Dances for June 4, 2025
Ottawa Summer Class
No Video
Hermann’s Jig
Holly Boyd, A Shortcut to Happiness
32 bar jig for three couples in a longwise set
1 – 4 1st, 2nd and 3rd couples chase clockwise halfway round the set. 1st couple finish at the bottom, in the middle, facing up, nearer hands joined
5 – 8 1st couple dance up to the top and cast off, passing left shoulder to finish facing partner’s first corner position (their actual first corner person). 2nd couple step down on 5/6
9 – 20 1st couple Dance to Corners and Set (Courage Reels):
9 – 10 1C & 1st crns pass right, 1st crns pass right with % turn to face 2nd crns while 2nd crns set
11 – 12 1st crns and 2nd crns pass right, 2nd crns pass right with % turn as 1C set
13 – 14 2nd crns and 1C pass right, 1C pass right with % turn to face 4th crn position as 1st crns set
15 – 20 repeat 6 bars until crns are back in place and 1C face 1st crn position
21-24 1st couple dance clockwise right round each other doing a wide spiral out to second place their own side
25 – 32 2nd, 1st and 3rd couples circle six hands round and back .
Repeat having passed a couple
I wrote this for Hermann Koeppler just after he passed away. We miss him, especially his corny jokes and the twinkle in his eyes when he told them.
February 2015
No Video
The Bonniest Lass in all the World
RSCDS Book 14 – No. 10
40-bar strathspey for three couples in a four-couple longwise set
1 – 4 1st couple set and, giving both hands, turn once round to face down.
5 – 8 1st and 2nd women, 1st and 2nd men set and, giving both hands, turn once round.
9 – 16 1st couple lead down the middle, divide, cast up round 3rd couple to second place and set twice.2nd couple step up on bars 11-12.
17 – 24 2nd and 1st couples dance rights and lefts.
25 – 28 1st woman with 2nd couple and 1st man with 3rd couple dance three hands round to the left. On bar 28, 1st couple pass each other by the right.
29 – 32 1st man with 2nd couple and 1st woman with 3rd couple dance three hands round to the right.On bar 32, 1st couple pass by the left to finish in the middle of the set facing the women’s side, 1st man below his partner.
33 – 40 1st couple lead out between 2nd and 3rd women, 1st woman casting up and 1st man casting down. They meet in the middle of the set, dance out between 2nd and 3rd men and cast as before to second place on own sides.
Repeat, having passed a couple.
Thompson’s Compleat Collection of 200 Favourite Country Dances c. 1755.
Original tune: Miss Coxe’s Strathspey (Mrs Mcintyre)
Video: Tiptoe and sway
Tiptoe and sway
John Bayly, Imperial Book Vol. 3
32-bar reel for three couples in a four-couple longwise set (Note)
1 – 4 1st couple, giving right hands, turn once round and cast off one place. 2nd couple step up on bars 3-4.
5 – 8 2nd, 1st and 3rd couples, giving right hands to partners, turn once round. 2nd and 1st couples cast off one place while 3rd couple lead up to first place and face out.
9 – 16 3rd and 1st couples dance a double figure of eight. To begin, 3rd couple cast off and 1st couple cross up between 2nd couple.
17 – 20 3rd couple, giving right hands, turn once round and cast off one place. 2nd couple step up on bars 19-20.
21 – 24 2nd, 3rd and 1st couples repeat bars 5-8 from new positions, to finish 1st and 2nd couples in the middle facing up and 3rd couple in original places.
25 – 32 1st and 2nd couples dance an allemande.
Repeat, having passed a couple.
Devised by John Bayly.
Note: This may also be danced as a strathspey.
No Video
Skidaddle Ridge
Gale Cragg, New Brunswick Coll.
32 bar Jig for 3 couples in a 4 couple set.
1 – 4 1st, 2nd and 3rd couples dance back-to-back with partners.
5 – 8 First three couples dance six hands round to the left, ending on the opposite sides of the dance in the order 3-2-1.
9 – 12 2nd and 1st couples dance back-to-back with partners.
13 – 16 2nd and 1st couples dance right hands across half way round then, retaining partner’s right hand cross to partners’ sides of the dance, to end in order 3-1-2.
17 – 20 1st couple “‘skidaddles,’” 1st woman round 3rd couple, Ist man round 2nd couple. They dance a small step into the middle to face each other then, pulling right shoulder back, they turn and dance out through the space they just left to continue dancing around the person on their right. 1st woman ends facing down between 3rd couple at the top, 1st man facing up between 2nd couple in third place. (Figure 1)
21 – 24 1st couple repeats the ‘‘skidaddle”* to end in second place on their own sides of the dance. (Figure 2)
25 – 38 1st couple with 3rd woman and 2nd man dance half diagonal rights and lefts, the two women and the two men giving right hands to begin.
29 – 32 1st couple with 3rd man and 2nd woman dance half diagonal rights and lefts. 1st woman and 3rd man, and 1st man and 2nd woman giving right hands to begin.
Repeat having passed a couple.
N.B. On bars 25 – 26 and 29 – 30, 1st woman dances diagonally up while Ist man dances
diagonally down.
Dance devised by Gale Cragg, 1982
Suitable recorded music: Old Nick’s Lumber Room
Skidaddle Ridge is almost due east of Florenceville near South Knowlesville in Carleton County.
Skidaddle Ridge Drop Cookies
Skidaddle Ridge, New Brunswick, came by its name because it was a hideout for draft dodgers. The ‘‘Skidaddlers’’ were Democrats who, not in sympathy with the Republican party during the American Civil War, ‘‘skidaddled’’ out of the country. Most of them returned home after the war, but many stayed to settle in New Brunswick and Southern Quebec. These cookies are frequently packed in the lunch boxes carried by hunters of this region.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Grease a baking sheet lightly.
Sift or blend together
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
4 teaspoon salt
Cream together
3/4 cup butter
1 1/2 cups light packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
Beat in
I egg
1 cup well-drained canned fruit cocktail
Stir in dry ingredients.
Fold in
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Drop batter from a teaspoon about 2 inches apart on a prepared baking sheet.
Bake in 350 degree oven for 10 to 12 minutes, or until golden brown.
Makes about six dozen.
The Laura Secord Canadian Cook Book
(Toronto: McClelland and Stewart, 1966), p. 125.