La Tempête

La Tempête is probably the oldest mescolanze dance (four face four dance) found in England (and by extension the US and Scotland). The Regency Dance site suggests that this form of dancing grew out of an uncommon format for dancing cotillions where the four couples do not stand in a square, but rather as two couples on a side facing two other couples. And then someone had only to add a progressive move and a mescolanze was born.

As far as I know G.M.S. Chivers was the first to use the word mescolanze which he says means medley (google translate suggests it is the Italian word for "mixture"). But the dances are not musical medleys. Perhaps it is the people who get mixed up.

English speakers seem to have found La Tempête difficult to spell. Sometimes it is translated as "The Tempest" which seems reasonable, but sometimes it was spelled as Tempẽte and Tom Pate in the UK, and Tempète, Tempete, Tampete, and Tom Pete in the US.

It is hard to make a coherent story of this dance, I simply present an evolutionary bush, with many disconnected branches, many missing links, and probably a missing root.

Playford's dances from 1651 did not mutate, but were republished word for word (ignoring printers' errors) by the Playfords and later Walsh for 70 years. In contrast this dance mutated wildly in its first fifty years, and no two descriptions are alike. By the 1860s things settled down a bit and several distinct variants became established.

The variants of the dance seems to use the figures that were popular at that time, starting out with early quadrille figures, and then using figures popular in the 1850s, and finally using partner swings for the two most recent variants.

From the comments in the dance descriptions it is clear that the dance went in and out of favor, with several revivals, and often with no recollection of the fact that it had been enjoyed twenty years previously.

Although it seems closely associated with quadrilles, with many authors noting that it uses quadrille figures, and quadrille steps, no one seems to have thought of dancing it as a quadrille until Reilley in Philadelphia did so in 1870. His version of the dance begins with a circle eight which ends in lines of four, with this beginning it is possible to switch from the square formation of the quadrille, into the four face four formation. Reilley does not provide a way to switch back, so this would have to be the last figure of whatever quadrille it was danced in.

The steps used for the dance are mostly not specified. Some figures have steps specific to them (as the "gallop step" when galloping). In ~1866, Routledge (London), says it should use the same step as the quadrille. However, a little research suggests that by 1820 there were more than 20 steps used in the quadrille, many of them quite complicated. Perhaps things simplified over the next forty years?

• Early Versions
• The 1850s
• The later part of the 19th century
• The 20th century
• The Tempest
• Original Text Comparisons
• Bibliography

Early Versions

The earliest version of the dance that I have found comes from Leipzig, Germany 1802, in Johann Heinrich Kattfuß's Choregraphie Oder Vollständige Und Leicht Falssiche under the title of "Der Tempẽte". Tempẽte however is a French word so there is probably an earlier French incarnation which I have yet to find.

The scan on the Library of Dance site has an illegible page, nonetheless I asked Adger Williams and Evelyn Hart to give me a precis of what they could read from it:

• The text starts out by saying that this is a dance which everyone dances incorrectly, implying that there are earlier sources I haven't found and that the dance had already mutated into several different forms.
• Then a discussion of how to set up the floor for a four face four dance
• The first figure is said to be a right hands across star (with all the dancers active (I think))
• The second figure is left hands back
• 3rd figure: Chasse with one couple on each line going through the other couple as they switch sides.
• 4th figure: two circles of four people
• 5th figure: The center four people dance together, but exactly what I'm not sure as the text becomes illegible here.
• 6th figure: chasse back
• 7th figure: Further dancers break through couple near them and each turns alone "deutsch" (I'm guessing some form of allemande).
(There is no eighth figure, which seems an odd length for a dance.)
• Then a description of how to wait out at the top and bottom of the set

Someone else has managed to figure the text out better than we did and has posted their interpretation online.

The first English version was published by Joseph Binns Hart in his Hart's Second Set of Quadrilles, ~1819. Although it claims to be a book of quadrilles, his version of the dance is not a quadrille, but is a mescolanze. Hart calls this dance "Hart's Tempẽte Dance":

Hart's figure has very little in common with Kattfuß's. It starts with rights and lefts, rather than a star; and going through the rest of the figures they all seem different with the exception of what I call a "couples' mad robin". But both dances share the concept of having the center four dancers perform a standard four person figure while the outside dancers do a similar two person figure.

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.

---

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.

The music consists of four 8 bar strains in 2/4 time.

As was usual at this time only the minor set at the top of the hall would begin dancing. The others would wait, doing nothing, until the original top line came down to them, then they would start dancing, slowly moving up the line until they reached the top. There they would wait out one time through the dance, turn around and progress down the hall.

Meanwhile the top line would continue down the hall until they reached the bottom, then they would wait out one turn, turn round and start dancing up. When the top couple reached the top of the hall they would stop, and wait, for the dance was not over. All the other couples would keep dancing until they had reached their original places.

G.M.S. Chivers published his first book containing mescolanze dances in 1821 (a couple of years after Hart's dance). His first book does not contain a version of La Tempête. However in about 1825 he did publish a version of the dance in his Dancing Master in Miniature, which he called "Tempete Dance".

Right and Left lead outsides, the couple at left passing in front — back again, the other couple passing in front — the centre four hands across, and back, while outsides turn with both hands set in lines, and lead through

-- Courtesy of Werner Josten Performing Arts Library, Smith College

Chivers's version is very like Hart's, except that he has the center dancers doing hands across rather than hands round, and the peculiar setting that Hart fails to describe well becomes just Set in lines. Chivers says lead outsides but the following description is so different from any other use of that term, that I'm going to ignore it and just assume he's describing the same move as Hart, which seems likely from the rest of the description. I'm also assuming that right and left means a grand chain.

At this point the dance may have fallen out of favor. I have found no further examples of it in books for a couple of decades.

A version pops up again in Germany in 1842, Johann Nicolaus Liller's Tanz-Kunst.

ist ein französischer Tanz. Die Tanzenden müssen in folgender Ordnung stehen: 22 11 33 44 sich das Gesicht zutehrend.	(Tempête) 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.
German translation by goggle translate, cleaned up by George Williams

The figure is rather different, but it remains a mescolanze with the central four people being active, however Hart's version of the dance also has the outside pairs doing something similar to the center ones (two hand turns for circles, and hand turns for hands across), while Liller doesn't mention that. Liller also introduces a new figure of his own where everyone rotates around the set (some clockwise, some counter-clockwise).

The 1850s

Then in the early 1850s there is a flurry of activity, with many versions popping up in the US, and one in Scotland, and finally, at the end of the decade, one in England. The US versions claim to be exact copies of the way it was danced in Europe, or London (each version is different and gives a different source), but I cannot find any descriptions of the dance in those places from which the US sources may have sprung. It's not until 1859 that I find a London version which claims This is the original method, as danced in Paris. Yet what the original Paris version may be I do not know. The English seem to have forgotten that it had been danced in London forty years before.

In all three versions that appeared in New York in 1851, the instructions say that all dancers start at once. Although this seems normal today, it was very unusual in the 1850s.

Also two of the three versions start with "advance and retire" which became a mainstay of subsequent versions of the dance, and indeed still starts most modern Contra four face four dances.

In 1851 in New York, Burnton published a dance he called The Original Tampete:

This popular dance is danced by any number of couples, standing as above at the commencement, all begin at once.

1. All forward and back, (4 bars) half right and left (4 bars) forward and back, (4 bars) half right and left to place. (4 bars)
2. Couples Galop eight steps to the left, (4 bars) then eight steps to the right, (4 bars)
3. Small stars (each double couple form a star. Ladies cross hands, Gents also round eight steps to the left (4 bars) change eight steps to the right (4 bars)
4. Grand star (Four couples Ladies take Gents arms & cross hands in centre, eight steps round to the left, (4 bars) change Gentlemen swing in centre and cross hands, Ladies remain on Gents arms outside, eight steps round to the right (4 bars))
5. Circles (Each double couple form a circle, hands round, eight steps to the left, (4 bars) eight steps to the right. (4 bars))

All advance_first couple holding hands up, others passing quick through, and advance to the new couples. This forms the first figure again, and must therefore be no time lost, when passing through to the next.

These are the original and true figures as danced in Europe.

It does not have a figure where the center four people work together, but there is a "grand star" (star promenade) which involves everyone. It seems to retain the "couples mad robin" figure, if I'm interpreting it correctly.

Also in 1851, and also in New York Mr. Whale and his daughter published two versions of the dance as danced at the Queen's Last Ball. Whale seems to have been uncertain of the spelling, sometimes using "La Tempète" and sometimes "La Tampete":

#1

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.

