Here are the dances for this week. Again it is a combined class. We will be covering some things that wouldn’t normally be covered in a beginner class.

The Highland Fair       
RSCDS Graded Book
1 – 8    1C cast off & dance down behind lines, turn outwards & dance back up to place
9 – 16    1C and 2C turn partner RH then LH.
17 – 24    1C, followed by 2C (who dance up on the sides) lead down the middle and up (2C leading) to new places.
25 – 32    2C and 1C dance Rights and Lefts.

The Minister on the Loch
Goldring, 24 Graded
1 – 8    1C and 2C dance all round poussette.
9 – 16    1C dance down middle (2 steps), turn BH (2 steps), dance up middle (2 steps) and turn BH (2 steps) to finish in centre facing up.
17 – 24    1C and 3C dance double figure of eight. 1C cast off and 3C cross up to begin. 1C finish in original places, facing out.
25 – 28    1W & 2W turn RH 1½ times while 1M & 2M turn LH 1½ times. 1C finish in 2nd place, facing in.
29 – 32    1W and 3W turn LH 1½ times while 1M and 3M turn RH 1½ times. 1C finish in 3rd place.

Flowers of Edinburgh
RSCDS Book 1
(Beginners’ Ball)
1 – 6    1W cast off behind 2 & 3W, cross set below 3C and dance up behind 3 & 2M to partner’s place; at same time 1M cross set, follow 1W down behind 2 & 3W and dance up middle to partner’s place
7 – 8    1C set
9 – 14    repeat bars 1-6 (with 1M leading) and finish in original places
15 – 16    1C set 
17 – 24    1C lead down the middle & up (staying in middle, 2C step in on 24, ready for…)
25 – 32    1C and 2C Poussette

Braveheart           
Drewry, Bankhead 6           
32 S 3C        (Beginners’ Ball)
1 – 4    1C set to each other and, giving RH, cross down to 2nd place on opposite sides and stay facing out. 2C step up on bars 3-4.
5 – 8    1C dance round 1st corners, passing them by RSh and then turn each other with LH to finish in the middle of the dance in 2nd place with the M facing down and the W facing up.
9 – 12    2M, 1M and 3M dance RH across on the M’s side, while their     partners dance RH across on the W’s side. At the end, 1C pass each other by RSh.
13 – 16    1W dances LH across with 2M and 3M on the M’s side while 1M dances LH across with 2W and 3W on the W’s side. 1M finishes between 2C in 1st place all facing down, while 1W finishes between 3C in 3rd place all facing up.
17 – 20    All set in lines of 3 facing down and up and then change places with the opposite person giving RH.
21 – 24    All set again in lines of 3 facing down and up and then change places with the opposite person giving right hand. 2C stay facing up in 1st place, 3C stay facing down in 3rd place and 1C turn right about to finish facing each other (M facing down, W up).
25 – 32    1M dances a reel of 3 across the dance in 1st place with 2C, beginning by giving RSh to 2M. 1W, similarly, dances a reel of 3 across the dance in 3rd place with 3C, beginning by giving RSh to 3W. At the end, 1C dance to 2nd place on own sides.

La Tempête (The Tempest)
RSCDS Book 2

[In lines of 4 across the room, 2 couples facing 2 couples, W on right of partners,
1C and 2C facing 3C and 4C. 1C are on right of 2C. They face 3C and 4C respectively.]
1 – 8    1C and 4C dance RH across and LH across back to places.
9 – 16    2C and 3C dance RH across and LH across back to places.
17 – 24    All set twice to partners and turn them with BH.
25 – 28    All join hands with partners and slip up or down to change places with couple opposite, men passing back to back.
29 – 32    Hands still joined with partners, all slip back to original places, W passing back to back.
33 – 36    1C with 3C and 2C with 4C circle 4-H round to Left.
37 – 40    1C with 3C and 2C with 4C dance LH across back to places.
41 – 43    In lines of 4, all advance (2 steps) and retire (1 step).
44     All clap 3 times.
45 – 48    1C and 2C dance down, passing under raised arms of 3C and 4C who are dancing up to finish facing new couples.

