Monthly Archives: April 2012

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Dances for April 23, 2012

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This week and next week we are going to try to get through as many of the Beginner Ball dances as we can. We will be doing different dances after the break so we can hopefully review six dances this week. The first three dances we will do in class before the break. The next three we will cover after the break.

The instructions for all the Beginner Ball dances are available here: Crib Notes

Video: Petronella by dancers in Frankfurt.
Video: Balmoral Strathspey

Jimmy’s Fancy
RSCDS Book 14 – No. 11
32-bar strathspey for three couples in a four-couple longwise set

Bars                        Description

1 – 8        1st and 2nd couples dance right hands across for three steps and left hands back. 1st couple cast off one place on own sides while 2nd couple dance up to first place.

9 – 16        1st woman with 2nd couple, 1st man with 3rd couple dance three hands round and back. 1st couple finish facing first corners.

17 – 24    1st couple set to and turn corners to finish between them.

25 – 32    1st couple lead down between 3rd couple, cross over to own sides, cast up round 3rd couple, dance up between 2nd couple and cast off to second place on own sides.

Repeat, having passed a couple.

Thompson’s Compleat Collection of 200 Favourite Country Dances c. 1755.
Original tune: Lord Seaforth (Surenne)

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TACNotes:’    29-30   Nearer hand lead up.

Petronella
RSCDS Book 1 – No. 1
32-bar reel for two couples in a four-couple longwise set

Bars                        Description

1 – 2    1st couple dance a petronella turn, i.e. they dance a three-quarters turn, moving diagonally to their right into the middle of the set and pull back right shoulders to face partner.

3 – 4    1st couple set to each other.

5 – 16    1st couple repeat bars 1– 4 always moving to the right until they are back in original positions.

17 – 24    1st couple lead down the middle and up to finish facing each other in the middle of the set with both hands joined. 2nd couple step in.

25 – 32    1st and 2nd couples dance a poussette.

Repeat, having passed a couple.

Introduced at Nathaniel Gow’s Annual Ball in Edinburgh, 1820. J P Boulogne:  The Ball-Room or the Juvenile Pupil’s Assistant, Glasgow 1827.
Original tine:  Petronella (Traditional)

McMARLEY’S CROSS
A 32 bar strathspey for a 3 couple set
Rose and Thistle Book, of dances devised by Wigan Thistle Society

BARS
1 – 4    1st, 2nd and 3rd couples turn partner by the right hand once round.

5 – 8    1st, 2nd and 3rd couples turn partner by the left hand once round.

9 – 12    1st couple set and cast off one place. (2nd couple step up bars 11 &12.)

13 – 16    1st and 2nd couples dance right hands across.

17 – 20    1st couple set and cast off one place. (3rd couple step up bars 19 & 20.)

21 – 24    1st and 3rd couples dance left hands across.

25 – 32    2nd, 3rd and 1st couples dance a grand chain. (1st couple face 3rd couple and 2nd couple cross.)

Devised by – Lorna Grundy, Lisa Jones, Ailsa Longmuir, Rebecca Markey, Kathryn Parkinson, Katherine Small and Nicola Strachan, some of the Junior Members of the
Thistle Society, Wigan (1994)

Balmoral 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.  (Fig. 1.)

25 – 32    First, fourth and third couples allemande to finish, first couple at bottom, fourth couple in third, and third couple in second place.  (Fig. 2.)

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.   
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TACNotes:’
17-24    1st, 4th & 3rd cpls dance reel in 7 bars &, on bar 24, dance into position for allemande.

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

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)

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

Dances for April 16, 2012

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We are continuing to review dances for the Beginners’ Ball. Although, Fair Donald, is on the AGM. There are four dances listed but the last one will likely only be done after the break

Video: Fair Donald This video has a number of dances. The dance Fair Donald isn’t done until about 4 minutes into the video

Video: Flowers of Edinburgh

Video: Granville Market Skip ahead to the 41:30 point in the video to see the dance

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”.