#2

Couples Gallop once round and reverse, Forward and back and change partners with opposite Gent, Ladies Grand Chain, Right and left once round and turn partners, Forward and back and return with your own partner, All forward and back and pass to next, Vis a Vis.

Both of these seem to retain the "couples mad robin" figure, and the first has signiture four people in the center dance a figure together, while those on the sides do something similar.

By 1853 (perhaps as early as 1850) Joseph Lowe published two version of the dance in Scotland. In the first, which he claims to be the "original figure" and the one he teaches, does not have any interaction unique to the central four dancers, and is unlike any older version I've found, however, this is the version the (R)SCDS used as the basis of their dance. The second version is similar to Whale's first version from the US (Not that Lowe got it from Whale, or vice versa, but probably both got it from a source in London which I haven't found). In both his versions Lowe has only the top minorset starting the dance; Lowe does not suggest dancing round the room (sicilian circle style), as Scottish dancers seem to do today.

ANY number of couples can join in this Dance, arranging themselves four and four across the room, and all facing the top except the first couple, who face the other way, the Ladies standing on the right of their partners, thus- 1st Couple, L. G. L. G. 0 + 0 + 2nd Couple, G. L. G. L. + 0 + 0 3rd Couple, G. L. G. L. + 0 + 0 Each line as they arrive at the top, face about to be ready to commence.
Original Figure, as danced by Mr. Lowe's Pupils. The couples on the right of each line, at angular corners, do hands across and back again to places (8 bar); the couples on the left of each line do the same (8 bars); all eight set and turn partners (8 bars); all eight gallopade across each other, the couples on the right of each line passing in front (4 bars) back again, the other couple passing in front (4 bars). The couples opposite to each other go hands four round (4 bars), all giving left hands, do hands across back again (4 bars); all eight advance and retire, and give three claps with the hands (4 bars); then the couples dancing down the dance pass under the arms of those dancing up (4 bars); then commence the figure with the next couples; then do the same figure with every line till they arrive at the end of the dance, then face about and dance up again.	Figure, as danced at the Edinburgh Assemblies. The 1st and 2nd lines advance and retire twice (8 bars); the same lines gallopade across each other and back again (8 bars); then gallopade across repeated (8 bars); the four in the centre go hands round and back again, while those on the sides turn each other with both hands (8 bars); the four in the centre go hands across and back again, while those on the sides turn each other by the right and left hands (8 bars); the two lines advance and retire (4 bars), then the first couples pass under the arms of the second couples (4 bars), then commence the figure with the couples facing them. This is almost the same as Whale's first version (New York, 1851), the only difference being that Lowe gallops across the line twice, while Whale only does it once.
Courtesy of National Library of Scotland, licensed under:

In 1855 a new version of the dance published by Washburn in Maine with a radically different starting formation (still with four couples in the minor set). In this version only the top minorset would start dancing, a tradition that lasted into the 20th century.

This version quickly spread through out New England and it was (almost) always called "Tempest" rather than Tempête. Dance manuals out of Boston would often publish two versions one called "The Tempest" and the other some variant of "La Tempête". In 1869 Howe assigned a jig tune to "The Tempest" and a reel to "La Tempête". It took longer for "The Tempest" to reach New York or other parts of the country, but eventually "La Tempête" mostly died out in the US and all that was left was "The Tempest". For more information on how "The Tempest" evolved click here to go to the section on it.

In 1857 Hillgrove, in New York, published a version which was the same as Whale's first version. And in 1858 Elias Howe published two versions, one titled "The Tempest" which was just the same as Washburn's, and one called "Tom Pete" which was similar to, but not the same as, Whale's. Both of them republished these same dances in their later publications (of which Howe had many), but Howe did change "Tom Pete" into "La Tempete" in later versions.

In 1859 Bohn in London published a version of the dance very similar to one of Whale's versions, presumably confirming Whale's claim that his version came from "the queen's last ball."

Four couples arrange themselves in two lines opposite each other, then advance, retire, and cross over; and afterwards repeat to their places. The two opposite couple in the centre, cross hands, those outside turn. Hand four round, and then back to places. Then right advance and retire: top line pass throught next line, and, finally, repeat the whole to the bottom of the room. As many sets as can find room may stand up in this manner, each four couples face to face, and the whole may commence at the same time, the top couples passing to the bottom, and the bottom to the top. This is the original method, as danced in Paris, and, as it possesses much simplicity and grace many prefer it.

