Principal of The Physical Training College, South Kensington

Figure 3a. The gentlemen walk to the centre, turn back to back, and bow-to their partners. Each man places his arm round his partner's waist, giving his left hand to the man opposite. They form a star, and gallop once round and back to places. This is repeated once more, in its entirety.

Figure 4. Visiting. The top and bottom couples start together, and "visit" the side couples. Each man leads his partner to the right side, they bow; then to the left, where they bow again. The eight dancers are then in two groups of four. Every lady gives her right hand to the lady opposite, and vice versa, and they walk round once. The left hands are then given, and they walk round the reverse way. Both hands are then joined; they gallop round twice, and return to their own places. This is repeated by the top and bottom couples going first to the left, and afterwards by the side couples.

Figure 5. Grand Chain. The dancers face their own partners, giving their right hands. The figure starts with a bow; then each dancer passes on to the next lady or gentleman respectively, giving alternate hands. The ladies all walk round in one direction, the men in the other, and meet their partners half round the circle. They bow again, and pass on in the same direction; finally rejoining their partners in their own places. The top couple then leads round, facing the reverse way, the others falling in behind them in this order - right, left, and bottom couple. The four gentlemen and ladies are then standing directly behind each other. They change places, the ladies passing in front, and bow; change back again, and bow. The top lady and gentleman "lead off," turning away from each other, followed by those dancers standing behind them. They meet their partners, and walk up the centre together, then divide into two horizontal lines, as in illustration (Figure 2, page 2281), advance and retire four steps, take their own partner's hands, and turn to their places. The grand chain follows immediately; after which the bottom couple lead round, then the right and left couples. The chain is repeated between each figure, and ends the Lancers.

The order, form, and shape of the figures remains the same when valsing as when walking; that is to say, such vital points as "corners," "sides divide," etc., remain unchanged. It is the first part of each figure that is altered. Thus, when one or more couples should walk backwards or forwards, they merely valse round the figure, and on arriving at "corners," and so on, return to the original form of the dance. In the first figure each couple valses in turn, "corners" being interpolated in their usual place. In the second, two couples valse together, finishing in position for sides divide when the music reaches the last eight bars. It is impossible to valse the third figure; but in the fourth two couples valse together, and when "visiting" the others whirl round, or valse, instead of walking. In the "grand chain" the four couples valse round the figure at once, and, instead of advancing or retiring four steps, "charge" down the ball-room.

Figure 3a. Gentlemen to the centre. After turning back to back and bowing to their partners,' the gentlemen take their partners, and forming a star, gallop once round the circle

Figure 4. The Visiting figure, in which the top and bottom couples visit the side couples. After the necessary steps, the ladies hold hands and walk round, changing hands and reversing their direction. They then join hands, gallop round twice, and return to their places. The figure is repeated, beginning on the left. The side couples "visit" in their turn

This is a description of the Lancers as they should be danced, and as they are taught to children. If there seems a wide discrepancy between these words and the behaviour of modern " lancers" let us blame the spirit of the times, which does not find the study of these older dances "worth while."

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Figure 5. The Grand Chain. The dancers face their partners, giving their right hands and bowing. Each then passes on to the next dancer, giving alternate hands. On meeting their own partners, they bow before continuing Photos, Martin Facolette