The first couple lead the march up the center of the room. As they reach the top, the first couple passes round to the right; the second couple to the left; the remaining odd couples in their order to the right, and the even couples following to the left. All thus march down their side of the room, until they meet in the middle at the bottom. There they turn up the center again four abreast. Arriving at the top, the first four wheel round by the right; the second four wheel round by the left, and so on alternately, each division marching down its side of the room. When they meet at the bottom, they advance up the center again, eight abreast. At the top of the room the first and third eight wheel to the right, and the second and fourth wheel to the left, each succeeding eight wheeling right and left alternately, down the sides of the room, meeting at bottom, and marching up the center sixteen abreast, thus forming full lines. At the top of the room all halt, the first, third, etc. (odd) lines face all to the right; the second, fourth, etc. (even) lines all to the left, the gentlemen step up by the side of their lady partners, and the front line marches off in couples to the right, the other lines following in their track, in the same manner as in the March in Columns, and finishing in the same way laid down in that march.
THE ARBOR MARCH.
All the couples march round the room in order. The first couple join right hands, stop, and raise their hands, forming an arch. The second couple pass underneath the arch, the gentleman first, and form another arch; the third couple pass under both, and also form an arch, and so on, each couple passing through the arches ahead of them in turn, until one continuous arch has been formed. The first couple (now in the rear) then passes through and out at the front end of the arbor, followed by each rear couple in succession, until the arches have all disappeared. If the number of couples is large, the first couple can follow the last couple at once under the arches, if preferred, and repeat the arbor continuously as long as may be desired. The plain march in couples is then resumed, until the line of march is in regular order again.
THE SERPENTINE MARCH.
The serpentine figure is executed in single file. The leader steps in front of his lady and leads the way up the center of the room; as each couple turns to go up the center, each gentleman steps into single line ahead of his lady, forming by degrees the whole couples into single file. When the first gentleman reaches the top of the room, he leads the way to the right entirely round and round the room, each successive round passing inside the former, describing a spiral track towards the center of the room. As soon as the inner coil becomes small, the leader turns sharp round to the left and retraces his step between the coils, until he marches between the coils entirely out of them. He continues his march until all the coils are unwound, and then each gentleman retires a step to the left of his lady partner, and the march is continued in column until all the couples have fallen into regular order again.
At the conclusion of the march, the leader stops, gives a signal for the music to be changed into a waltz, and leads off with his partner, followed by the other couples in succession.
In order to insure success in a Grand March, no gentleman can be allowed to act as cavalier to two ladies, as the movements require all to march in couples. The leader should regulate his pace to suit circumstances, endeavoring always to keep the line of march unbroken, and the couples at uniform distances from each other. The couples, also, must follow exactly in the track of those before them and of the leader, keeping correct time with the music.