The "couples mad robin" figure has been lost in this version, but having the center four do a figure with the sides doing a related figure is present. Bohn recommends starting the dance all at once, just as Whale and Burton did, he claims this is how they do it in Paris (I'd like to find a source from Paris!)

The latter part of the 19th Century

The evolution of the dance slowed down, and many books simply republished earlier versions of it. Some publishers would go so far as to reorder the figures, but it remained basically the same dance.

It spread about the English speaking world, with versions of it popping up in Canada, Ireland, and Australia.

In about 1862 Mrs. Nicholas Henderson in London introduced a new figure into the dance. Instead of the couples mad robin she has the top couples pass inside the bottom couples as they change places, and then change back with the new top couples passing between the new bottom couples (a standard quadrille figure). This version became quite popular with many others reprinting the same figure, in England, the US, and Canada.

The new dance known by this name, was lately introduced into Paris, and is now in high repute in the Soirées Dansantes, and the fashionable circles in England. It may be truly represented as a general favourite, as it only requires an intimate knowledge of the figure to make it both agreeable and suitable for all ages. It admits of the graceful and cheerful movement of the quadrille, but has the advantage over it, that, like a country-dance, it establishes an entente cordiale amongst all who engage in it. Like the quadrille, however, it is arranged in parties of four couples, but the arrangement is different. Two couples stand face to face (or vis-à-vis), and there are no side couples. As many sets of four couples as the room will hold may thus be arranged; the first line of each new set standing with their backs to the second line of the former set. The figure of the dance admits of only two couples in a breadth, but it may be as long as the Crystal Palace.

FIRST PART

Arrange two couples in a line across the room, and see that each gentleman has his lady on his right hand; opposite these arrange other two couples as vis-à-vis. Then two couples more with their backs to the preceding; with other two as their vis-à-vis; and so on with any number of four ouples that the room and the company will admit of

The dance is commenced by all the couples at the same time, who advance and retire twice, hands joined. The leading couples (that is, all with their backs to the top of the room) then pass, with hands joined, to the places of their respective vis-à-vis. The vis-à-vis at the same time separating, pass outside the leading couples to the places of the latter, where they join hands and return to their own places and back to the top, without separating hands; the top couple at the same time pass outside, hands apart. The latter then join hands and pass to their own places between the opposite couple, who separate and pass outside to their own places.

The lady and gentleman in the middle of each line then join hands giving their other hand to their vis-à-vis, and all four in a circle to their places. At the same time, the other lady and gentleman on each side respectively perform the same movement with a circle of two instead of four

The circle of four then perform hands across round; change hands; round again, and back to places. Each outside couple does the same figure in twos. The whole of the company are performing the figure at the same time.

SECOND PART

Then all advance and retire, and re-advance. The top lines pass the bottom lines, into next places, where they recommence the figure, their late vis-à-vis having passed to the top, and turned round to wait for new vis-à-vis; the gentleman taking care to have the lady always on the right hand. Thus at the conclusion of each figure, a general change of vis-à-vis and places has take place; for, as the top lines are passing down, the bottom lines are passing up, till the top line reaches the bottom, and the bottom the top, where they turn round, and proceed in a similar manner to their original places. Here, if the party be large, the dance terminates; but it may be repeated at pleasure by going down and up again.

The figure of the dance may be varied as follows:— All advance and retire twice (hands joined). All vis-à-vis couples chassez croisez en double; each gentleman retaining his partner's left hand; eight galop steps (4 bars); dechassez eight steps (4 bars); the couple on the right of the top line passing in front of the couple on their left the first time returning to place, passing behind. Thus two couples are moving to the right and two to the left. This is repeated. The vis-à-vis couples do likewise at the same time. This of course applies to all the couples, as all commence at the same time.

When the figure is properly performed, the dance is particularly social, cheerful, and amusing, and combines the excitement of the country dance with the grace and elegance of the quadrille, whilst, at the same time, it symbolically illustrates the singular vicissitudes of the social condition of the land which gave it birth, or, at least, celebrity — the top going down, and the bottom going up.

The first paragraph matches the first paragraph of Hillgrove's description of 1857 (New York), although the second sub-figure does not match, much of the rest does.

The alternate version is again almost the same as Whales's and Hillgroves's except that the chassez croisez en double is repeated while in their's the double forward and backs are repeated.

Reilley (Philadelphia, 1870) 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.

Reilley's version of the dance is unique in that it is a mixer for the people who were in the side couples of the original quadrilles. If you do exactly what Reilley says to do you will end with men facing men and women facing women on the sides, which seems wrong for this dance.

The dance runs until everyone returns to their original places, whereupon the everyone is reunited with their partners.

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.

Ten years later Carpenter (also in Philadelphia) cleaned up Reilley's work making it so the side couples progressed with their partners. The first circle runs a little further so that the 1s are at the ends of their lines rather than in the middle.

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.

In about ~1880, James Scott Skinner of Aberdeen published a version where the outside couples do not do hand turns while the inside couples circle or star. Instead the outside couples poussette or valse. As far as I know no one else copied this idea, but Skinner published it again in 1898.

La Tempete. Combination of Quadrille and Country Dances. Arrange (across the room) double couples, facing each other — Third backs to to second, and face fourth so on for an unlimited number.

1. Advance and retire twice holding hands and forming two lines of four.
2. Gallop across, holding partner's hands, opposite couples pass outside
3. Repeat the same with the difference that the couples who passed inside are now outside.
4. The four inside cross hands and back; the two on each side poussette or valse
5. Join four hands, turn round and back again, side couples as above.
6. All advance and retire, by four holding hands — Advance again, the top couple passing through below second couple's arms.

It may be remarked that when the couples reach top and bottom of the dance they should change sides — The gentlemen having to make certain that their ladies are on the right.

The 20th Century

La Tempête was fading into oblivion at the start of the 20th century, but there are still a few examples from this time period worth noting.

Probably the most significant version is the one published by the (Royal) Scottish Country Dance Society in 1925. It is the first dance in their second book. There are two slightly different versions given in the book, the first is in the standard four face four formation we expect, while the second is an improper two face two (duple minor) round the room (sicilian circle) dance. If you look at the Scottish Country Dance Database and Dictionary they both claim the four face four version of the dance should be done round the room as well, but the book shows a longways dance with four lines of two couples each, not a round the room dance. In his The Modern Dancing Master, Chivers, London, 1822 describes dancing four face four dances round the room. He calls this a Chivonian Circle.

Chivers in his Modern Dancing Master

The earliest example of a round the room version of La Tempête comes from Philadelphia, 1903, Albert W. Newman's A Complete Practical Guide to Modern Society Dancing, and he, also, only suggests using the round the room format for a two face two version of the dance.

The couples stand in fours across the room, all facing the top, except the first two couples, who face down. Women on the right of their partners (See Fig.)

MUSIC	DESCRIPTION
Bars.
1-4	Couples 1 and 4 dance four hands across with right hands.
5-8	And back again with left hands.
9-12	Couples 2 and 3 dance four hands across with right hands.
13-16	And back again with left hands.
17-24	All four couples set twice and turn partners with both hands.
25-28	All four couples, partners facing each other and joining both hands, slip across to one another's places, men passing back to back.
29-32	Slip across back to places, women passing back to back.
33-36	{ First and third couples dance four hands round to the left. Second and fourth couples dance four hands round to the left.
37-40	The same couples giving left hands, dance four hands across back to places.
41-43	All four couples advance (two steps) and retire (one step).
44	Give three claps with the hands.
45-48	Couples 1 and 2 dancing down the dance, pass under the arms of couples 3 and 4, who are dancing up.
	Repeat, with next two couples, and do the same figures with every line until they arrive at the bottom of the dance. As each line reaches top or bottom of the set, change to correct side of partners and stand during one turn of the dance.
	NOTE.— This dance can also be done in groups of four in a circle in which case bars 9-16 are omitted.

Collected locally.

Note: this is almost the same as Lowe's first description from ~1850. The couple mad robin figure (bars 25-32) has become a couple do-si-do, and the way the progression happens in bars 45-48 is different. Lowe has couples pass under, the RSCDS has individuals pass under.

