Tempete ~ Carpenter

The earliest version I've found of this actually comes from Germany, though that book claims the dance was already popular so it probably has even earlier roots (I'd guess France as the original source, given the name). It was published by Johann Heinrich Kattfuß in Leipzig in 1802 Choregraphie Oder Vollständige Und Leicht Falssiche under the title of "Der Tempẽte".

In his Hart's Second Set of Quadrilles, Hart writes:

Form a line of 4, the 2 Ladies on the 2 Gentlemens right, 4 more opposite to the first 4, form lines of 4 behind the 2^d. line as many as intend to dance.

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FIGURE

The first 2 lines right and left, chassez across to the right and left with your partner, dechassez, in returning you go behind the 2^d. Couple The Center 4 hands round, the outside couple's turn and back all 8 Set quite round to the right re set to your places, the top four lead through the 2^d. line and begin the same figure with the 3^d. line & so on to the bottom of the dance.

Then another German source, in 1842, Liller wrote:

ist ein französischer Tanz. Die Tanzenden müssen in folgender Ordnung stehen: 22 11 33 44 sich das Gesicht zutehrend.	is a french dance. The dancers must stand in the following order: 22 11 33 44 ???
Hinter biesen Paaren funnen noch viel mehr Paare antreten	Many more couples can join in behind these
Die in der Mitte gegenüber stehenden Paare führen folgende Tour aus:	The couples standing opposite each other in the middle perform the following figures:
Erste Tour. Chaîne en quatre.	First figure. Rights and lefts for four.
Zweite Tour. Moulinet oder Kreuz	Second figure. Hands across (or cross).
Dritte Tour. Ronde rechts	Third figure. Circle right.
Vierte Tour. Das erste und zweite Paar chassirt an einander vorüber und wechselt die Plätze, dasselbe thut das dritte und vierte Paare. Hierauf macht das erste und vierte Paar halbe Ronde desgleichen das zweite und dritte Paar, so daß das erste Paar auf die dritte und das vierte Paar auf die zweite Stelle fommt.	Fourth figure. The first and second couples chase past each other and switch places, the third and fourth pairs do the same. The first and fourth couples circle half, and the second and third do the same, so that the first couple is where the third couple started, and the fourth where the second did.
Funfte Tour. Das erste und zweite Paar chassirt aneinander vorüber und wechselt die Plätze, desgleichen ach das dritte und vierte. Das erste und vierte Paar, somie das zweite und dritte Paar macht halbe Ronde, so daß jedes wieder auf denselben Platz zu stehen tommt.	Fifth figure. The first and second couples chase past each other and change places, as do the third and fourth. The first and fourth couples, the second and third couples make circle half, so that everyone ends up in the same place again.
Sechste und siebente Tour. Grosse Chaîne	Sixth and seventh figures. Grand chain.
Achte Tour. Alle vier Paare chassiren gegen einander und wieder zurüd, flatschen in die Hände und chassiren durch einander bergestalt, daß man nun init der zweiten vis à vis gestandenen Partie tanzt.	Eighth figure. All four couples forward and back, dropping hands and passing through to the next set of dancers.
Beide Paare fangen die bereits beschreiebene Tour mit ben Entgegenfommenden wieder an, und führen sie so lange aus, bis sie aus den Platz des Icssten Paares fommen, worauf sie sich menden und dasselbe bis auf den erten Platz zurüdtenzen.	These two couples start the above figure again with the couples waiting for them, and they continue until they reach the end of the line whereupon they turn as couples and do the same thing back to the top.

In 1851 Mr. Whale and his daughter published two versions of the dance in New York. Sometimes they spelled the dance La Tempète, and sometimes La Tampete.

Whale claims this version of the dance was danced "At the Queen's Last Ball," I presume the Queen being Victoria, but I can find no version from the UK after Chivers and before 1851. Burton (who also published in New York in 1851) claims that his version is "as Danced in Europe." His version is quite different from Whale's so presumably there was considerable variation on the other side of the Atlantic at that time.

This popular Dance is danced by any number of couples standing as above at the commencement. All begin together, — Advance and retire twice — Partners together gallop across eight steps each way, — Advance and retire twice, — Hands four round in the centre, (as above) Sides the same turning with both hands, — Hands across, (as above) Sides the same, — Advance and retire once, — Go forward to dance with the next vis a vis.

Reilley, from Philadelphia, is the first I know of to start the dance with a circle. This allows for an easy transition from a room full of quadrille sets into the four face four format used by La Tempete. With this addition, La Tempete may be used as the final figure of a quadrille which then moves the company into a different style of dancing.

However, Reilley's way of ending the circle leads the side couples facing their partners, rather than beside them. This means that partners progress in opposite directions, one going up and one going down the hall. Reilley puts some emphasis on the gent being on the lady's left, but that only can apply to the head couples. I think it makes for an awkward dance. Ten years later, Carpenter (also from Philadelphia) fixes this problem.

LA TEMPETE

Though somewhat antique, is quite an interesting and social dance. Indeed, so exhilerating are its effects, that throughout its execution, every eye is wont to sparkle and every feature to wear a constant smile, that not unfrequently breaks forth into a merry laugh.

As now danced, it is usually commenced in the form of a number of quadrilles, each of which separates into lines, facing each other, the sides forming on the leads; as in this diagram:

3	1	1	4
G.	L.	G.	L.
.L	.G	.L	.G
3	2	2	4

Thus arranged the corresponding lines of several quadrilles become continuous with each other, across the room; and while one half of the lines pass down the room in executing the figures, the other half passes up, till each reaching the top and bottom of the room, reverse and pass back through successive lines in the same manner, till regaining places, as follows:

Music — common time.

Hands all around; all joining hands going full around. 8 bars. Divide into two lines and forward and back. 4 bars. Forward and back again. 4 bars. Cross right hands round left and right. 8 bars.

Ex. The four in the centre execute the right hands across, going half round to the left, and giving left hand back to the right; while the gentlemen and ladies on the ends, present right hands, change sides, salute, and then present left hands, reversing to places, when they

All forward and back again. 4 bars. Half right and left through. 4 bars. When they form with the next line, meeting them, and all recommence the figures by executing hands all around as before.

It should be observed that when the respective lines reach the top or bottom of the room, they turn around and wait till the next line, comming after them, be ready to form as their vis-a-vis; the gentleman always taking care to remain on the lady's left all the way through; when the dance is properly executed, all the couples composing the respective quadrilles, will meet, after having passed up and down the room, at the same places where they separated, when the dance usually terminates, though it may be continued at the option of the Master of Ceremonies.

Two Carpenters (perhaps father and son?) published their version of the dance twice, first in 1879 and second in 1782. I find the second description clear and reproduce it here:

This dance requires a considerable number of couples to make it effective. It is somewhat similar to the "Spanish Dance," but with quadrille figures and music in two-four-time — six parts. The figures of this dance admit of only two couples in breadth, but as many sets of four couples as the room will hold may be thus arranged. Position of a set before the figure commences: o, a lady; x, a gentleman.

o	x	o	x
x	o	x	o

All Hand Around to Places. — 8 bars.

All All Forward and Cross Right Hands. — Here the four in the centre cross hands, forming a "Moulinet," of four; the remaining lady at each end of lines crosses hands with the opposite gentleman, each forming the half of a "Moulinet." All turn right hands half around and left hands back to places. 8 bars.

All Forward and Back. — Pass through to the next line, 8 bars. Then repeat first. After the first or any odd number of repeats there will be two couple at each end without any opposites; they must face around in line and wait till the conclusion of the next figure which brings them into action again.