This week we will continue to focus on the new step – Pas de Basque. No new formations will be covered this week. We will review reels of three in the dance Ecclefechan Feline.

The dance “The Mountain Stream” is on the program for the Beginner’s Ball at the end of the year.

THE MOUNTAIN STREAM
32 bar Reel for 2 couples
Graded and Social Dances 3,  devised by Roy Goldring

Bars
1 – 8    1st woman and 2nd man set twice then turn with right hands.    They finish in place.

9 – 16    1st man and 2nd woman set twice then turn with left hands. They finish in place – 1st man facing out.

17 – 24    1st man, followed by his partner, casts behind 2nd man, crosses up between 2nd couple, casts behind 2nd woman and crosses to 2nd place on own side.  1st woman finishes in 2nd woman’s place. 2nd couple step up on bars 23-24.

25 – 32    2nd and 1st couples dance right hands across and left hands across.

Repeat having passed a couple.

Tune:    Miss Jean Donaldson’s Hornpipe (Traditional –
                                   James Walker 1st Collection)

                                  
ECCLEFECHAN FELINE
32 bar Jig for 3 couples – McMurtry – 2006
Le Petit Chat Celtique

1 – 8    1st couple dance a figure of eight on their own side. 1st couple dance between the 2nd couple to begin, taking nearer hands briefly wherever possible.

9 – 16        1st, 2nd and 3rd couples dance a mirror reel of three on the sides, 1st couple dancing in and down, 2nd couple up and out and 3rd couple in and up to begin.

17 – 24    1st couple dance down for three steps, back for three steps and cast off one place, 2nd couple stepping up on bars 23 & 24.

25 – 28    1st man with 3rd couple and 1st woman with 2nd couple dance right hands across, passing right shoulders on the last bar to change places.

29 – 32    1st man with 2nd couple and 1st woman with 3rd couple dance left hands across. 1st couple finish in second place on own sides.

Repeat having passed a couple.

Dance Notes:  1st couple phrase step to finish on the sidelines at the end.

Recommended Recording:  Track #8 Just in Time on CD, Campbell’s Birl with Muriel Johnstone and Keith
Smith

Try to say the title quickly, 3 times in a row.

The Highland Fair
A 32 bar Jig for 2 couples
RSCDS Graded Book #6

MUSIC                    DESCRIPTION
Bars
1 – 8    First couple cast off and dance down behind own line for 4 skip change of step, turn outwards and dance four steps back to place.

9 – 16    First and second couples turn partner with right hand and return to place – 4 skip change of step, then repeat, giving left hand.

17 – 24    First couple, followed by second couple, lead down the middle for 4 skip change of step. Second couple, followed by first couple, lead up the middle to finish second couple at top and first couple in second place.  (Figs. 1 and 2.)

25 – 32    First and second couples dance right and left.

        Repeat, having passed a couple.

Up to this point we have done dances with just skip change of step or the slipping step. This week we will start teaching a new step – Pas De Basque. We will start out slow and try to bring the step up to speed.

We will also review figures learned last week. The Findlay’s Jig has an Allemande for three couples. Last week we did the Allemande for two couples. There are subtle differences but they are essentially the same. If time permits we will repeat Ecclefechan Feline from last week.

Here are the instructions for the dances we plan to cover this week.

THE FINDLAY’S JIG
32 bar jig for 3 couples
14 Social Dances for 2000, devised by Roy Goldring
Bars
1 – 8        1st couple lead down the middle and back finishing at the top in the centre. 2nd and 3rd couples step in on bar 8.

9 – 16        3 couple allemande.

17 – 20    1st couple dance in, face down and cast up to the top. 3rd and 2nd couples step down on 19-20.
21 – 24    2nd couple repeat bars 17-20.  1st and 3rd couples step down on    bars 23-24.

25 – 32    6 hands round and back.
Repeat having passed a couple

Lassie Will Ye Come and Dance
A 32 bar jig for 3 Couples
J Trew, Let’s All Dance

1-8    1st couple set twice, cross right hands and cast down round 2nd couple on opposite sides. 2nd couple moves up on 7 & 8.

