5×32 Reels | Ottawa Dance Scottish

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The Lea Rig
Book 21 – No. 5
32-bar strathspey for two couples in a four-couple longwise set

1 – 16 1st couple dance a petronella turn to face each other up and down the middle and set. 1st couple repeat this three times to finish in original places. On bars 1-2, 2nd couple step up and, on bars 3-4 set. 2nd couple dance petronella turns and set, following the 1st couple one place behind. On bars 15-16, instead of setting, 2nd couple dance a petronella turn to original places.

17 – 24 1st couple lead down the middle and up.

25 – 28 1st and 2nd couples dance right hands across once round to finish facing partners in a diagonal line across the set with 1st woman and 2nd man back to back in the middle.

29 – 32 1st and 2nd couples dance a half poussette.

Repeat, having passed a couple.

Collected from an old MS.
Original tune: The Lea Rig (Surenne)

TACNotes:’
17-24 1st cpl finish in original places on sidelines.

Video: Push about the Jorum

Push about the Jorum
RSCDS Book 14
32-bar reel for three couples in a four-couple longwise set

1 – 4 1st woman and 3rd man, giving right hands, turn once round, 1st woman finishing in second place on own side and 3rd man in original place. 2nd woman steps up on bars 3-4.

5 – 8 1st man and 3rd woman, giving right hands, turn once round, 1st man finishing in the middle of the set at first place and 3rd woman in original place. 2nd couple and 1st woman step in on bars 7-8.

9 – 16 1st man with 2nd woman, 1st woman with 2nd man dance an allemande. 1st woman finishes between 2nd couple facing down and 1st man between 3rd couple facing up.

17 – 20 1st, 2nd and 3rd couples set twice. On bars 19-20, 1st couple turn left about to second place on own sides.

21 – 24 2nd, 1st and 3rd couples set twice.

25 – 32 2nd, 1st and 3rd couples dance six hands round and back.

Repeat, having passed a couple.

Skillern’s compleat Collection of Two Hundred & four Reels and Country Dances c. 1789.
Original tune: Push about the Jorum (from Gow)

No Video

Hidden Village Jig
A 32 bar jig for 2 couples
Craig Williams, May 2025

1 – 4 1st couple dance in towards each other and cast off one place. 2nd couple step up on bars 3 – 4
5 – 8 1st couple cross up between 2nd couple and dance a 1/2 figure of eight around 2nd couple.

9 – 16 1st & 2nd couple Four hands across and back. 1st & 2nd men stay facing out.

17 – 24 1st & 2nd couples dance a ladies chain. 1st man stay facing out

25 – 30 1st man, followed by 1st woman, casts to up, around 2nd woman and dances across the top of the set. 1st man casts off on the men’s side to 2nd place, while 1st woman dances down the middle to 2nd place on the women’s side

31 – 32 1st & 2nd couples set.

repeat having passed a couple

Some of the native bands fleeing the Mohawk may have ended up in the Matawatchan area. The word Matawatchan meant “hidden village” in the Algonquin language. If the village was hidden then it was hiding from something. Historically, it was most likely hidden from the Mohawks who had driven most of the Algonquin from the Ottawa Valley.

Video: A REEL FOR ALICE

A REEL FOR ALICE
A REEL FOR ALICE and OTHER SOCIAL DANCES devised by ROY GOLDRING
32 bar reel for 5 couples

1 – 8 Reels of three on the sides.
To begin, 1st couple cross down to 2nd place, 2nd couple dance out and up, 3rd couple dance in and up.

9 – 16 1st couple dance down the middle and up to the top to finish facing out – still on opposite sides.

17 – 24 1st woman progresses down the men’s side changing places with 2nd man with left hands, 3rd man with right hands, 4th man with left hands and 5th man with right hands (each change takes 2 bars). Similarly, 1st man progresses down the women’s side with right hands, left hands, right hands and left hands. 1st couple finish in 5th place facing out.

25 – 32 2nd couple dance a figure of 8 on own side around 3rd and 4th couples, dancing down between 3rd couple to begin.Meanwhile 1st couple dance a figure of 8 on the opposite side around 5th and 4th couples. 1st couple cast up behind 5th couple to begin and cross down to 5th place on own side on bars 31-32.

Repeat with new top couple.

For Alice Murphy, a good and supportive friend as well as a great dancer and teacher.
Tune: The Harriot (Traditional)

Video: Maxwell’s Rant

Maxwell’s Rant
RSCDS Book 18 – No. 10
32-bar reel for three couples in a four-couple longwise set

1 – 16 1st couple, with 2nd and 3rd couples, dance reels of three on opposite sides and then on own sides. 2nd and 3rd couples remain on own sides throughout.

17 – 20 1st couple, giving right hands, cross over and cast off one place. 2nd couple step up on bars 19-20.

21 – 24 1st couple dance a half figure of eight round 2nd couple.

25 – 28 1st couple dance down between 3rd couple and cast up to second place on own sides.

29 – 32 2nd, 1st and 3rd couples, giving right hands, turn once round.

Repeat, having passed a couple.

Rutherford: Compleat Collection of 200 of the most celebrated Country Dances both old and new… Vol 1, London, c. 1755 as Maxwill’s Rant.

Original tune: Maxwell’s Rant (Traditional)

Video: Hooper’s Jig

Hooper’s Jig
Miss Milligan’s Miscellany of Scottish Country Dances

32-bar jig for three couples in a four-couple longwise set

1 – 4 All clap and 1st couple, passing right shoulders, cross over and cast off one place on opposite sides. 2nd couple step up on bars 3-4.

5 – 8 1st and 3rd couples dance right hands across once round.

9 – 12 All clap and 1st couple, passing by the right, cross over and cast up to original places. 2nd couple step down on bars 11-12.

13 – 16 1st and 2nd couples dance left hands across once round.

17 – 18 1st man and 3rd woman, giving right hands, change places.

19 – 20 1st woman and 3rd man, giving right hands, change places, while 1st man and 3rd woman dance round ready to cross back.

21 – 22 1st man and 3rd woman, giving right hands, change places and 1st man faces out. At the same time, 1st woman and 3rd man dance round ready to cross back.

23 – 24 1st woman and 3rd man, giving left hands, cross over with 3rd man guiding 1st woman into second place while 1st man casts off to second place. 2nd couple step up.

25 – 32 2nd and 1st couples dance rights and lefts.

Repeat, having passed a couple.

Rutherford, D: Compleat collection of 200 of the most celebrated country dances, both old and new, c. 1756, London
Customary tune: Peter’s Peerie Boat (Tom Anderson)

Video: Fair Donald

Fair Donald
RSCDS Book 29 – No. 4
32-bar strathspey for three couples in a four-couple longwise set

1 – 4 1st couple dance down between 2nd couple and cast up to meet in the middle of first place, facing down.

5 – 8 1st couple dance down between 3rd couple and cast up to face 1st corners. 2nd couple step up on bars 7-8.

9 – 16 1st couple dance a reel of four with first corners. 1st couple pass each other by the left to face second corners.

17 – 24 1st couple dance a reel of four with second corners. 1st couple finish between 2nd couple facing up.

25 – 26 1st couple cast off one place on own sides.

27 – 32 2nd, 1st and 3rd couples set and, giving both hands, turn once round.

Repeat, having passed a couple.

Original tune: Lady Dick Lauder’s Strathspey (James Taylor, A Collection of Strathspeys and Reels, Volume 2, 1845).

Video: Miss Johnstone of Ardrossan

Miss Johnstone of Ardrossan
14 Social Dances for 2000, by Roy Goldring
32 bar reel for 5 couples

1 – 4 1st couple set and cast off one place. 2nd couple step up on bars 3 – 4.

5 – 8 1st couple, followed by 3rd couple, dance up between 2nd couple and cast off. 1st couple finish in 3rd place, 3rd couple finish in 2nd place.

9 – 16 1st, 4th and 5th couples dance reels of three on the sides. To begin:- 1st couple cross down to 4th place, 4th couple dance out and up, 5th couple dance in and up.

17 – 24 1st, 3rd and 2nd couples dance reels of three on the sides. To begin:- 1st couple cross up to second place on own side, 3rd couple dance out and down, 2nd couple dance in and down.

25 – 28 1st couple set and cast off one place. 4th couple step up on bars 27 – 28.

29 – 32 1st couple, followed by 5th couple, dance up between 4th couple and cast off. 1st couple finish in 5th place, 5th couple finish in 4th place.

Repeat from new positions

Note: 1st couple should begin and end each reel in 3rd place in the sidelines.
For Muriel
Tune: The Ardrossan Hornpipe by Muriel Johnstone

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