Fermat's Bicycle

(Das Fermatische Fahrrad)

or:  August in Erlangen

by Alice Silverberg and Karl Rubin

This dance was devised for the Erlangen (Germany) Scottish Country Dance group in August of 1994. The dance was written in honor of the announcement by Andrew Wiles in June of 1993 of a proof of Fermat's Last Theorem. The bicycle motif that occurs in the dance (via wheels and spokes) commemorates the fact that Erlangen is a very bicycle-friendly town.


4 x 40  bar  Strathspey
4 couple set dance
Recommended Tune:   Snow in Summer

=  woman,   = man


1-8		1's and 3's petronella figure half-way around the set, 
                with 2's and 4's stepping up and joining in.   Ending:
9-16 2's and 4's reel of four. 17-20 Right hands across (1's with 2's, 3's with 4's). 21-24 Fourth man dance up the men's side, followed by third man and fourth and third women, while second woman dances down the women's side, followed by first woman and second and first men.   Ending:
25-28 Circle to the left, at top and bottom (in groups of 4). 29-32 Half rights-and-lefts in the middle.   Ending:
33-36 First man with fourth woman cross between fourth man and first woman and cast back to women's side, while third man with second woman cross between second man and third woman and cast back to women's side.  (Ending with 4's at top, then 1's, 2's, and 3's, but 1's and 3's are on the wrong side.) 37-40 3's and 1's cross up (one place) and cast down. (Ends with 4's at top, then 1's, 2's, and 3's.)