog Scissors to Sidecar & Banjo ;; 

Walk 4 to face wall ;;  Box ;; 

Reverse Box ;;  Side TwoStep Left & Right ;; 

Side, Close Twice ;  Side & Thru’ to Open ;  Walk 4 to PickUp ;; 

 

In practice we more often use Walk and PickUp (S,-,S,-;) to change position.  It is important to remember this uses 2 walking steps before the change of position.  Some dancers try to PickUp on the lead feet then Close but this stops the forward movement and can feel very uncomfortable. 

 

Practice 12.7:

Closed position with the Man facing the LOD, with Lead feet free 

2 Forward TwoSteps ;;  Prog Scissors to Sidecar & Banjo ;; 

Walk 4 to face wall ;;  Box ;; 

Reverse Box ;;   Side, Close Twice ;  Side & Thru’ to Open ;  

2 Forward TwoSteps ;;   Walk & PickUp ;  Side Draw Close ;