Bourrée Croisée (France)

Bourrée Croisée

France

These notes ©2016 Andrew Carnie. This dance is from the region of Berry and was originally taught in the US by Louise and Germain Hébert, who learned the dance from Pierre Panis. There are a couple of different versions of this dance out there.

Music: BAM266
Meter: 3/4
Formation: A "Quadrette": 2 couples. M facing M, W facing W, holding hands in W position in a small closed circle.
Introduction: none, start right away

Part 1: Bourrée Croisée d'Oulches

Men:
Bar 1: step on L into the center, slowly turning to face L (1), Step on R forward next to L (2), Step on L in place (3)
Bar 2: Fall on R into the center with R shoulder in (1), step on L next to R (2) Step slightly back on R (3)
Bar 3: Step back on L, slowly turning to face R (1), Step on R next to L (2), step on L in place (3)
Bar 4: Fall on R away from center with R shoulder pointing out (1), step on L next to R (2), Step slightly back on R (3)
Bars 5-16: repeat bars 1-4, three more times

Women
Bar 1: Step back on L, slowly turning to face R (1), Step on R next to L (2), step on L in place (3)
Bar 2: Fall on R away from center with R shoulder pointing out (1), step on L next to R (2), Step slightly back on R (3)
Bar 3: step on L into the center, slowly turning to face L (1), Step on R forward next to L (2), Step on L in place (3)
Bar 4: Fall on R into the center with R shoulder in (1), step on L next to R (2) Step slightly back on R (3)
Bars 5-16: repeat bars 1-4, three more times

Part 2: Croisements

Drop hands

Men
Bar 1: Take a large step on L into the center (1), step on R next to L (2), Step on L slightly in, end facing opposite M in center in a single file facing L of original position.
Bar 2: Passing opposite man face to face, step R to R (1), Close L next to R (2), Step R to R (3)
Bars 3-4: pulling R shoulder back make a complete CW turn into opposite's place using two pas de bourrée steps (LRL, RLR)
Bars 5-16: repeat bars 1-4, three more times

Women
Bars 1-2: repeat bars 1-2 of part 1
Bar 3: Take a large step on L into the center (1), step on R next to L (2), Step on L slightly in, end facing opposite W in center in a single file facing L of original position.
Bar 4: Passing opposite W face to face, step R to R (1), Close L next to R (2), Step R to R (3)
Bars 5-6: pulling R shoulder back make a complete CW turn into opposite's place using two pas de bourrée steps (LRL, RLR)
Bars 7-8: repeat bars 3-4 back to place
Bars 9-16: repeat bars 5-8, two more times.

Part 3: Bourrée Croisée Simple

repeat the footwork of part 1, except don't hold hands

Part 4: Croisements

repeat part 2

Part 5: Bourrée Croisée d'Aubigny

Men: repeat the footwork of part 1, except on count 1 of bar 2, jump on both feet sharply, and lift arms with thumbs pointed up

Women  (do epingle a cheveux steps)
Bar 1-2: repeat bars 1-2 of Part 1
Bar 3: step on L into the center, slowly turning to face L (1), Step on R forward next to L (2), Step on L in place (3)
Bar 4: Fall on R into the center with R shoulder in (1), step on L next to R (2) Step slightly back on R (3)
Bars 5-6: Leading with L, and turning CCW (the opposite way from the previous variations), do two Pas de bourrées back to place
Bars 7-8: repeat bars 3-4
Bars 9-16: repeat bars 5-8, two more times.

Part 6: Croisements

repeat part 2

End dance with a kiss on each cheek with partner. 

Other Notes on the Web

• http://www.cancoillottefolk.com/danse/fiches/bourree-croisee-berry/bourree-croisee-berry.php
• http://www.folkdance.com/LDNotations/BourreesCroisees1966LD.pdf
• Page 16 of Stockton Folk Dance Camp Syllabus (1965)
• This is a different version (Suite de Bourées Croisées) taught by Marilyn Wathen in 1985. Page 147 of Stockton Folk Dance Camp Syllabus (1985)

Bill and Karen Faust's Fayetteville Video

Other Videos on the Web

Sheet Music

• Pixton (2004) The Pinewoods Collection 2nd edition

Other sources

• Society for International Folk Dancing (1966). A Selection of European Folk Dances Vol 3: Pergamon Press.

Also spelled Bouree Croisee, Bourees, Bourée, Bourées Croisée, Suite de Bourees Croisee