Separate and Turn Second Couple.—The gentleman joins left hands with second lady, and swings her half around; at the same time the first lady joins left hands with second gentleman and swings half around; the first gentleman and his partner meet, facing each other. The first couple repeat these movements with each other, and each succeeding couple until they reach the bottom. Then the first couple join hands and dance up the middle to their former places at the top. The gentlemen march to the left and the ladies to the right in line, and come up the middle to places. The top couple dance down the middle to the bottom and become bottom couple. Top and bottom couples begin the figure over again, and continue until the first couple have reached their places again at the top. Sometimes, in the march, when the first couple, having marched down the outside, meet at the bottom of the set, they stop, join hands and raise their arms, allowing all the other couples to pass under. This leaves them at the bottom of the lines.
The calls for the Virginia Reel are as follows:
First gentleman and last lady forward and back.
First lady and last gentleman the same.
First gentleman and last lady swing right hands.
First lady and last gentleman the same.
First gentleman and last lady swing left hands.
First lady and last gentleman the same.
First gentleman and last lady swing both hands.
First lady and last gentleman the same.