[Repeat with next 2 couples. As lines arrive at either the top or bottom of the room,
  change to correct side of partners and stand for one turn of the dance.]

This week is another combined class at the Churchill Recreation Center. We will be mostly focusing on beginner dances from the Tea Dance coming up on Sunday March 25. The Reel of the 51st Division is from the Ardbrae AGM program.

Beach Dancer
A 32 bar Jig for 3 couples in a 4 couple longwise set
For Margaret Blackhall, a teacher at Kamo Club who lives on the coast at Ngunguru.
Devised by Eddy West 2003.

1-4        First couple set and cross giving right hand.
5-8        First couple set to second couple and change places on the side giving left hands (men remain facing out).

9-16    Second and first couples dance a ladies chain, first man finishes facing out. First couple must continue into the next figure without hesitation.

17-20    First man casts down round third lady and crosses to third place, own side then casts up behind third man to second place, first lady follows to own side third place then dances up the middle to second place on own side.
21-24    First and second ladies, and at the same time first and second men, turn giving left hands.

25-32    Second, first and third couples dance reels of three on the sides, first couple passing third couple right shoulder to start.

Repeat having passed a couple
Suggested recorded music “Over the Pond II” – Sound Company CD “On Track”.

The Reel of the 51st Division
RSCDS Book 13 – No. 10
32-bar reel for three couples in a four-couple longwise set

Bars                        Description
1 – 8        1st couple set to each other and cast off two places, meet below 3rd couple and lead up the middle to face first corners. 2nd couple step up on bars 3-4.

9 – 12        1st couple set to and turn first corners with the right hand, finishing in a diagonal line by joining left hands with partner.

13 – 14    1st couple and first corners balance in line.

15 – 16    1st couple, releasing right hands with corners, turn each other one and a quarter times to face second corners.

17 – 22    1st couple repeat bars 9-14 with second corners.

23 – 24    1st couple cross to second place on own sides.

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

Repeat, having passed a couple.

Devised by Jimmy Atkinson, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, and Peter Oliver, Seaforth Highlanders (London Scottish), with advice from Tom Harris-Hunter, Royal Army Service Corps while all were interned in the Prisoner of War camp at Laufen in Germany.

Original tune:  The Drunken Piper or Highland Rory Alex. McLeod, c. 1880

The original instructions in the form of notes, written by Tom Harris-Hunter on a scruffy piece of paper when he was a prisoner of war, clearly show that the dance was intended for a five couple set as it is still danced in Perthshire.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
TACNotes:’
1-8    Set (no stealing) bars 1-2, cast bars 3-5, dance in to meet on bar 6, lead up on bar 7 to face corners on bar 8.         

Wisp of Thistle
RSCDS Book XXXVII    No.4
(Strathspey)

Music                   Description
Bars
1 – 4    1st and 3rd couples dance “Petronella turns” into the middle of the dance (1st man and 3rd woman back to back) and set to partners.

5 – 8    1st and 3rd couples dance a half reel of four.

9 – 10    3rd and 1st couples dance “Petronella turns” to own sides. (3rd couple are in first place and 1st couple in third place.)

11 – 12    3rd, 2nd and 1st couples set joining nearer hands on the sides.

13 – 16    3rd, 2nd and 1st couples turn partners with right hand to finish ready for allemande.

17 – 24    3rd, 2nd and 1st couples allemande.

25 – 28    1st couple cross over giving right hands and cast off one place. 2nd couple step up on bars 27–28.

29 – 32    1st couple dance a half figure of eight round 2nd couple.

Repeat, having passed a couple.

Note: At the end of their second turn at the dance, 1st couple finish the half figure of eight by dancing down to fourth place while 4th couple step up to third place on bars 31–32.

Choreographed by Pat Kent in honour of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, who, when she had seen the Scottish Country dancers perform in the Tattoo in Nova Scotia, stated that they looked like “wisps of thistle”.

