Notes

1

4 steps/bar. The tune should be played at a gentle walking pace, around 80-86ish.

 

 

 

 

2

Circle Figures: Try to keep the movements of the circle and the in-a-double distinct from each other. Don’t spiral in. Circle only as far around as makes sense for the set. When forming the longways set in bars 13-16 (A 1, 3 only), the sides don’t have far to go. They can lead in a double with everyone else and as the heads fall back they can orient themselves toward their corners for the upcoming star.

 

 

 

 

3

Star Choruses: The dancers on the ends of the set (i.e. the ones who balance and cast rather than making a star in the middle), can put their left hands in their pockets. Everything they do is right-handed. Also, it’s critical to turn all the stars exactlyonce around, no more, no less.

 

 

 

 

4

Arming Figure: To go from the arm right 1½ with partner to the arm left with the next person around the ring, it’s easiest to drop arms with your partner a little early and simply move past them to face the new person. Avoid the temptation to flip at the end of the arm right. The arming once around with the corner person travels noticeably slower than the arming 1½ with partner.

 

 

 

 

5

The transition from the 2nd to the 3rd star can be very disorienting, but the middles have a specific sequence of dancers to look for, which can help immensely. The ladies will dance the 1st star with the lady on their right (as you stand in the square set), the 2nd with the lady opposite them, and the 3rd with the lady on their left. The men will dance the 1st star with the man on their left (as you stand in the square set), the 2nd with their opposite and the 3rd with the man on their right. Note that this sequence doesn’t apply when you’re on an end, just when you’re in the middle.

 

6

Kalia says "At Pinewoods English Week in 2010, Jon was on staff and I was along as a camper. For reasons neither of us could fathom (since we’d been married for almost 20 years) we got housed in the “honeymoon cottage,” a delightful cabin called Boatman. It’s on the edge of Round Pond and has a tiny back porch with steps leading right down into the water. After the dancing on the first night of camp we were sitting with our feet in the water, enjoying the night. There was no breeze at all and the water was like a mirror reflecting the clear sky full of stars. When the words “pond full of stars” came into my head I knew there was a dance to be written. Round Pond itself suggested the opening circle figure, and the stars eventually sorted themselves out. Jon wrote the tune to suit the mood of the quiet, starry night."