FAIR DONALD
RSCDS Book 29  No. 4
(Strathspey)

Music                           DESCRIPTION
Bars
1 – 4    First couple, with nearer hands joined, dance down between second couple and cast up to place.

5 – 8    First couple, with nearer hands joined, dance down between third couple and cast up to first corners; second couple step up on bars seven and eight.

9 – 16    First couple reel of four with first corners passing partner with left     shoulder at end of reel.

17 – 24    First couple reel of four with second corners finishing as in Fig.

25 – 26    First couple cast off into second place.

27 – 28    Second, first and third couples set.

29 – 32    Second, first and third couples turn partners with two hands.

Repeat, having passed a couple.

Flowers of Edinburgh
RSCDS Book 1 – No. 6
32-bar reel for three couples in a four-couple longwise set

Bars                        Description

1 – 6    1st woman casts off two places, crosses to the opposite side and dances up behind 2nd and 3rd men to her partner’s original place.1st man follows his partner, crossing over and dancing behind 2nd and 3rd women, and up the middle to his partner’s original place.

7 – 8    1st couple set to each other.

9 – 14    1st couple repeat bars 1-6, with 1st man casting off and 1st woman following. 1st couple finish in original places.

15 – 16    1st couple set to each other.

17 – 24    1st couple lead down the middle and up to finish facing each other in the middle of the set with both hands joined. 2nd couple step in.

25 – 32    1st and 2nd couples dance a poussette.

Repeat, having passed a couple.

Kate Hughes’ Dancing Book (MS), Dundalk 1867.
Original tune:  Flowers of Edinburgh (Traditional)

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.

Dances for April 2, 2012

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Here are the dances for this week. We are focusing on the dances for the Beginners’ Ball. Since many of the dancers in this class were introduced to the Strathspey Poussette (follow the link to a detailed description of the formation) last week we will also try to review that. Hopefully, the class will be comfortable with it at the AGM social. Here is a video of the dance we did last week – Minister on the Loch It starts with the Strathspey Poussette

I have included a video of the dance Petronella. You will have to go to the blog to view it.

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.

Jimmy’s Fancy
RSCDS Book 14 – No. 11
32-bar strathspey for three couples in a four-couple longwise set

Bars                        Description

1 – 8    1st and 2nd couples dance right hands across for three steps and left hands back. 1st couple cast off one place on own sides while 2nd couple dance up to first place.

9 – 16    1st woman with 2nd couple, 1st man with 3rd couple dance three hands round and back. 1st couple finish facing first corners.

17 – 24    1st couple set to and turn corners to finish between them.

25 – 32    1st couple lead down between 3rd couple, cross over to own sides, cast up round 3rd couple, dance up between 2nd couple and cast off to second place on own sides.

Repeat, having passed a couple.

Thompson’s Compleat Collection of 200 Favourite Country Dances c. 1755.
Original tune: Lord Seaforth (Surenne)

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TACNotes:’    29-30   Nearer hand lead up.

Petronella
RSCDS Book 1 – No. 1
32-bar reel for two couples in a four-couple longwise set

Bars                        Description

1 – 2    1st couple dance a petronella turn, i.e. they dance a three-quarters turn, moving diagonally to their right into the middle of the set and pull back right shoulders to face partner.  (Fig.)

3 – 4    1st couple set to each other.

5 – 16    1st couple repeat bars 1– 4 always moving to the right until they are back in original positions.

17 – 24    1st couple lead down the middle and up to finish facing each other in the middle of the set with both hands joined. 2nd couple step in.

25 – 32    1st and 2nd couples dance a poussette.

Repeat, having passed a couple.

Introduced at Nathaniel Gow’s Annual Ball in Edinburgh, 1820.
J P Boulogne:  The Ball-Room or the Juvenile Pupil’s Assistant, Glasgow 1827.

Original tine:  Petronella (Traditional)