Video: MacLeod’s Fancy

MacLeod’s Fancy
RSCDS Book XXXIII – No.3
(Jig)

1–2 1st and 4th couples set facing diagonally inwards.

3–8 1st man and 4th woman turn with the right hand three-quarters round; 1st man dances through 4th man’s place and casts up to his original place, while 4th woman dances through 1st woman’s place and casts off to her original place. Meanwhile, 1st woman casts off to 4th woman’s place, and 4th man casts up to 1st man’s place; they turn with the right hand three-quarters round to return to their original places where they stay facing out.

9–16 All dance reels of four on own sides and finish as though going to repeat the reels.

17–18 1st and 2nd men, 1st and 2nd women, 3rd and 4th men, and 3rd and 4th women, turn with the right hand half-way round to bring 1st and 4th couples into the middle of the set where they give left hands across and retain hold of the 2nd and 3rd couples with the right hand to form a St. Andrew’s Cross.

19–20 All set in the “Cross” formation.

21–24 1st and 2nd men, 1st and 2nd women, 3rd and 4th men, and 3rd and 4th women turn with the right hand once round, releasing hands at the end of bar 23 so that 1st couple can dance down to third place and 4th couple can dance up to second place. (1st man and 4th woman make polite turn.) The order is now 2, 4, 1, 3.

25–26 1st and 4th couples, joining nearer hands on the sides, set to partners.

27–28 1st and 4th couples cross over to opposite sides – the women retaining hold of nearer hands and dancing between their partners. On reaching opposite sides, the women turn away from each other, while the men turn toward each other.

29–32 4th couple, joining right hands, lead up between 2nd couple crossing over to own sides and cast off to second place, while 1st couple joining left hands, lead down between 3rd couple crossing over to own sides and cast up to third place.

Repeat from new places.

Devised by John Drewry. Inscribed to Duncan MacLeod of Glasgow.
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TACNotes:’
21–24 All dance for 4 bars.

 

 

Video: Petronella

Video: Petronella

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

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)

No Video

THE SANDS OF ASILOMAR
dance devised by John Drewry
for the dancers of San Francisco
Strathspey – 4 couples – 32 bars.
Tune – “The Sands of Asilomar” _ See Manuscript – Tune in E flat composed by Paul Machlis

BARS

1 – 2 All turn partners with both hands half-way round and stay in the centre of the dance facing partners – 3 to 4 feet apart.

3 – 4 Joining nearer hands up and down the dance, all set to partners.

5 – 8 The men all cast off and, with 4th man leading, cross over to own sides and dance up. The women all cast up and, with 1st woman leading, cross over to own sides and dance down. All are now on own sides in the order 4,3,2,1.

9 – 10 4th couple turn with the right hand half – way round while moving down towards second place; 1st couple, similarly, turn with the right hand half-way round while moving up to third place.

11 – 12 4th and 1st couples dance right hands across half-way round to return to original places.

13 – 14 3rd and 2nd couple turn partners with the right hand half – way round.

15 – 16 3rd and 2nd couples dance right hands across half – way round to return to original places.

17 – 18 1st woman and 2nd man, (and 3rd woman and Nth man), change places passing by the right without giving hands.

19 – 20 All turn partners half – way round with both hands opening up into:-

21 – 24 1st couple with 2nd couple, and 3rd couple with “th couple, dance four hands round to the left one and a quarter times to finish with all in the centre with nearer hands joined with partners, with 1st and 3rd couples facing down and 2nd and uth couples facing up.

25 – 26 All set with nearer hands joined with partners. During the setting lst and 2nd couples, and 3rd and 4th couples, change places – as in “Mary Hamilton”.

27 – 28 2nd couple dance up slightly then out into top place with a “casting off” movement; 3rd couple dance down slightly then out into fourth place with a “casting up” movement. 1st and 4th couples set again and change places while setting.

29-32 4th couple dance up between 2nd couple and cast off to second place. 1st couple dance down between 3rd couple and cast up to third place. The finishing order is 2,4,1,3.

Repeat from new places.

