Winds on the Tor is a Sacred Circle Dance choreographed choreographed at Glastonbury Dance Camp by “a collective group of dancers, led by Colin Harrison,” in Glastonbury, England. The dance can be done to any moderate-temp waltz, but was originally paired with the tune “The Young Brown Cow” (aka “Winds on the Tor.”) “The Wedding Gift” by Rawlins Cross of Canada has now supplanted the cow’s tune for dancers of Winds on the Tor. The Glastonbury Tor is a natural rock formation, where harder caprock has protected softer stone from eroding, leaving a hill of 518 feet. It has been a source of spiritual and mythic wonder for centuries. Winds on the Tor was one of three dances featured on the First Annual World Circle Dance Day in 2016.
| Dance Name: | Winds on the Tor |
| Choreographer: | Glastonbury Circle Dance Group, led by Colin Harrison |
| Country of Origin: | England |
| Music Genre: | Waltz |
| Dance Type: | Circle/Chain/Line: Non-partner |
| Dance Category: | Sacred Circle |
| Folk Status: | Recreational, Non-Ethnic |
| Skill Level: | Beginner |
| Energy Intensity: | Gentle |
| Tune/Song: | Any moderate-tempo waltz. “The Wedding Gift” by Rawlins Cross; “The Young Brown Cow” aka “Winds on the Tor” |
| Time Signature: | 3/4 waltz |
| Dancer Formation: | Closed Circle |
| Hand Hold: | Individuals or V-pos |
| Leads to: | R w/ R |
| Date Taught: | 1/16/2024 |
| Teacher: | Mary Ellen, Dee |
| Published: | January 10, 2024 |
| Updated: | September 9, 2024 |
Originally choreographed for joined hands, most groups now prefer to dance as individuals, so that more arm motions can be incorporated; possibly with scarves.
The Tor on Glastonbury Hill is where Joseph of Aramatia, the uncle of Jesus, was thought to have brought the chalice and the spear after the crucifixion. The Well and the Hill are thought by many to be the place where the veils parted most between the worlds of wonder and the mundane. In any rate, a sacred height for centuries, even millennia! And the wind, she still blows across the grasses there.
Glastonbury, England Circle Dance Group (notes no longer found on web)
World Circle Dance Day, scheduled to coincide with the Findhorn Festival of Sacred Music and Dance on the second Sunday in July, is when hundreds of groups and gatherings of peoples dance the same dances across the world. “World Circle Dance Day is a celebration all over the world, a wave of Love and Peace, an intention experiment, a cosmic festival, and a lot of fun! It reminds us that there are so many people who value beauty, harmony, synchrony, and community.” You can find videos from past events on YouTube.