In 1917 Hofer, in Chicago published the first version which might have a partner swing in it. This version seems to be based on Burnton's 1851 version which had mostly been ignored up until now. The chassées across the set with partner have become up and down with opposite. The grand star (star promenade) has been omitted. This version of the dance has lost the interest of a true four face four dance, it is simply two contra lines stuck together, each line doing the same thing.

La Tempete Originale

FORMATION. Lines of two couples, facing each other, the length of the room.

1. Couples join hands, forward, bow; back and bow; swing to place.
2. Chassez with opposite partner, down the room and back to place; then in the opposite direction, back to place.
3. Couples cross right hands and mill to the left half way round; left hands to place; repeat in opposite direction.
4. All forward and back; forward and pass thru two lines. In this way all change positions. End couples should turn around to face oncoming couples. Repeat until all couples have danced thru. The end couples must turn and work back in the other direction. Where there are many dancers they may form in fours instead of twos.

Then in 1954, Sibyl Clark collected a version of the dance from Northamptonshire, where it was still danced as part of their old dancing tradition (and not as a modern reconstruction). It's name had become "Tom Pate" and some partner swings had crept in to it, but it still is recognizably the same with the middle four people doing a four person figure while the sides do something comparable, and it has the couples mad robin, slightly modified to be in ballroom hold.

John Sweeney later suggested dancing this as a double sicilian (round the room) dance, but that isn't mentioned in the original article in English Dance & Song.

TOM PATE

Collected by Sibyl Clark

This dance has appeared in programmes in a Northamptonshire village for over 40 years, and it wasn't until quite recently that on the death of the pianist the original manuscript of La Tempête (The Tempest) was found.

The figures of the dance closely resemble those found in other parts of the country. Perhaps you might like to try it:—

Music. Any good reel tune of regular length.

Progressive Longways

Two couples facing two couples

8 Bars	Lines of four go forward and back twice.
8 Bars	Centre four form a right hands star Back by the left While the Outsides (Opposites) have a long open or cross hand swing (Pivot).
8 Bars (4 Bars out & 4 Back)	With Partner gallop sideways (as in Cumberland Square). Passing the couple besides you.
8 Bars	Forward and back with Partner (inside hands only) Forward again, those progressing down set make the arch.

KEITH UTTLEY

In 1956, Rickey Holden's The Contra Dance Book included no fewer that 6 different versions of The Tempest. Two of them in a Sicilian circle. In spite of the name, these two dances are variants of "La Tempete" without the starting formation pecular to "The Tempest". One of them is a duple minor format, like most Sicilians, but the other is what Holden calls "a double Sicilian" and is a four face four dance.

• A1 8 Forward 8 and back
•    8 Sashay by couples
• A2 8 Forward 8 and back
•    8 Sashay by couples
• B1 8 inside couples right hand star, outsides right and left
•    8 insides left hand star to place
• B2 8 outside couples right hand star, insides right and left
•    8 outsides left hand star to place
• C1 8 Forward eight and back
•    8 Forward eight and pass through (to next)

Finally there are two 20th century variants of "The Tempest" in the next section. The last of these, Ted's Tempest, also includes partner swings.

The Tempest

The starting formation for the Tempest is rather different from that of a standard mescolanze dance. Instead of having rows of dancers facing each other, in the Tempest formation, the head (active) dancers are facing down in a line of two couples, while the side dancers stand on the sidelines, one couple on each side (like a modern Becket formation).

In older versions of this dance only the top four couples would be active when the dance started. In this case, all dancers would start on the sidelines, and the first thing the heads would do would be to turn into the middle and start downwards.

The first example of this format is from Washburn's The Ball Room Manual, 1855 (printed in Boston, distributed in Maine):

[In taking places for this dance the dancers form in two lines, facing each other, the lady on the same side as her partner at his right. There should be an even number of couples on each side.]

The first and second couple (the couple directly opposite) down the middle four abreast, and break to the right and left; the first couple right and left with the third, and the second couple the same with the fourth; first and third ladies chain, and second and fourth the same; then the first and second couple balance to each other, swing four. The same four dance together down the whole set

Washburn provides no indication as to where his version of the dance came from. Did he make it up himself? Was it already common in Maine? Did it come over from the UK? or Europe? I've certainly not found anything remotely like this formation elsewhere.

Note that by this time most versions of La Tempête have all couples starting at once, Washburn's Tempest has only the top minorset starting as was the traditional way.

