(c) Neil Stuart, 2020
JOY, HEALTH, LOVE AND PEACE
A couple dance. Tune: 32 bar reel ‘A Happy Tune’ by Neil Stuart

A1
Lead in a double towards each other, clapping own hands twice on beats 2 and 3 of bar 2 (2 bars), then Turn Single Rt back to place (2 bars); into a RH Turn once around (4 bars).
A2
Lead in a double towards each other, clapping own hands twice on beats 2 and 3 of bar 2 (2 bars), then Turn Single Left back to place (2 bars); into a LH Turn once round (4 bars).
B1
Set up and down moving forward, then short cast down a place (4 bars);
Begin a full Figure 8, crossing up to start (4 bars).
B2
Complete the Figure 8 (4 bars);
2HT once around, moving up to ‘top’ place (4 bars).

The second clap in A1 and A2 coincides with the 4th step of the double.
The title for this dance comes from the first line of the folk song ‘The King’, a traditional song sung on St Stephen’s Day (26th December). The song is about the wren which is, of course, the king of the birds.
I wrote the original dance to be suitable as a ‘last dance’ of an evening, as the title sums up what I would wish for everyone. It feels particularly appropriate not just at Christmas-time but also at the end of this strange and horrific year.