By: Charlie Watkins
Formation: Square
Music: 32 bar reel
A1 Men left-hand
star* across the set, right-hand turn your opposite (8)
Alemand
left your corner (4)
Gypsy
right partner (the
one you've just right-hand turned) (4)
A2 Melt down to a swing (16)
B1 Heads right &
left through (8)
Sides right
& left through (8)
B2 Ladies star ¾
(12)
Short swing (4)
*
In the original dance this was a man's chain, but after a suggestion by
Geoff Cubitt the chain courtesy turn was changed to a right-hand turn
to improve the flow and timing.
Man's chain: Man
approaches lady with his right hand extended, left hand behind his back.
Lady takes his right hand in her right hand and his left hand in her
left hand for the courtesy turn. He finishes on her left side as usual.
This dance was inspired by an association of ideas: In 1818 Sir William Cubitt
invented the treadmill as a form of penal punishment. Square dances put
you back where you started, making all that walking around seem rather pointless. However,
dancing is a lot more fun than walking on a treadmill! Having danced many times
with Geoff Cubitt calling, I thought 'Cubitt's Treadmill' would be a good name
for a dance.
A dance name with no dance ... the dance was finally written in April 2015 during
the American Contra and Squares week at Halsway Manor as an entry to a dance
writing competition. It was called for the first time by Geoff Cubitt with music
by the English Contra Dance Band. Oh, and it won the competition which had six
entries.
A1 Holding hands in long lines - forward and back
Ladies chain across with twirl into promenade hold
A2 Double mad robin - left hand couple going inside first
Two-hand turn the person you are moving with in the mad robin
B1 In fours, at each end of the set, circle left ¾
Swing your original partner (in the line)
B2 Circle eight ½ way
Balance forward & back then california twirl to face new line
Written by the dance composition group, Midweek Contra May 2012 at Halsway Manor with Jim Kitch, Ros Batchelor, Ilfra Carlick, Al Green, Derek Gregory, Beryl Jukes, John Portlock, Pat Watkins, Charlie Watkins, John Watson and Norma Watson.
Called at Chippenham Folk Festival 2013 by Sue Rosen. Click here to see it on youtube.