Stories about the Midsummer Bonfire tradition in Cornwall (Golowan) talk about the 'peculiar hand-in-hand dance', and here it is!
Step: slip step (step-ball-change)
Formation: partners, standing side-by-side in a 'butterfly' hold, holding left hands at waist height and the dancer on the left reaching behind the dancer on the right to hold right hands at shoulder height
Here's Tan Ha Dowr with the Old Hand-in-Hand from the Cornwall Heritage Trust Schools Project:
Step: slip step (step-ball-change)
Formation: partners, standing side-by-side in a 'butterfly' hold, holding left hands at waist height and the dancer on the left reaching behind the dancer on the right to hold right hands at shoulder height
- step forward for 4
- dancer on the left lifts right arm up, turning their partner under to pull back for 4 steps
- turn each other under right and left arms, twice each
- raise joined right hands, lock elbows and spin for 4 steps, returning to the original 'butterfly' hold
Repeat lots.
Here's Tan Ha Dowr with the Old Hand-in-Hand from the Cornwall Heritage Trust Schools Project: