Video: Mrs Stewart of Fasnacloich
Mrs Stewart of Fasnacloich
RSCDS Leaflet – No. 18
(Reel)
1 – 4 1st and 2nd couples petronella turn into centre to face partners and set.
5 – 6 1st and 2nd couples turn partners by right hand three-quarters way round, then, retaining partners’ hands.
7 – 8 1st and 2nd couples dance right hands across halfway round to finish, 2nd couple in first place and 1st couple in second place, on own sides.
9 – 16 2nd, 1st and 3rd couples dance reels of three on the sides. To begin, 1st couple, giving right hands, cross over to third place. (Fig. 1). 1st couple finish facing second corners; 2nd and 3rd couples dance the long way round into place.
17 – 20 1st couple dance half a diagonal reel of four with second corners. Then 1st couple turn each other by the left hand to face first corners.
21 – 24 1st couple dance half a diagonal reel of four with first corners, passing left shoulders. Then 1st couple pass each other by the left to finish back to back in the centre, 1st man facing up, 1st woman facing down.
25 – 27 1st man dances three hands round with 3rd couple, while 1st woman dances three hands round with 2nd couple.
28 – 30 Releasing left hand, 1st man leads his circle down the women’s side, while 1st woman leads her circle up the men’s side to form a large circle. Six hands round to the left. (Fig. 2).
31 – 32 All 3 couples set.
TACNotes:’
19-20 1st cpl dance a wide LH turn instead of passing L shoulder.
24 1st cpl pass L shoulder.
25-30 Controlled slip steps. If 1st cpl release LH in the small circles at end of bar 27, then large circle may be formed by end of bar 28.
Ysobel
John Drewry, Bankhead Part 5
1973
Strathspey – 3 couples – 32 bars
Tune “Mrs Stewart of Inverugie”
by William Marshall 1st Collection page 35
see also The Athole Collection page 107
1 – 4 1st and 2nd couples dance petronella turns into the middle to face partners and set to partners.
5 – 6 1st and 2nd couples turn partners with the right hand three quarters round and retain hold of hands.
7 – 8 1st and 2nd couples dance right hands across half way round to finish on own sides having changed places. 2nd couple stay facing out.
9 – 16 2nd, 1st and 3rd couples dance reels of three on the sides.
To begin, 2nd couple dance out and down,
1st couple, giving right hands, dance down crossing over to reel on opposite sides,
3rd couple dance out and up.
At the end, 1st couple dance in to finish back to back facing second corners and 2nd and 3rd couples dance the long way round into place.17 – 20 1st couple dance half a reel of four with second corners. At the end, 1st couple pass each other by the left to face first corners.
21 – 24 1st couple dance half a reel of four with first corners. At the end, 1st couple pass each other by the left to finish back to back in the middle with the man facing up and the woman facing down.
25 – 26 3rd and 2nd couples face diagonally in and 3rd, 1st. and 2nd couples set.
27 – 29 3rd couple and 1st man, and 1st woman and 2nd couple, dance three hands round to the left. At the end, 1st man, releasing his left hand, leads his string down the women’s side, while 1st woman, similarly, leads her string up the men’s side.
30 – 32 Six hands round to finish on own sides in the order 2,1,3.
Repeat, having passed a couple.
NOTE This dance, devised in 1973, was used by the Publications Committee in that year as the basis for the reel “Mrs Stewart of Fasnacloich” – a dance which has always disappointed me – I do not like left shoulder reels of four and I think that setting should come at the beginning of a phrase rather than at the end. My feeling, for a long time, has been that Mrs Stewart was never the same woman again after she was interfered with by the committee!
I am publishing the dance in its original form in the hope that dancers will enjoy it this way.
Video: Follow Me Home
Follow Me Home
RSCDS Book 38 – No. 3
32-bar jig for three couples in a four-couple longwise set
1 – 8 1st couple set and, giving right hands, cross over and cast off one place on opposite sides. 1st couple, giving left hands, turn to join right hands with first corners in balance in line position. 2nd couple step up on bars 5-6.
9 – 10 1st couple and first corners balance in line.
11 – 16 Releasing left hands with partner, 1st couple turn first corners halfway. 1st couple, followed closely by first corners, dance clockwise halfway round the set, passing behind second corners. 1st couple dance in to join right hands with partner and left hands with second corners. 3rd woman finishes in 1st man’s place and 2nd man finishes in 3rd woman’s place.
17 – 18 1st couple and second corners balance in line.
19 – 24 Releasing left hands with partner, 1st couple turn second corners halfway. 1st couple, followed closely by second corners, dance anticlockwise halfway round the set, passing behind 1st corners. 1st couple pass each other by the left to finish in second place on opposite sides facing out. 3rd man finishes in 1st woman’s place and 2nd woman finishes in 3rd man’s place. All are on opposite sides in the order 3, 1, 2.
25 – 28 3rd , 1st and 2nd couples dance half reels of three on the sides, 3rd and 1st men and 1st and 2nd women passing by the left to begin.
29 – 32 2nd, 1st and 3rd couples set and, giving right hands to partners, cross over.
Repeat, having passed a couple.
Devised by Ellie Briscoe, Alexandria, Virginia.
Original tune: Miss Catherine Stewart, Pettyvaich (William Marshall)
The Manual of Scottish Country Dancing:
Bars 11-16 The half turns should be completed in one bar to ensure the corners finish in new place. Similarly for bars 19-24.
TACNotes:’
11-16 1st cpl half turn corners, on bar 11, & release hands. Corners follow closely without going back through corner position.
19-24 Bar 19 as well as bar 11 above.
Video: The Deil amang the Tailors
The Deil amang the Tailors
RSCDS Book 14 – No. 7
32-bar reel for three couples in a four-couple longwise set
1 – 4 1st and 2nd couples set to partners and dance right hands across halfway round.
5 – 8 2nd and 1st couples set to partners and dance left hands across halfway round to original places.
9 – 16 1st couple lead down the middle and up to finish in the middle of the set facing up. 2nd couple step in.
17 – 24 1st and 2nd couples dance an allemande.
25 – 32 2nd, 1st and 3rd couples dance six hands round and back.
Repeat, having passed a couple.
Dale’s Collection of Reels and Dances c. 1799.
Original tune: The Deil amang the Tailors (Gow)
Video: Rabbie’s Reel
Rabbie’s Reel
RSCDS Book 40
(Reel)
1 – 8 1st woman, followed by 2nd, 3rd and 4th women, dances across the top of the set, down behind the men and back to place.
9 – 16 1st man, followed by 2nd, 3rd and 4th men, dances across the top of the set, down behind the women and back to place.
17 – 20 All four women dance round their partners, passing right shoulders, and back to place.
21 – 24 All four men dance round their partners, passing right shoulders, and back to place.
25 – 28 1st couple lead down to fourth place. 2nd, 3rd and 4th couples step up on bars 27 – 28.
29 – 32 All clap (eight claps).
Repeat with a new top couple.
Devised by members of Fife Council Physical Education Visiting Teacher Service for The
Fife Scottish Country Dance Festival, 1996.