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: The Ribblesdale Strathspey

Video: The Ribblesdale Strathspey

The Ribblesdale Strathspey
The Ribble Valley Book of Scottish Country Dances

A 32-bar strathspey for a 3-couple set.
Tune: The Ribblesdale Strathspey.

1–12 The 1st, 2nd, & 3rd couples dance rights and lefts for three couples.

13 The 1st couple start mirror setting movement down the set, the man going to his right and the lady to her left, advancing to finish with both hands joined.

14 The 1st couple finish mirror setting movement, moving back up the set and releasing the top hands.

15–16 The 1st couple cast into 2nd place, the man leading with his right foot and the lady leading with her left foot as the joined hands are brought through the middle before releasing. 2nd couple step up.

17–24 The 2nd and 1st couples dance a poussette right round.

25–32 The 1st couple dance a figure of 8 round the 2nd couple, momentarily giving left hands on the first crossing and right hands on the second crossing. The 3rd couple step up on the last 2 bars as the 1st couple dance into 3rd place.

Repeat with a new leading couple.

Jeff Middleton composed this dance for the Ribble Valley Branch in recognition of the continuing success of the Branch. 16 October 2008.

TACTFUL DANCERS
32-bar hornpipe for 3 couples in a 4-couple set
Music: David Jones’s Locker, by Chris Dewhurst, or similar hornpipe

1-4 1st and 2nd men, and 1st and 2nd women, facing on the sides, set and turn half way, men with left hand and women with right hand. 2nd couple make polite turns as they finish in top place.

5-8 1st and 3rd men, giving right hands, turn once round; meanwhile, 1st and 3rd women, giving left hands, turn once round.

9-10 1st couple change places with second corners (2nd woman and 3rd man) giving left hands.

11-12 Original second corners (now in 2nd place on opposite sides) change places with first corners (2nd man and 3rd woman) giving right hands.

13-14 Original first corners (now in 2nd place on opposite sides) change places with 1st couple (in 2nd corner positions) giving left hands.

15-16 Giving right hands to partner, all cross over and face in, pulling right shoulder back. Dancers are now on opposite sides in the order 312.

17-24 Dance set and link for 3 couples, twice, to finish on own side in the order 213.

25-32 Circle six hands round and back.

Repeat having passed a couple.

Devised by Chris Ronald, August 2016, in honour of Elizabeth Woodbury.

Notes:
The dance recognizes Elizabeth’s love of sailing, particularly J27s which can have a crew of six.

Bars 1-8 depict greeting the other crew members; bars 9-16 tacking, bars 17-24 ‘all hands on deck’, and bars 25-32 celebrate the successful conclusion of an event.

The title alludes to the tacking figure on bars 9-16. The figure was inspired by a similar movement in Iain Boyd’s dance: The Cashmere Shawl. In that dance right hands are given first, but in this dance left hands are given first, since the starboard tack has right-of-way over the port tack! PS. I find it helps to teach bars 9-16 first.

Video: Strathglass House

Video: Strathglass House

Video: Strathglass House

Strathglass House
Book 13 – No. 9
32-bar strathspey for three couples in a four-couple longwise set

1–4 1st, 2nd and 3rd couples set and dance six hands round to the left halfway.

5–8 3rd, 2nd and 1st couples repeat bars 1-4 to original places, again moving to the left.

9–12 1st couple lead down, cross over below 2nd couple and dance behind 3rd couple to meet below them facing up.

13–16 1st couple lead up to the top and cast off one place on opposite sides to face first corners. 2nd couple step up on bars 15-16.

17–24 1st couple turn first corner with right hand, partner with the left hand, second corner with the right hand, partner with the left hand to finish between corners.

25–28 2nd, 1st and 3rd couples advance and retire.

29–32 1st couple, giving both hands, turn one and a half times to finish in second place on own sides.

Repeat, having passed a couple.

R Bremner:
A Second Collection of Scots Reels or Country Dances c. 1765.

Original tune:
Mr Muir Mackenzie’s Favourite (Mr Sharpe of Hoddom)

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TACNotes:’
1 – 8 On second setting step (bars 2 & 6) 1st man & 3rd woman must begin to move into circle shape so that the half circle is completed in two steps (bars 3-4 & 7-8).
13 – 16 Nearer hand lead. 2nd cpl step up on bars 15-16.

Video: Sarona

SARONA
dance devised by John Drewry
for San Francisco Branch of the R.S.C.D.S.
Strathspey – 4 couples — 32 bars.
Tune – “Sarona” by J. Scott Skinner — “The Scottish Violinist” page 49.
In this dance 3rd and 4th couples start on wrong sides.

1–2 1st couple and 4th couple dance petronella-wise into the centre of the dance to form a straight line down the centre with 1st man and 4th man back to back in the middle of the line (2nd couple step up about half a place, while 3rd couple step down about half a place).

3–4 All set to partners in two diamond formations.

5–8 1st couple with 2nd couple, and 3rd couple with 4th couple dance right hands across to the same positions as at the end of Bar 2.

9–12 1st couple and 4th couple dance half a reel of four down the centre of the dance.

13–14 4th couple change places with one another, passing by the right, while 1st couple, similarly, change places with one another. The dancers should still be in a straight line down the centre at the end of Bar 14.

15–16 4th man turns 2nd lady with both hands three quarters round, while 4th lady turns 2nd man with both hands three quarters round to form a straight line across the dance with 4th couple between 2nd couple.

1st man, similarly, turns 3rd lady with both hands, while 1st lady turns 3rd man with both hands to form a straight line across the dance with 1st couple between 3rd couple.