Devised by Pat Kent (Nova Scotia Branch).

Granville Market
RSCDS Second Book of Graded Scottish Country Dances
32-bar jig for three couples in a four-couple longwise set

 Bars                         Description
1 – 8    1st and 2nd couples dance right hands across and left hands back.

9 – 12    1st couple, giving right hands, cross and cast off one place. 2nd couple step up on bars 11-12.

13 – 16    1st couple dance a half figure of eight up around 2nd couple. 1st couple finish facing first corners.

17 – 18    1st couple, giving right hands, turn first corners.

19 – 20    1st couple pass each other in the middle by the right to face second corners.

21 – 22    1st couple, giving right hands, turn second corners.

23 – 24    1st couple pass each other by the right to finish in second place on own sides.

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

Devised by Elinor M Vandegrift, RSCDS Seattle Branch.

Granville Market is on Granville Island in Vancouver, B.C.

Inscribed to the children and organisers of the Vancouver Branch Children’s Scottish Country Dance workshops. It was presented at Vancouver Branch’s Whistler Weekend, May 1985.

THE PIPER AND THE PENGUIN
The Scotia Suite of Scottish Country Dances devised by Roy Goldring
(Reel for Four Couples in a Square Set)

Bars        Description
1 – 4    The women dance round their corners, passing in front of them to begin.

5 – 8    The women dance right hands across and remain in the centre.

9 – 12    The women dance round their partners, passing in front of them to begin.

13 – 16    The women dance left hands across and finish in original places.

17 – 32    The men repeat bars 1–16, but dance in front of partners before dancing right hands across, and in front of their corners before dancing left hands across.

33 – 36    1st and 3rd couples, giving right hands, turn partners one and a quarter times.

37 – 40    1st man, followed by his partner, dances between 4th couple and cast back to place. Similarly, 3rd couple dance between 2nd couple and cast back to place.
       
41 – 48    1st and 3rd couple dance rights and lefts.

49 – 64    2nd and 4th couples repeat bars 33–48, 2nd couple dancing between 1st couple and 4th couple dancing between 3rd couple.   

65 – 72    The women dance in and pull back right shoulders (2 bars), dance out (2 bars), and cast clockwise half way round the set to opposite woman’s place.

73 – 80    The men repeat bars 65–72, but pull back left shoulders at the end of bar 74, and cast anticlockwise.

81 – 84    All turn partners with the right hand, just over once round, to finish in promenade hold facing anticlockwise.

85 – 88    All promenade halfway round the set. On bar 87, all release right hands and the men lead their partners to original places ready for the bow and curtsey.

This week will be a combined class at the Churchill Recreation Center. We will be reviewing the dances on the upcoming Tea Dance hosted by the Ottawa Branch. We will only do one of the strathspeys listed below. The choice will depend on the number of dancers attending. The Balmoral Strathspey requires exactly four couple sets. If we don’t have enough to make four couple sets we will do Wisp of Thistle.

Here is a video of the dance Wisp of Thistle done by the London (UK) ladies demonstration team

A DANCING CAREER
or
A DANCE IN KOREA
THE GREENBURN BOOK, A Collection of Scottish Country Dances by JOHN DREWRY, 1997 – 1998
devised in September 1997 for Campbell and Isobel Barclay of Kippford and for the dancers in Korea

Jig –  2 couples – 32 bars

BARS
1 – 4    1st couple, joining nearer hands, dance down between 2nd couple and then cast up back to place.

5 – 8    1st and 2nd couples dance right hands across.

9 – 16    1st couple dance a figure of eight round 2nd couple’s places. At the same time, 2nd couple set to each other, cross giving right hands, set on opposite sides and cross back to own sides giving right hands. 2nd couple stay facing out.

17 – 20    1st couple lead down the middle and 2nd couple dance up on the sides to first place and then follow 1st couple down the middle.

21 – 24    2nd couple, followed by 1st couple, lead up the middle and stay in the middle ready for : –

25 – 32    2nd and 1st couples dance a two-couple promenade.