 

 

Video: City of Stirling Reel

Video: City of Stirling Reel

City of Stirling Reel
32R 3C (4C set)
Roy Goldring, Auld Friends Meet
Pick-up of snowball chain
1-2 1st & 2nd women (also 1st & 2nd men) change places with right hands
3-4 1st & 3rd women (also 1st & 3rd men) change places with left hands. 2nd couple cross giving left hands and face down.
5-6 1st couple cross giving right hands and face up. 2nd woman & 3rd man (also 2nd man & 3rd woman) change places with right hands.
7-8 1st & 2nd women (also 1st & 2nd men) change places with left hands. 3rd couple at the top, cross giving left hands.

Order now 3, 1, 2 all on opposite sides. No polite turn by 1st woman on bar 8.
9-10 1st couple cross to own sides passing right shoulders to face out.
11-12 1st man & 3rd woman (also 1st woman & 2nd man) turn halfway with right hands. 1St couple face each other on the diagonal (no interweaving)
13-14 1st couple followed by 1st corners, pass by the left on the diagonal (no interweaving).
15-16 1st couple curve into 2nd place on opposite sides. 2nd man & 3rd woman finish in own corner places.

Similar to bars 9-16
17-18 1st couple cross to own sides passing left shoulders to face out.
19-20 1st woman & 3rd man (also 1st man & 2nd woman) turn halfway with left hands. 1st couple face each other on the diagonal.
21-22 1st couple followed by 2nd corners, pass by the right on the diagonal.
23-24 1st couple curve into 2nd place on opposite sides. 2nd woman & 3rd man finish in own corner places.

25-28 All turn partners once round with right hands.
29-32 1st couple dance half figures of eight; 1st woman crossing up between 2nd couple, 1st man crossing down between 3rd cople. Finish in 2nd place on own side.

Video: ST. ANDREW’S FAIR

ST. ANDREW’S FAIR
Five Scottish Country Dances No. 2
(Jig)

1–8 1st couple cross over giving right hands, cast off two places, cross over below 3rd couple giving left hands and cast up to second place on own side. 2nd couple step up bars 3–4.

9–12 2nd, 1st and 3rd couple turn partner with right hand half-way round, retaining hold of hands with women facing up, men facing down, all three couples set.

13–16 2nd woman, followed by 1st and 3rd women, dances across the set then down her own side line. Similarly, 3rd man, followed by 1st and 2nd men, dances across the set then up his own side line. (Order now 3, 1, 2).

17–24 3rd, 1st and 2nd couples six hands round and back.

25–32 Repeat bars 9–16, but all turn partner with left hand. After the setting, the 2nd woman and 3rd man lead their lines in an anti-clockwise direction back to their own side lines.

Repeat having passed a couple.

Devised by R. Goldring, 1980.
Tune: Jockey’s Dance

Video: Maxwell’s Rant

Maxwell’s Rant
32R 3C (4C Set) RSCDS Book 18
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.

 

Video: Invercauld’s Reel

Invercauld’s Reel
Book 11 – No. 10
32-bar strathspey for three couples in a four-couple longwise set

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

5–8 1st couple cross down between the 3rd couple and cast up to second place on opposite sides.

9–16 2nd and 1st couples dance rights and lefts. 1st couple finish facing first corners.

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

25–30 2nd, 1st and 3rd couples dance reels of three on the sides, 1st couple passing first corners by the left to begin.

31–32 1st couple, giving right hands, cross over to second place on own sides.

Repeat, having passed a couple.

Bowman MS, c. 1755-1760.
Original tune: Invercauld’s Reel (McGlashan, 1786; Stewart’s Collection, 1762).
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TACNotes:’
5-8 Giving RH to partner, when crossing, is helpful.

Video: General Stuart’s Reel

General Stuart’s Reel or
The New Way of Gildon (Reel)
Book 10 – No. 3

1–4 1st man sets to 2nd woman and casts off one place. 2nd man steps up on bars 3–4.

5–8 1st woman sets to 2nd man and casts off to second place. 2nd woman steps up on bars 7–8.

9–12 1st couple turn first corners with the right hand then, passing each other by the right shoulder, face second corners.

13–16 1st couple turn second corners with the left hand then, passing each other by the right shoulder, face first corners.

17–24 1st couple set to first corners, set to each other across the dance, set to second corners, then set to each other up and down the dance and finish man facing up and woman facing down the dance. 1st couple turn by the right throughout.

