Video: The Shetland Shepherdess
The Shetland Shepherdess
The San Andreas Collection by Ron Wallace
32 bar Jig for 3 couples in a 4 couple set
1 – 4 1st couple dance down between 2nd couple and cast up to original place
5 – 8 1st couple half figure of 8 down around 2nd couple
9 – 16 2nd, 1st and 3rd couple cross-over mirror reels of three on the sides, 1st couple cross to 2nd place on own side to begin, 2nd couple out and up and 3rd couple in and up; 2nd couple ends facing out
17 – 18 1st and 2nd women half turn by the LEFT hand while 1st and 2nd men half turn by the RIGHT hand
19 – 20 1st and 3rd women turn by the RIGHT hand while 1st and 3rd men turn by the LEFT hand, 1st couple ends in the middle facing up, and 3rd couple ends back in 3rd place (for 1st couple the turn is ¾ but for the 3rd couple the turn is once round)
21 – 24 1st couple dance up the middle to the top of the set and cast to 2nd place own side
25 – 32 2nd, 1st and 3rd couples advance and retire, all clap (last beat of Bar 28), and all turn partner by the RIGHT hand once round.
Music: “The Shetland Shepherdess” by Ron Wallace
This title was inspired by a trip to Oslo, Norway, to teach SCD where I met Caroline Nicol, a Shetland shepherdess shepherding in Norway! The dance and music are dedicated to Susan Hagen, my hostess, and all the fine folk in the Oslo SCD Group.
Video: Huntly Castle
Huntly Castle
John Drewery, The Canadian Book of Scottish Country Dances
Strathspey – 3 couples – 32 bars,
Huntly Castle, now a ruin, was formerly the seat of the Earls, lator the Marquises of Huntly – the chiefs of Clan Gordon.
Tune – “My Only Jo and Dearie O’ Gow’s Repository , 3rd Part, Pace 12, This is the tune to which Bum!s song “I goed a waeful gait yestreen” is usually set,
1 – 6 1st and 2nd couples set on the sides, then circle to the left once round to finish with 1st couple in top place,with nearer hands still joined, facing down. and 2nd couple in second place facing up.
7 – 8 1st and 2nd couples set,
9 – 16 1st and 2nd couples dance a Rondel to change places, 1st couple finish in second place facing out.
17 – 24 Reels of three on the sides. To begin: – 1st couple dance out and down; 3rd couple, joining nearer hands, dance in and up; 2nd couple, joining nearer hands, dance in and down. All join inside hands with partners where possible in the reels. At the end: – 2nd couple dance in to join nearer hands facing down; 1st couple dance to second place on own sides; 3rd couple dance in to join nearer hands facing up.
25 – 26 2nd, 1st and 3rd couples set,
27 – 30 Six hands round to the left. On Bar 30, all dance into the centre, pulling right shoulders back to face out.
31 – 32 All spiral out clockwise (in a chase) to own sides,
Repeat, having passed a couple,
Video: Ferla Mor
FERLA MOR or THE BIG GREY MAN
THE DEESIDE BOOK OF SCOTTISH COUNTRY DANCES, Part 1, by JOHN DREWRY
The Ferla Mor (a corruption of the Gaelic “Am Fear Liath Mor”) or the Big Grey Man, is reputed to haunt the upper part of Ben Macdhui. Travellers usually encounter him when alone and in misty conditions – they become aware of his presence by a feeling that someone is following them.
In this dance, the first man becomes the Ferla Mor as he follows his partner during the reels — Bars 9 – 24.
Reel : 3 couples : 32 bars
Tune : “Lochiel House” by Angus Fitchet, The Angus Fitchet S.D. Collection page 2 (Mozart Allan)
1 – 8 1st couple set to one another , then turn by the right hand half-way round moving down to face one another across the centre of the dance in second place; they set again then turn by the right hand once round to finish with 1st lady facing her first corner, and with 1st man immediately behind her facing in the same direction. (2nd couple step up on Bars 3 – 4)
9 – 16 1st couple dance a reel of three diagonally across the dance with their first corners. They begin by passing 2nd man by the right, and 1st man follows his partner as closely as convenient. 1st lady, with her partner still behind her, finishes the reel facing her second corner.
17 – 24 1st couple, with 1st man still following his partner, dance a reel of three with their second corners, passing 3rd man by the right. On the last two steps, as she dances down the centre of the dance, 1st lady pulls her left shoulder back to face her partner and they turn by the left hand to face own first corners.
25 – 28 1st couple turn first corners by the right hand, then pass by the right to face second corners. (The corners dance four steps)
29 – 32 1st couple turn second corners by the right hand, then pass by the right to second place on own sides.
Repeat, having passed a couple.
Video: Postie’s Jig
Postie’s Jig
A 32-bar jig for four couples ina four-couple longwise set
1 – 2 1st and 4th couples set.
3 – 4 1st couple cast off one place while 4th couple cast up one place. 2nd couple step up to top place while 3rd couple step down to fourth place.
5 – 8 1st couple dance a half figure of eight round 2nd couple while 4th couple dance a half figure eight round 3rd couple.
9 – 12 1st man with 4th man and 1st woman with 4th woman, take nearer hands and cross to the opposite side of the set, the men making an arch for the women to dance under. Give free hand to corner person and turn (i.e. 1st man to 2nd man and 1st woman to 2nd woman etc). Corners finish in places, while 1st couple meet and join nearer hands to face down and 4th couple meet and join nearer hands to face up.
13 – 16 1st couple and 4th couple, with nearer hands joined, change places up and down, the 4th couple making an arch for the 1st couple to dance under. Give free hand to corner person and turn (i.e. 1st man to 3rd man and 1st woman to 3rd woman etc.). Corners finish in places, while 1st and 4th men meet and join nearer hands on own side and 1st and 4th women meet and join hands on own side.
17 – 24 Repeat the pattern of crossing and turning as in bars 9 – 12 and 13 – 16. When changing places across the set the men always make the arch and when changing up and down the set the couple dancing up always make the arch. Finish in the order 2, 1, 4, 3 with the 1st and 4th couples on the opposite side.
25 – 28 1st and 4th couples dance half rights and lefts.
29 – 32 1st and 4th couples turn by the right hand once round to finish in the order 2,4, 1, 3.
Repeat from new positions.
Devised by Roy Clowes.
Original tune: Lassie Come and Dance with Me by Neil Grant.
Source: Ormskirk Scottish Dances Book 5.
