If the name sounds like something out of a nineteenth-century medicine show , that’s intentional.
This dance was devised as a dance that even the rankest beginners would not be able to foul up,
and so far it has lived up to those hopes. That’s why it carries no designation as reel, jig,
strathspey or medley – it can be (and has been) used as any one of them, as the need arises.
Often it is done with just a skipping step. That doesn’t matter; its purpose is to give beginners a
sense of accomplishment, the satisfaction of having done a dance right, as early in the first lesson
as possible (although more experienced dancers have been known to enjoy it too).