Repeat, having passed a couple.

Wisp of Thistle
Book XXXVII    No.4
(Strathspey)

Music                   Description
Bars
1 – 4    1st and 3rd couples dance “Petronella turns” into the middle of the dance (1st man and 3rd woman back to back) and set to partners.

5 – 8    1st and 3rd couples dance a half reel of four.

9 – 10    3rd and 1st couples dance “Petronella turns” to own sides. (3rd couple are in first place and 1st couple in third place.)

11 – 12    3rd, 2nd and 1st couples set joining nearer hands on the sides.

13 – 16    3rd, 2nd and 1st couples turn partners with right hand to finish ready for allemande.

17 – 24    3rd, 2nd and 1st couples allemande.

25 – 28    1st couple cross over giving right hands and cast off one place. 2nd couple step up on bars 27–28.

29 – 32    1st couple dance a half figure of eight round 2nd couple.

Repeat, having passed a couple.

Note: At the end of their second turn at the dance, 1st couple finish the half figure of eight by dancing down to fourth place while 4th couple step up to third place on bars 31–32.

Choreographed by Pat Kent in honour of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, who, when she had seen the Scottish Country dancers perform in the Tattoo in Nova Scotia, stated that they looked like “wisps of thistle”.

Devised by Pat Kent (Nova Scotia Branch).

Balmoral Strathspey  (Strathspey)
RSCDS Book 22 – No. 3

MUSIC                    DESCRIPTION
Bars
1 – 8    First couple with second, and third couple with fourth, dance right and left.

9 – 12    First couple with second, and third couple with fourth, set and dance right hands across half way  round.

13 – 16    All set, and, giving right hands in passing, cross to own sides. (The order is now 2, 1, 4, 3.)

17 – 24    Reels of four at the sides, second couple facing first, and fourth couple facing third.

25 – 32    First, fourth and third couples allemande to finish, first couple at bottom, fourth couple in third, and third couple in second place.

Repeat, with a new couple leading.

Devised by John A. Charles, Kawerau, New Zealand.

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The Manual of Scottish Country Dancing:
Bars 17-24    1st, 4th and 3rd couples should complete the reel in seven steps using the eight to dance towards partner for the allemande.   
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
TACNotes:’
17-24    1st, 4th & 3rd cpls dance reel in 7 bars &, on bar 24, dance into position for allemande.

THE MAD HATTER
Happy to Meet
A three couple, 32 bar jig for four couples in a longwise set.

1 – 8    First couple dance down between second and third couples with nearer hands joined, cast up round third couple, dance up between second couple with nearer hands joined and cast off into second place.  Second couple move up on bars 7-8.

9 – 12    First couple advance and retire with first corners.

13 – 16    First couple dance back to back with first corners.

17 – 20    First couple advance and retire with second corners.

21 – 24    First couple dance back to back with second corners.

25 – 32    Second, first and third couples dance six hands round and back.

Repeat having passed a couple.
“The Mad Hatter” was devised by Iain Boyd.

The Wellingtonia Reel
12 Scottish Country Dances  devised by Mervyn Short
32 bar Reel for 3 couples

Bars

1 – 4    1C & 2C set and link, 1M finish facing out.
5 – 8    1M, followed by partner, casts up and dances down the middle to finish facing 3M, 1W faces 2M.

9 – 16    1M with 3C and 1W with 2C dance reels of three across, passing right shoulders to begin; finish as started.

17 – 20    1M & 3M and 1W & 2M turn right hands.
21 – 24    1M & 3W and 1W & 2W turn left hands, 1C finish in the centre facing down, (1M between 3C, 1W between 2C).

25 – 28    1M followed by partner, casts up one place on men’s side and dances across to the opposite side in second place. 1W finishes in second place on the men’s side.
29 – 32    1C turn right hands one and a half times, to finish in second place own sides.

Repeat having passed a couple.

This dance was inspired by the magnificent Wellingtonia trees near     Finchampstead, Berkshire which I regularly travel past on the way to class.

Tune:  The Burnt Leg