[SCA-Dance] Suggestions for 2 couple dances?

[Jane & Mark Waks]

Elisabeth Fairchild wrote:
> Good afternoon! I am participating in a holiday Renaissance dinner theater at a local university. We are hurting for dancers this year. As of right now, we have 4 guys and 2 girls. So, unless we can get a few more people to join up with us dancers (if you or anyone you know in the Dayton, Ohio area would be interested in dancing for the show, contact me privately), we are stuck with 2 couple dances. In the past, we have already done these two couple dances: Rufty Tufty, Heartsease, Argeers, and Bizzaria (spelling?). We'd like to do something different, rather than the same old thing. 
> 
> Would anyone have a suggestion for a 2 couple dance or two that we could do? Preferably English Country. We're also in need of finding an Italian dance to do as the presentation dance. In the past, we've done Torneo Armoroso and Rostiboli Gioso. Of the dancers in the show this year, I'm only one of two who are SCA members. Out of the two of us, I'm the one with the most dance experience. However, I know mostly 3 and 4 couple dances, or progression dances. 

Several suggestions:

For two-couple dances, Anello is a particular favorite, and fairly easy 
to teach, if you're willing to think about Italian. On the ECD side, 
Parson's Farewell is fun and impressive, although fairly complex; 
Cuckolds All a Row isn't bad, either.

I've also recommend, given your gender balance, thinking about one or 
two Italian *three*-person dances. There are several early Italian 
dances that are for one lady and two gentlemen; conveniently, the two 
most obvious, Petit Vriens and Belfiore, are both easy and showy. So you 
may want to think about tossing one of those into the mix, and 
choreographing it for two sets. (Not as accurate, to be fair, but 
possibly good for a show...)

				-- Justin