9-16.1    1st woman dances a figure of 8 round 2nd couple, passing 2nd woman by the right shoulder, while 1st  man dances a figure of 8 round 3rd couple passing 3rd man right shoulders to begin. 1st couple finishes on opposite sides in 2nd place.

17-20    2nd, 1st, & 3rd C set twice with nearer hands joined on the sides.

21-24    1st couple turn with right hands 1 1/4 times to finish with 1st woman between 2nd couple and 1st man between 3rd couple.
25-28    1st woman with 2nd couple and 1st man with 3rd couple, set twice with nearer hands joined in threes across the set.
29-32    1st couple turn with right hands 1 1/4 times to finish on own sides in 2nd place.

ECCLEFECHAN FELINE
32 bar Jig for 3 couples
Bob McMurtry, Le Petit Chat Celtique

1 – 8        1st couple dance a figure of eight on their own side. 1st couple dance between the 2nd couple to begin, taking nearer hands briefly wherever possible.

9 – 16        1st, 2nd and 3rd couples dance a mirror reel of three on the sides, 1st couple dancing in and down, 2nd couple up and out and 3rd couple in and up to begin.

17 – 24    1st couple dance down for three steps, back for three steps and cast off one place, 2nd couple stepping up on bars 23 & 24.

25 – 28    1st man with 3rd couple and 1st woman with 2nd couple dance right hands across, passing right shoulders on the last bar to change places.

29 – 32    1st man with 2nd couple and 1st woman with 3rd couple dance left hands across. 1st couple finish in second place on own sides.

Repeat having passed a couple.

After a break for Thanksgiving we hope to see many of you out again. This week we are going to introduce two new figures.

Reels of 3 – A figure of 8 pattern on the floor for 3 dancers.

Allemande – An 8 bar figure where the 1st couple change places with the second couple. Here is a link to some instructions on the dictionary – Allemande for 2 couples

Here are the dances for this week

ECCLEFECHAN FELINE
32 bar Jig for 3 couples
By Bob McMurtry, published in Le Petit Chat Celtique, 2006

1 – 8        1st couple dance a figure of eight on their own side. 1st couple dance between the 2nd couple to begin, taking nearer hands briefly wherever possible.

9 – 16        1st, 2nd and 3rd couples dance a mirror reel of three on the sides, 1st couple dancing in and down, 2nd couple up and out and 3rd couple in and up to begin.

17 – 24    1st couple dance down for three steps, back for three steps and cast off one place, 2nd couple stepping up on bars 23 & 24.

25 – 28    1st man with 3rd couple and 1st woman with 2nd couple dance right hands across, passing right shoulders on the last bar to change places.

29 – 32    1st man with 2nd couple and 1st woman with 3rd couple dance left hands across. 1st couple finish in second place on own sides.

        Repeat having passed a couple.

THE AULD GREY CAT
A 32 bar reel for 3 couples
By Iain Boyd, published in  Let’s All Dance

 1- 8      1s cross RH & cast 1 place, 1s cross LH & cast up to original places
 9-16     1s dance reflection reels of 3 on sides (in & down to start)
17-24    1s lead down the middle & back to place
25-32    1s+2s dance Allemande

Here we are, starting a new dance season. In the first few weeks we just want the dancers to become comfortable in class. Try to listen to the music and when possible move in time to the music. I will again try to post the dances we do here. They should be up either just before class or soon afterward.

This week we have a couple more dances that will reinforce the few figures learned last week. Don’t worry about the term strathspey. We will introduce it in a couple of weeks. For now we will be doing just reels and jigs.

THE SELKIRK SETTLERS
A 40 bar reel for 3 couples by M. Zadworny from Let’s All Dance
1- 8      1s dance Fig of 8 round 2s
9-16     3s dance Fig of 8 round 2s
17-24   All men cross & dance Right Shoulder round partner back to places, all Ladies repeat
25-32   2s dance Fig of 8 round 1s+3s (down between 3s to start)
33-40   1s dance down for 3 bars & back to top, 1s cast to bottom