17–20 2nd couple with 4th couple, and 3rd couple with 1st couple, dance half reels of four across the dance.

21–22 2nd couple dance into the centre (passing the 4th couple by the right) then they pass one another by the right to finish in top place facing down with 2nd lady on the left of 2nd man.

3rd couple, similarly, dance into the centre (passing 1st couple by the right), then they pass one another by the right to finish in fourth place facing up with 3rd lady on the left of 3rd man.

4th lady dances out to the ladies’ side, passing 2nd man by the right, then down on the side to second place. 1st lady dances out to the men’s side, passing 3rd man by the right, then up on the side to third place.

4th man dances out to the men’s side, passing 2nd lady by the right, then, pulling his left shoulder back, he dances down to second place.

1st man, similarly, dances out to the ladies’ side, passing 3rd lady by the right, then, pulling his left shoulder back, he dances up to 3rd place.

23–24 With 2nd and 3rd couples and 4th man and 1st lady, and 1st man and 4th lady joining nearer hands, all set in a square formation.

25–26 2nd couple, 4th man with 1st lady, 1st man with 4th lady, and 3rd couple, advance one step to form a circle, then releasing hold of hands they dance in slightly and pull right shoulder back to face out. (This second step is almost a turning on the spot and care should be taken to preserve the circular formation).

27–28 All dance out clockwise in a chase.

29–32 Eight hands round to the left to finish on the side lines in the order 2,4,1,3 with 1st and 3rd couples on wrong sides.

Video: The Sailor

Video: The Sailor

The Sailor
RSCDS Book 24 – No. 4
32-bar hornpipe for three couples in a four-couple longwise set

1–2 1st couple, giving right hands, cross down, 1st woman to face 2nd and 3rd men, 1st man to face 2nd and 3rd women. 2nd couple step up.

3–4 1st woman with 2nd and 3rd men and 1st man with 2nd and 3rd women, joining nearer hands, set. (Fig.)

5–8 1st woman casts up round 2nd man to finish between 2nd couple, all facing down; 1st man casts down round 3rd woman to finish between 3rd couple, all facing up. All set in lines of three across.

9–16 1st woman with 2nd couple and 1st man with 3rd couple dance reels of three across the set. To begin, 1st woman and 2nd man, 1st man and 3rd woman pass by the right. 1st couple finish in second place on opposite sides.

17–24 1st couple lead down the middle (two steps) and up, cross at the top and cast off one place on own sides.

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

Repeat, having passed a couple.

Collected by Miss Jenny MacLachlin.
Original tune: The Davy Hornpipe (Traditional)

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TACNotes:’
3-4 Note Fig. – not a double triangles position.
5-8 Cast – not a right hand turn with 2nd man and 3rd woman.

Video: The Peat Fire Flame

Video: The Peat Fire Flame

THE PEAT FIRE FLAME
THE BON ACCORD BOOK OF SCOTTISH COUNTRY DANCES by John Drewry
Reel – 3 couples – 40 bars.
Tune – “The Peat Fire Flame’.

1–6 1st couple cast off one place, then dance half a figure of eight round 2nd couple to finish in second place on the wrong sides. (2nd couple move up on 1-2).

7–8 1st couple turn by the left hand to face first corners.

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

13–16 1st couple turn second corners by the left hand then pass each other by the left shoulder to face first corners again.

17–20 1st couple dance half a reel of four with their first corners, then pass each other by the left shoulder to go into:-

21–24 A half reel of four with second corners. 1st couple finish facing first corners again, who are now on the wrong side of the dance.

25–26 1st couple set to first corners.

27–28 1st couple, with two skip change of step, dance round one another to the right to finish facing second corners.

29–30 1st couple set to second corners.

31–32 1st couple, with two skip change of step, dance round one another to the right to finish in second place on wrong sides facing out.

33–36 2nd and 3rd couples dance half rights and lefts to bring them back to their own sides in top and third places (omit the polite turns at the end because the dancers finish two places apart). 1st man casts off to below third place on the ladies’ side and then dances up the centre of the dance to meet his partner, who casts up to above top place on the men’s side and then dances down the centre of the dance.

37–40 1st couple turn by the right hand one and a quarter times to finish in second place on own sides, but stay facing out ready to cast off at the beginning of the next turn of the dance. 2nd and 3rd couples turn by the right hand.

Repeat, having passed a couple.

NOTE: At the end of the second turn of the dance, the original 1st couple, who must go to fourth place, finish facing out at the end of the right hand turn. Then, on the first two steps of the new turn, they cast off to fourth place, while the new top couple cast off to second place.

Video: John McAlpin

JOHN McALPIN
(Strathspey)
Hugh Foss, Galloway Album (1964)

1–2 1st couple advance (one step), take right hands, let go and retire (one step).

3–4 Then, giving left hands, cross over and turn left about.

5–6 1st couple, taking right hands, lead down to 2nd place, centre of the dance (2nd couple move up), and

7–8 Turn by the left hand (see Fig. 1).

9–16 1st couple turn first corner by the right hand, partner by the left, second corner by the right, and, giving left hands to partners, cross back to own sides, 2nd place.

17–18 1st, 2nd and 3rd women, taking hands, set.

19–20 They advance (two steps), while the three men, taking hands, set.

21–24 The women retire (two steps) and set, while the men advance and retire.

25–26 1st, 2nd and 3rd couples cross over, giving right hands, form a circle (see Fig. 2) and

27–28 Dance six hands half round to the left.

29–32 They cross over again, giving left hands, form a circle (see Fig. 3) and dance six hands half round to the right.

Repeat, having passed a couple.