Solely Good Tummas

(adapted from Softly Good Tummas by Sue Dupre)

Tune: Softly Good Tummas

Formation: A dance for one person*.   Decide on an Up and a Down for your space. Face down. Picture yourself at the top L corner of a square (You’re at Corner 1 – the corners are numbered CW around the square)

A1          Dance down the left side of the square 4 steps to Corner 2, turn 90 degrees CW and dance across the bottom of the square 4 steps to Corner 3; dance diagonally up 4 steps towards Corner 1, turn single Left back to Corner 3, clapping on that

4th beat (end facing back towards Corner 2).

A2          Reverse the pattern to return to your original spot, i.e., dance along the bottom of the square to Corner 2, then up the square to Corner 1; dance diagonally down towards Corner 3, turn single Right back to Corner 1, clapping on the 4th beat                      (end facing across towards Corner 4)

B1          Turn single R and set; balance forward and back, turn single R (end facing Corner 4)

B2          Swivel CW halfway to face Corner 1, fall back a double, come forward a double; swivel CW halfway to fall back a double, come forward a double to Corner 1 (more or less).

Notes:

• If you’re unfamiliar with Softly Good Tummas, it may be helpful to watch a video of the A1 and A2 for that dance. In my adaptation, A1 and A2 are identical to the pattern danced by the first LADY in Softly Good Tummas, but B1 and B2 differ.
• Solely Good Tummas can easily be danced by two people (Person 2 would be dancing the role of 1^st MAN as in Softly Good Tummas).
• In adapting Softly Good Tummas, I wanted a dance that 1) didn’t depend on imagining ghosts (so this version doesn’t have casting around ghosts or turning imaginary people), and 2) with a second half that resembles the overall feel of the second half of Softly Good Tummas while respecting criteria 1.