Dance: Red River Valley

Caroline Carter

Dance: Red River Valley

Music: Red River Valley Song

Level: Elementary

Type: Folkdance

Formation: Students circle in sets of six that break into two facing lines of three dancers. Trios are formed by one boy and two girls or one girl and two boys. The three join hands. All sing with great gusto while dancing the action indicated in the words of the song.

Purpose of the drill: Students will learn to work together.

Lyrics:

Oh, you lead right down in the valley,

And you circle to the left, go once around,

Now you swing with the girl in the valley,

And you swing with your Red River Gal.

Oh, you lead right down in the valley,

And you circle to the left and to the right,

Now the girls star right in the valley,

And the boys do-si-do so polite.

Oh, you lead right down in the valley,

And you circle to the left and to the right,

Now you lose your girl in the valley,

And you lose you Red River Gal.

Description:

Part A:

(1-8) Lines of three walk forward, bearing right and passing the opposite set of dancers, to meet a new line of three.

(1-8) Join hands with the new line to form a circle of six; walk eight steps.

(1-8) The center dancer in each set of three then swings the dancer to her or his right.

Part B:

(1-16) Repeat the steps from the first two acts of counts in Part A.

(1-8) Four girls (or four people on the ends of the two lines) join right hands across the center between the two lines to form a right-hand star; walk clockwise once around; drop back into place on the last two counts to clear the way for the next eight counts.

(1-8) The two center dancers do-si-do; partners face and walk around each other, starting right shoulder to right shoulder.

Part C:

(1-16) Repeat the steps for the first two sets of counts in Part A.

(1-8) The two dancers on the right of the three person lines facing one another change places by passing on the right shoulder diagonally across the set.

(1-8) The two dancers on the left side of the lines change places by passing on the right shoulder diagonally across the set.

Repeat the entire dance with new partners each time.

Count / Description
1 / Walk forward
2 / Walk forward
3 / Walk forward
4 / Walk forward
5 / Bear right
6 / Right
7 / Right
8 / Right
Join hands to form circle
9 / Walk
10 / Walk
11 / Walk
12 / Walk
13 / Walk
14 / Walk
15 / Walk
16 / Walk
17 / Center dancer swings dancers to their right
18 / Center dancer swings dancers to their right
19 / Center dancer swings dancers to their right
20 / Center dancer swings dancers to their right
21 / Center dancer swings dancers to their right
22 / Center dancer swings dancers to their right
23 / Center dancer swings dancers to their right
24 / Center dancer swings dancers to their right
25 / Walk forward
26 / Walk forward
27 / Walk forward
28 / Walk forward
29 / Bear right
30 / Right
31 / Right
32 / Right
Join hands to form circle
33-40 / Walk
41-46 / Four girls (or four people on the ends of the two lines) join right hands across the center between the two lines to form a right-hand star; walk clockwise once around
47 & 48 / Drop back into place on the last two counts to clear the way for the next eight counts.
49-56 / The two center dancers do-si-do; partners face and walk around each other, starting right shoulder to right shoulder.
57 / Walk forward
58 / Walk forward
59 / Walk forward
60 / Walk forward
61 / Bear right
62 / Right
63 / Right
64 / Right
Join hands to form circle
65-72 / Walk
73-80 / The two dancers on the right of the three person lines facing one another change places by passing on the right shoulder diagonally across the set.
81-90 / The two dancers on the left side of the lines change places by passing on the right shoulder diagonally across the set.

Diagram: