The Dutch Foursome is a progressive waltz sequence danced in sets of four, similar to, and likely adapted from, the 19th century Spanish Dance.
It was composed by F. J. Mainey, founder of the I.S.D.C. (International Sequence Dance Circle), and won the Dance News trophy at the 1946 I.S.D.C Congress in Blackpool.
The version below was reconstructed by Nick Enge and Richard Powers.
Sets of two couples facing each other, one couple holding inside hands facing along LOD, and the other holding inside hands facing against LOD. Follows hold skirt with right thumb and forefinger, Leads place left hand on hip.
Intro (4 bars): Honor partners.
Part I - Glee Dance (16 bars): Stamp-swing ("Dutch Kick") away from partner (1, 2) and toward partner (4, 5), "lightly swishing floor" with the free foot as it swings in front on 2 and 5. Drop hands and walk forward three steps (1, 2, 3), passing opposite by the right shoulder, then turn to face partner, pointing free foot toward partner and taking right-to-left hands (4). Step forward one step toward partner (1), then back one step away (4). Trade places with partner with a Follow's underarm turn, the Follow doing an easy-going (90°) left turn in five steps as the Lead does an easy-going (90°) right turn in five steps (1, 2, 3, 4, 5). Repeat all to return to places (8 bars).
Part II - Waltz Square (16 bars): Taking both hands with partner, stamp-swing toward opposites (1, 2) and away from opposites (4, 5). Then turn to face opposites and trade places with them with a solo waltz rollaway away from partner (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6), the Leads turning halfway to the left (facing out of the set on the outside), and the Follows turning halfway to the right (facing the back of their opposite, passing behind him on the inside). Repeat with opposite, trading places with partner, ending up with your own partner, but half crossed over (4 bars). Then repeat all to return to places (8 bars).
Parts III & IV - Dutch Mill & Final Progression (16 bars): With a walking waltz step, star right three bars, with ladies' hands joined over the gentlemen's (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 1, 2, 3). Then turn inwards to prepare to star left (4), but keep hands free to clap hands twice, once on each of the last two counts of the fourth bar (5, 6). Then star left three bars (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 1, 2, 3), face center of set (4), and clap twice (5, 6). All join hands, take one step forward toward each other and one step back away (1, 4). Then face partners, honor partners, and take waltz position (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6). Finish by waltzing four bars past the opposite couple (passing to the right of them) to meet a new couple, opening out to open position on the last bar (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 / 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6).
Repeat from the beginning.
"Little Hollanders" by J. W. Tatersall
Here's a recording by The International Old Time Dance Orchestra, conducted by the composer of the dance, F. J. Mainey:
© 2019 Nick Enge
For more dance descriptions, see our three books on dancing:
The Book of Mixers: 100 Easy-Teach Dances for Getting Acquainted (2022) by Richard Powers and Nick & Melissa Enge,
Cross-Step Waltz: A Dancer's Guide (2019) by Richard Powers and Nick & Melissa Enge, and
Waltzing: A Manual for Dancing and Living (2013) by Richard Powers and Nick Enge.
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