25–30 1st couple dance reels with their corners. 1st couple begin the reels by giving right shoulders to second corners.

31–32 1st couple, giving right hands, cross over to own sides in second place.

Repeat, having passed a couple.

Source: The Register of Dances at Castle Menzies, 1749.
Music: The Stuarts’ Rant, Bremner, 1768.
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The Manual of Scottish Country Dancing:
Bars 9-16 Corners dance two steps when turning.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
TACNotes:’
9-16 Corners must dance into middle to meet 1st cpl on bars 9 & 13 then out to places on bars 10 & 14 releasing 1st cpl to face up & down the set.

Video: Delvine Side

Delvine Side
Book 2 – No. 9

1–4 1st and 2nd couples set and, passing partners by the right, cross to opposite sides.

5–8 1st and 2nd couples repeat bars 1-4, back to 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. 1st couple finish facing first corners.

25–32 1st couple, giving both hands, turn first corners, dance round partner by the right, turn second corners and, passing by the right, cross to second place on own sides.

Repeat, having passed a couple.

William Campbell: 15th Book of New and Favourite Country Dances and Strathspey Reels, London 1794 as Delvin Side.
Original tune: Delvine Side (McGlashan’s Collection)
Delvine is near Dunkeld.

 

Video: The Lass of Richmond Hill

The Lass of Richmond Hill
RSCDS Second Book of Graded Scottish Country Dances
32-bar reel for three couples in a four-couple longwise set

1–8 1st couple lead down middle and up to the top to finish in the middle of the set, facing up.

9–14 1st couple cast off one place and, passing partner by the left, dance round first corners by the right and into the middle of the set. 2nd couple step up on bars 9-10.

15–16 1st couple , giving left hands, turn to face first corners.

17–24 1st couple and first corners dance a corner chain. 1st couple finish facing second corners.

25–32 1st couple and second corners dance a corner chain. 1st couple finish in second place on own sides.

Repeat, having passed a couple.

Devised by Fiona Turnbull, RSCDS Richmond Branch.
First published in Richmond Anniversary Book 1952-1992. ©RSCDS Richmond Branch, printed with permission.

 

Video: THE FALKIRK LASS

THE FALKIRK LASS
THREE COUPLES 8 x 32 STRATHSPEY
The Merse Collection [Elaine Brunken]

1 -:- 4 1st couple turn by the right hand, and cast off one place. (2nd couple step up on 3 and 4).

5 -:- 8 1st couple cross by the left hand, 1st lady cast down around 3rd man, to finish between 3rd couple as 1st man casts up around 2nd woman, to finish between 2nd couple (all face up or down).

9 -:- 12 All advance for one step, retire for one step and change places by the right hand, up and down the dance.

13 -:- 16 All advance for one step, retire for one step, 2nd and 3rd couples change places by the right hand, up and down the dance while the 1st couple turns ¾ by the right hand to face 1st corners.

17 -:- 20 1st corners pass and turn: 1st couple dance around 1st corners by the right shoulder, dance in through the ends and pass each other by the right shoulder, up and down the dance to face 2nd corners, while corners dance in (1 bar), turn with two hands (1 bar), and dance out to place (2 bars).

21 -:- 24 2nd corners pass and turn, 1st couple pass right shoulders to finish to finish in 2nd place on their own sides.

25 -:- 32 All three couples circle round to the left and back to the right.

** Repeat, having passed a couple.

 

Video: The Wild Geese

The Wild Geese
Book 24 – No. 3
32-bar jig for three couples in a four-couple longwise set

1–4 1st and 3rd couples set advancing to join nearer hands in a line up and down the set, men with partners on their right. 1st and 3rd couples set.

5–8 1st couple, retaining right hands, turn three quarters and cast off to third place on own sides and, at the same time, 3rd couple turn with the right hand and lead up to first place.

9–16 3rd and 1st couples repeat bars 1-8 but in bars 15-16, 3rd couple cast off and 1st couple lead up to places.

17–24 1st couple lead down the middle and up to second place on own sides. 2nd couple step up on bars 19-20.

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

Repeat, having passed a couple.

Collected by Miss Jenny MacLachlan.
Original tune: Mrs MacPherson of Cluny (Joseph Lowe)

 

Video: Flowers of Edinburgh

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

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)