Ottawa Sunday Workshop
Video: The Pika
The Pika
32 bar Jig for 3 couples
Suggested Music: The Merry Dancers (RSCDS Book 4-2)
1 – 8 1st couple casts behind their own lines, meets below the third couple, dances up the middle to the top, and casts to second while couple 2 steps up.
9 – 12 Half diagonal mixed chain with first corners. 1st couple changes by the right hand to face their first corner positions while the first corners dance around to their right to second place. 1st couple turns first corners one half by the left hand. (This is similar to half of a ladies’ chain but danced on the first diagonal.)
13 – 16 1st couple dances half a figure eight, the lady up and the man down, while the first corners dance counter clockwise to second place and change by the right hand to the opposite corner.
17 – 20 Half diagonal mixed chain with second corners. 1st couple changes by the left hand to face their second corner positions while second corners dance around to their left to second place. 1st couple turns second corners one half by the right hand. (This is similar to half of a men’s chain but danced on the second diagonal.)
21 – 24 1st couple dances half a figure eight, the lady down and the man up, while the second corners dance clockwise to second place and change by the left hand to the opposite corner.
25 – 28 1st couple dances half diagonal rights and lefts with first corners, the lady up and the man down.
29 – 32 1st couple dances half diagonal rights and lefts with second corners, the lady up and the man down.
The dance repeats having progressed one place. Couple 1 ends the first time of the dance facing out to simplify the cast behind their lines.
The dance was devised by Jeff Davis to be performed on the top of Pikes Peak where the SCD of Colorado set a high altitude record for Scottish country dancing. The author hoped that there might be enough other total idiots who would want to dance a jig as well as the planned strathspey at that elevation. Small and rabbit-like, the pika can be found scurrying through the rocks at high altitude gathering and storing the tundra grasses in little hay stacks for the
coming winter.
© June 1995, Jeff Davis
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SUSAN’S SOUVENIR
32 bar strathspey for 3 couples in a 3-couple set
Devised by Tim Wilson draft August 20, 2011
1-8 1st and 2nd couples dance the Tournee.
9-16 1st woman with 2nd couple, and 1st man with 3rd couple dance right hands across; 1st woman with 3rd couple, and 1st man with 2nd couple dance left hands across (“teapots”). On bar 16, 1st couple pass left shoulders to face 1st corners.
17-24 1st couple set to corners and partner (“hello-goodbye”), on bars 23-24, 1st couple dance a petronella turn to second place own side.
25-32 1st and 3rd couples dance the Tourbillon.
Ends 312. New 1st and 2nd couples ready to begin.
Tune: McOwens’ Farewell (Susan Worland)
Note: Susan Worland Bentley was moved to make recording in memory of her mother and good friends who have passed away. The theme of the project was farewells and remembrance. The dance was written at Susan’s request to accompany a 3×32 strathspey she was planning to record.
©2011 by Tim Wilson. All rights reserved. Permission is granted for verbatim reproduction and non-profit distribution of this leaflet, provided that this notice remains intact.
No Video
Captain Campbell’s Hornpipe
(alt. Black Pete’s Reel)
Craig Williams, September 2025
1 – 8 1st couple, near hands joined, dance down the middle and up, dividing to dance behind 3rd couple into 2nd place. 2nd couple step up on bars 3 – 4.
9 – 10 2nd, 1st & 3rd couples set.
11 – 12 All corners petronella turn one corner position anticlockwise. 1st couple set advancing to finish back to back facing own side.
13 – 14 1st couple with 1st and 2nd corners set as in double triangles,
15 – 16 All corners petronella turn one corner position anticlockwise. 1st couple set moving round back to back to finish facing opposite sides.
17 – 20 1st couple with dancers in 1st corner position dance a diagonal 1/2 reels of 4. 1st couple pass right shoulders to face 2nd corner position
21 – 24 1st couple with dancers in 2nd corner position dance a diagonal 1/2 reels of 4. 1st couple finish in 2nd place on own sides.
25 – 32 2nd, 1st & 3rd couples circle 6 hands round and back.
Captain Peter “Black Pete” Campbell (1846-1915) – his thick dark beard and fierce looking earned him his nickname – was known for taking daring risks at sea and for pushing ships’ boilers and steam engines to their limits, and beyond. He was captain of the of the Manitoulin, a wooden steamer, when it was on a run from Killarney to Manitowaning, on May 18, 1882, and a fire broke out in the engine room. After running the ship ashore, he cut a large hole in the hull to allow water inside and extinguish the flames. The ship was rebuild and renamed Atlantic.
Video: The Flying Spur
The Flying Spur
John Drewry, The Canadian Book
for Jackie Johnstone of Dumfries
the Johnstone Clan Crest bears a winged spur.
Jig – 3 couples – 32 bars
Tune – “Captain White” S.C.D. Music for Books 8-14, Winifred Bird Matthew, page 13.
Kerr’s 1st @ollection of Merry Melodies for the Violin, page 28.
1 – 4 1st couple, giving right hands in passing, cross over and cast off to second place on opposite sides. (2nd couple step up on Bars 3-4)
5 – 8 1st man dances up between 2nd couple and casts off to second place on his own side; 1st lady dances down between 3rd couple and casts up to second place on her own side; meanwhile 2nd and 3rd couples set, then, giving right hands to partners, cross over and stay facing out.
9 – 16 1st man dances & reel of three on the men’s side with 2nd and 3rd ladies; he begins by passing 3rd lady by the right.
1st lady, similarly, dances a reel of three on the ladies’ side with 2nd and 3rd men; she begins by passing 2nd men by the right.
At the end of the reels:
- 1st man dances down to finish in the centre of the dance in third place facing ups
- 1st lady dances up to finish in the centre of the dance in top place facing down;
- 2nd couple dance out and down, while 3rd couple dance out and up to meet the other lady or man on the side lines (wrong sides) and join nearer hands.
17 – 20 1st couple set to one another, then turn petronella-wise into second place on wrong sides; 2nd and 3rd couples cross to own sides, the ladies passing under an arch made by the men, then 2nd couple dance out and up into top place, while 3rd couple dance out and down to third place.
21 – 24 2nd, 1st and 3rd couples turn partners by the right hand. 2nd and 3rd couples return to own sides to finish facing down and up the dance, while 1st couple finish in the centre of the dance, still on wrong sides, facing down.
25 – 32 1st couple dance down between third places, cast up to second place on wrong sides, they lead up between top places crossing over to own sides and cast off to second place. Meanwhile 2nd and 3rd couples dance rights and lefts beginning by changing places on the sides with right hands, and then crossing the dance giving left hands to partners.
Repeat, having passed a couple,