Sequence entered by Betty and Wayne Siemund using a Roland D-20 and Voyetra Sequencer Gold The FLYING DUTCHMAN is a dance performed with a group of friends broken down into groups of three (3). Each group of three joins the others creating a multi-rayed star on the dance floor. The dancers move around the floor in this circle pattern. (small example given.) |--> \ | / <--3 people joining arms top view - - |--> / | \ The song starts at a nice 3/4 beat to get everyone relaxed and in the mood. SUDDENLY the song takes a fast jump into a 4/4 beat and everyone scrambles to change the dance sequence. By altering the 3/4 and 4/4 sequences, the musicians can have as much fun as the dancers by tricking them into thinking you are about to start the next sequence then jumping back to the first. The 3/4 sequence of The Flying Dutchman has the following dance instructions.(Please forgive me if you have trouble understanding all of this) The sub-group of 3 people join arms. The steps: step-step-skip(left leg out) step-step-skip(right leg out) The lenth of the steps depend on how bug the circle is and whether you are on the inside or outside of the circle. The full circle usually rotates counter-clockwise as seen from the ceiling. The 4/4 sequence explains the name of the dance. Caution and strong arms are needed or the outside people may get thrown or run into another sub-group. Often the outside people find they leave the floor's surface during this dance.( Hence they become "Flying Dutchmen") The center person releases the arm lock on either the inside or out side person, then swings the partner in 2 full circles around him(her)(similar to an arm lock jig except the center person has control.) while skipping in time with the music. The non-swinging person taps his/her foot and claps his/her hands in time with the music until it is her/his turn .The center person then changes arms to the other partner in this trio and repeates the same jig. This "figure 8" continues until the music changes to the 3/4 sequence.