The Bonnie Lassie

{1909}

Introduction

The Bonnie Lassie is an easy two-step sequence dance composed by Professor Webb of Chiswick in 1909.

It took second place to the Valse Superbe at the National Association of Teachers of Dancing Congress that year.

The version below was described by Charles Crathorn in 1963.

The Position

Both facing LOD, holding inside hands.

The Dance

Part I - Barn Dance (4 bars): Run-2-3, hop, run-2-3, hop along LOD (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8).

Part II - Rollaway and Pas de Basque (4 bars): Rollaway with a full turn of two-step along LOD (1-and-2, 3-and-4), Lead turning left, Follow turning right. Then pas de basque away from each other (5-and-6), arcing the free hands above the head, and pas de basque toward each other (7-and-8), bringing the hands down again.

Part III - Double Chassé (4 bars): Side, close, side, close without weight along LOD (1, 2, 3, 4), then side, close, side, close without weight against LOD (5, 6, 7, 8).

Part IV - Two-Step (4 bars): Two full turns of two-step (1-and-2, 3-and-4, 5-and-6, 7-and-8).

Repeat from the beginning.

The Music

Scottish music in 2/4 time.

Sources

Charles Crathorn. (1963). Old Time Dancing. London.

For more dance descriptions, see our three books on dancing:
The Book of Mixers: 100 Easy-Teach Dances for Getting Acquainted (2022) by Richard Powers and Nick & Melissa Enge,
Cross-Step Waltz: A Dancer's Guide (2019) by Richard Powers and Nick & Melissa Enge, and
Waltzing: A Manual for Dancing and Living (2013) by Richard Powers and Nick Enge.

For full-length teaching videos, visit: University of Dance.

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