Then in 1858 Howe published essentially the same figure in his Howe's Complete Ball-Room Hand Book. He continued to publish this, word for word (though sometimes with slightly different punctuation) in various other works at least until ~1880.

Form in two lines of six or eight couples on a side.

First two couples down the centre (one couple from each line) four abreast, couples part at the foot and up abreast and each turn around opposite the next couple that was below them on starting — four on each side right and left — ladies chain with the same couple — balance, four hands round (on each side) same four down the centre, &c.

Indeed all the descriptions after Washburn describe the same dance until we get to A. Squire's Practical Prompter of Ball-Room Call Book, published in Cincinnati in 1887.

• Two head couples join hands in a line and promenade down the center; turn at foot and promenade back.
• Balance with the second couple (4 Bars)
• Circle four hands around (4 ")
• Ladies chain (8 ")
• Right and left (8 ")

Down the center again and back; repeat the changes until all are through; next time the couple at the head follow. Form in two lines facing each other up and down the hall by couples, with an even number of couples in each line.

It is taken for granted that every musician knows the music for this old but popular dance.

Instead of the line of four leading down and casting as couples to the outside, they lead down and turn as couples and come back up the center. The other figures are the same, but they have been reordered (with the right and lefts coming last rather than first). This is almost the same as Rickey Holden's version from 1956 (he changes the final rights and lefts into a promenade half and half rights and lefts). Note that still only the top minor set starts the dance.

Then everybody follows Squire until we get to Charles Link's Unique Dancing Call Book, Rochester, 1893. He has turned the dance into a 24 bar version (instead of 32 for everything before this).

Head couples down centre and back	6
Four hands round	2
Right and left	8
Ladies chain	8

16 couple in set.

It isn't clear here whether everyone starts at once, or if just the top minor set starts.

Personally I don't think you can do a circle in only two bars of music. I wouldn't want to dance this version.

In 1917 Mari Ruef Hofer has an interesting variation:

FORMATION. Couples form side by side in lines facing each other, three or four couples on each side.

1. Head couples down the center -one couple from each side- four abreast. Couples part at foot, swing outward and come up, abreast, facing the next couple below them on starting. The next figure now begins with the two couples on each side.
2. Balance forward and back, swing four hands once and a half round, visiting or head couples then pass under raised hands of the other couple and again promenade four abreast to the foot of the line, casting off on opposite side from which they started.
3. As the dance proceeds the lines move up and the leading couples in turn perform the figures and cast off as above, visiting all the other couples in the set. Only two couples dance at a time.

Here there are only two active couples at a time, no longer a dance with a minor set. However it seems to say that the active couples switch sides each time through the dance, a feature of modern Contra four face four dances, but one I haven't seen before this version. Also the figure looks more like "Pop Goes the Weasel" than any previous version of The Tempest.

In 1956, Rickey Holden's The Contra Dance Book contains no fewer than 6 versions of the dance, four of them longways dances (where everyone starts at once, and two for sicilian circles (though these are more like "La Tempête"). His first version was reprinted by Smukler & Millstone in 2008 as one of their Cracking Chestnuts.

• A1 8 Down the center four-in-line
•    8 Turn as a couple and come back home
• A2 8 Circle left with the couple below
•    8 Circle right back to place
• B1 16 Ladies chain
• B2 8 Half promenade across
•    8 Half right and left to place

The last version of this variant of the dance (that I know of) was devised by Ted Sannella and published by Larry Jennings in his Zesty Contras in 1983. As with any modern contra dance it has the obligatory partner and neighbor swings.

Original Text Comparisons

Bibliography (by date)

Acknowledgements

I am greatly indebted to all the libraries (both physical and virtual) who have permitted me to view their collections. The Library of Dance has done an excellent job of indexing online scans of original sources.

Some old sources I could not find online. The National Library of Scotland provided me with scans of several old books, as did the Werner Josten Performing Arts Library, Smith College.

John Sweeney's Contrafusion site has his own article on La Tempête, which is well worth reading, and which pointed me to some early sources I would not have found otherwise. The Regency Dance site has some interesting speculation on how the four face four format arose.

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My work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Most of the dances have more restrictive licensing, see my notes on copyright, the individual dance pages should mention when some rights are waived.