The Tempest

A "Cracking Chestnuts" column by David Smukler
First appeared in March/April 2006 issue of the CDSS News
Other "Cracking Chestnuts" columns - David's Dance Page

The Tempest

This dance is done in an adapted double contra formation; two couples (the ones) face down in a line-of-four between and just above two other couples (the twos), who face in from the sides as if in a widely separated Becket formation line.

 A1 Ones down the center four-in-line, do not turn
Back your line-of-four up to place and then turn to face the nearest side couple
 A2 Those four balance twice
Circle left, once around
 B1 Same two ladies chain over and back
 B2 Half promenade
Half right and left through, leading on to progressed place

After once through the dance, the number two couples nearest the top wait out one turn, moving into the center as they do so to form a new line-of-four. In this way they become number one couples for the next round. Similarly, when a line-of-four reaches the bottom, those number one couples separate out to the sides to become twos. To help the set stay organized the twos should move up along the side an entire place for each time through the dance. It is farther than they think it is! (The progression in most Becket dances is about half this distance.) The ones can help out in A1 by surging purposefully down the hall, and then backing up just enough to face a new, welcoming side couple.

There is a tune called the Tempest, a jig in 24-bars (AAB). Many find the tune to be... well, the kindest way to say it may be "cute." The dance can certainly be done to this tune if desired by leaving out the B2 figures, but more often it is done to other tunes. We think you will find many merry jigs that are quite suitable.

Here are three good methods callers have used to get dancers into formation for the Tempest:

  1. The "contra" method. Start by placing the dancers in Becket formation. Then have them take hands eight. In each group of eight, two couples are closer to the top of the hall. Those two couples (the ones) turn to face down. They are standing side by side in a line-of-four. The other two couples (the twos) stay where they are, one at each end of the line-of-four, but move out to create space for the ones.
  2. The "square" method. To set up the Tempest from squares, align the squares up and down the hall. Then have each couple three come up and stand next to their couple one.
  3. The "four-face-four" method. Begin with a double contra (two couples in a line-of-four facing down at two more facing up, and so forth down the hall). The ones, who are facing down the hall, are all set. The twos, who are facing up, separate out to the sides and face in.

In an older version of the Tempest (Howe, 1882), only one pair of head couples leads off. As the dance goes on, more and more side couples reach the top and become head couples, until everyone is involved, similar to what is described by Dudley Laufman in the Cracking Chestnuts column about Careless Sally (CDSS News #186, September/October 2005). This allows one knowledgeable line-of-four to lead everyone else in the hall through the dance.

There are, indeed, many variations of the Tempest that can be found in American dance programs dating back through the last two hundred years. Numerous versions of the dance also can be found in England and several other European countries. Most of the European versions are in a normal "four-face-four" formation, but the ingenious formation given here seems to be a uniquely American invention. Indeed, this chestnut is often called the "Vermont Tempest," but as it was danced in much the same way in many locales up and down the east coast, we do not know where or why this Green Mountain association originated.

Whoever created the unusual Tempest formation, we believe it lends the dance great charm. It would delight us if more choreographers explored ways to recycle the Tempest formation. Many contemporary dances have been created in four-face-four (or "Portland Fancy") formation, but only a very few have been modeled on this very accessible, and yet intriguing old dance.

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