File: macinnislargus-oh-quadrillecalls_M.mp3
Speakers:
LM – Largus MacInnis
KP – Ken Perlman
LM Quadrilles, you started in by salutin' your partner and then you go eight hands 'round. And then the two head couples would go right and left. And the ladies would change [chain] across to opposite gents. And then they'd change back to partners and promenade forward. The side couples done the same, and after that was all over they'd either promenade eight or they'd go right hand to your partner, grand right and left till they met their partner, and then they'd swing and then the first figure was over.
KP What was the second figure like?
LM Well, everybody had a different way of callin'.
KP What was the way you used to call it?
LM Well I had two different ways. One we started out the first lady gave right hand across to opposite gent and back with the left, and then right hand to partner and they'd go half right and left. And the ladies would change across to their opposite partner and they'd swing and change back, and then the first lady on the side would do the same. And they'd change, the ladies would change across to their opposite and swing, and change back. And you done that twice on each, the head couple and the side couple. And then when the last couple got through they either promenaded around the room or they went right hand to your partner, and once they got to their partner that was another figure.
KP What was the third figure?
LM The third figure, they all joined hands and went around and then they broke away to the left and went four hands – Like two couples went four hands around, and then they went right and left and they changed partners. And they changed in line instead of changing back; they kept on going till they got back to their partner. And when that was over they doubled up the opposite way and went right and left, and the two ladies changed to their opposite partner, and then they changed back after the – And then they promenaded all around the room, the four couples. And that ended the third figure. And the fourth figure, they started out by grand changing, and when they got to their partner they done what they called balance your partner, and you were supposed to step-dance, and then you'd swing your partner.
KP While stepdancing?
LM No. You quit stepdancing.
KP Did they stepdance in place?
LM Yeah. After they promenaded round the room they'd balance their corner lady and they'd turn around to swing their party [partner?] and then they'd promenade with the lady they balanced till they got back to their partner. And then they joined hands, and the ladies got in the center and the gents went out, caught hands and went outside and then they put their hands all over the women's heads and went around again and they grand changed to their opposite, to the lady across the room. And after they swung the lady across the room they turned the lady on their left. And then the ladies grand changed and went to their partner; they promenaded back to their places. So that was the end.