Dances for May 21, 2025 - Ottawa Dance Scottish

Ottawa Summer Class

St Margaret’s Loch
Margaret Damell, Imperial Book 4
32-bar strathspey for three couples in a four-couple longwise set

1 – 4 1st and 2nd men set and cross over. At the same time, 1st and 2nd women dance half figures of eight, 1st woman round 2nd man’s place and 2nd woman round 3rd man.

5 – 8 1st and 2nd women set and cross over, 1st woman finishing facing out. At the same time, 1st and 2nd men dance half figures of eight, 1st man round 2nd man’s place and 2nd man round 3rd man.

9 – 12 1st couple, passing 2nd couple by the right, dance round 3rd couple by the left and finish in the middle of second place facing up.

13 – 16 2nd, 1st and 3rd men dance left hands across and 2nd, 1st, and 3rd women dance right hands across.

17 – 24 2nd, 1st and 3rd couples dance reels of three on own sides. To begin, 2nd couple cast, 1st couple dance up and 3rd couple dance in and cast up. 1st couple finish facing first corners.

25 – 32 1st couple turn first corners with the right hand, partner with the left hand, second corners with the right hand and, giving left hand to partner, cross over to second place on own sides.

Repeat, having passed a couple.

Video: What a Beau my Granny was

What a Beau my Granny was
RSCDS Book 14
32-bar reel for three couples in a four-couple longwise set

1 – 8 1st, 2nd and 3rd women set twice and dance three hands round to the left. At the same time, Ist man, followed by 2nd and 3rd men, dances across the top of the set, round the women and back to own side. (Fig.) All finish in original places.

9 – 16 1st, 2nd and 3rd men set twice and dance three hands round to the left. At the same, Ist woman, followed by: 2nd and 3rd women, dances across the top of the set, round the men and back to own side. 1st and 2nd couple finish in the middle of the set, facing partners with both hands joined. 3rd couple return to places.

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

25 – 32 1st and 3rd couples dance rights and lefts.

Repeat, having passed a couple.

Preston’s Selection of the most favorite Country Dances, Reels etc c. 1800 with bars 1-8 and 9-16 in the opposite order.
Original tune: What a Beau my Granny was (Traditional)

No Video

Autumn Gold
John Morris, Vallin Collection Five
8×32 bar Jig – a 3 couple dance in a 4 couple longwise set

1- 8 1s, 2s & 3s dance a normal diagonal rights & lefts for 3 couples
[ 2s change place RH with 1st corner & LH to “middle” couple, then RH to 4th corner & LH to “middle” couple own side ]
[ finish 3-2-1, with 2s (no polite turns) facing down-out, own side and 3s & 1s on opposite side ]

9 – 14 2s dance 3/4 figure of eight across by casting down behind 1s (bottom place)
[1s step up on bars 13-14]
[ finish 3-1-2, all now on opposite side ]

15 – 16 3s, 1s & 2s dance 1/2 RH turn to face up middle (W polite turn), ready for allemande

17 – 24 3s, 1s & 2s dance Allemande [finish 2-1-3 ]
[ on last bar, 2s start to cast out-down, anticipating turn with 1s ]

25 – 32 1s leading up (inside), turn 2s [ finish 2-1-3, with 1s facing in-down ]
then 1s leading down (inside) turn 3s,
[ 3s finish with polite turns in 3rd place to face 1st corner ]
[ finish 2-1-3-4, with 3s ready to start diagonal rights & lefts ]

Repeat, having passed a couple

[at end of 2nd sequence, 1s & 4s turn 1 1/2 to finish 2-3-4-1, with new 3W (old 4W) ready to start diagonal rights & lefts]

This dance is for those dancers (including my wife and I) who have been Scottish Country dancing for at least fifty years. We started dancing in the fifties, which was the time when people were becoming interested in this form of “exercise” with its social connotations. On reflection, this era was possibly the heyday of folk dancing, both English & Scottish. So here’s to these mature dancers ( “the golden oldies” ) who are now in the autumn of their lives, enjoying what they love the most – Scottish Country dancing and hopefully encouraging the newcomers, whether they be young or retired !.

recommended music: colin dewar – “the Vallin Suite four” – track 14
devised by John Morris

Video: Desperation

Desperation
Imperial Book 6
32-bar reel for three couples in a four-couple longwise set

1 – 8 1st and 2nd couples set and rotate to finish 1st man and 2nd woman facing out.

9 – 12 2nd and 1st couples dance right hands across once round.

13 – 16 1st and 3rd couples dance left hands across. 1st couple finish in second place, facing up.

17 – 24 2nd, 1st and 3rd couples dance reels of three on the sides. 2nd and 1st couples pass by the right to begin.

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

Repeat, having passed a couple.

Devised by Cliff Fryer.

The dance was devised in desperation as the deadline for competition entries loomed.