Three trios WMW arranged in a 3 x 3 square set.

Here is the introduction from a magazine called "Stringybark and Greenhide, Folk magazine of Australia" Vol. 2 No. 6 December 1980:

This dance represents the system of government in Australia.  The man in the middle representing the new Parliament House.  The six women representing the Australian States.  The other two men representing the Territories.  The various movements of the dance represent the interaction of the central government, the State Governments, and the Territory Authorities, finishing with a change of Government.


-------------------------Historical note by the author ------------------------------

New Parliament House Jig
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This dance was not written with any particular genre in mind. Actually, I had been observing that dancing (at the time) was tending towards the frantic rather than sedate so I decided to attempt to write a dance that just couldn't be successfully danced at a fast pace, and the original tune was played somewhat slower than the usual tempo for jigs.

Here is the background -

I lived in Canberra from 1976 - 1981 and had a gig at a wine bar/restaurant where the architect of the proposed New [Australian] Parliament House was a regular customer. He attended a couple of bush dances at the Yarralumla Woolshed when I was playing and we had some discussion about traditional dancing and how dance and movement can be representative.

From this the idea of a dance was born and very quickly composed, together with an original tune (3x64 bar jig aptly named The New Parliament House Jig) for the pending Dance Composing Competition being held by the Sydney Bush Music Club at their 1980 festival - I'm pleased to say that it won and was published in Stringybark and Greenhide in Dec 1980.

I understand that the dance has become popular near and far - which is very gratifying. Also I believe that it has been changed somewhat and some rather exotic calls have been used by inventive callers - and of course that's the wonderful folk process at work.

The last I heard from Phil Wilson was that it was to be published (with the original tune) by Cecil Sharpe House in a collection of most popular dances. Makes me quite chuffed.

John Colville, May, 2003