Ardbrae Dancers of Ottawa
Video: The Irish Rover
The Irish Rover
RSCDS 30 Popular Dances, Vol. 2
A 32-bar reel for three couples in a four-couple longwise set
1 – 8 1st couple dance down between 3rd couple, cast up one place on own side; 1st woman dances right hands across with 2nd couple while 1st man dances right hands across with 3rd couple. 2nd couple step up on bars 1 — 2.
9 – 12 1st couple dance half reels of four with first corners, then;
13 – 16 1st couple dance half reels of four with second corners. On bar 16, 1st couple turn left hand in centre ready to;
17 – 24 Pass left shoulders with person in first corner’s position for two reels of three across the dance. 1st couple finish in second place on own side.
25 – 32 1st couple dance diagonal rights and lefts:
25 – 26 1st couple change places with person in their first corner’s position (i.e. 1st woman right hand to 3rd woman and 1st man right hand to 2nd man).
27 – 28 Change left hand on sides; 1st woman with 2nd man, 1st man with 3rd.woman. (First corners now back in original places).
29 – 30 1st woman changes places giving right hand ‘to 3rd man (in 2nd woman’s position), while 1st man changes places giving right hand to 2nd woman (in 3rd man’s position).
31 – 32 1st and 2nd women and 1st and 3rd men change places, giving left hands on own side of the dance.
Repeat having passed a couple.
Devised by James B. Cosh.
Original tune: The Irish Rover – Traditional.
Source: Twenty -Two Scottish Country Dances by James B. Cosh and Two Others.
On the fourth of July eighteen hundred and six
We set sail from the sweet cove of Cork
We were sailing away with a cargo of bricks
For the grand city hall in New York
‘Twas a wonderful craft, she was rigged fore-and-aft
And oh, how the wild winds drove her
She’d stood several blasts, she had twenty-seven masts
And we called her the Irish Rover.
The Irish Rover tune is from a traditional Irish folk song about a magnificent but improbable sailing ship that after seven years at sea eventually sinks, leaving a sole survivor: the song narrator!
No Video
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Lindsay Clarke, Ardbrae Celebrates 60 Years
A 32 bar strathspey for 3 couples in a 3 couple longwise set
1 – 8 1st, 2nd and 3rd couples dance an Inveran reel, 1st couple crossing down to begin. 2nd couple finish facing out.
9 – 16 1st, 2nd and 3rd couples dance an inverted Inveran reel, 3rd couple crossing up to begin; 2nd couple dance out and down and 1st couple dance in and down.
17 – 20 All 3 couples dance “1/2 turn and twirl” to cross to the opposite side. (Giving partners right hand, all turn halfway to finish in the middle of the set facing each other, and pulling back right shoulders, dance on a curve out to the opposite sides.)
21 – 24 1st and 2nd couples chase clockwise 2 places while 3rd couple turn right hand 1 ½ times. All finish on own sides in order 2,1,3
25 – 28 All 3 couples dance “1/2 turn and twirl” to cross to the opposite side.
29 – 32 1st and 3rd couples chase clockwise 2 places, while 2nd couple turn right hand 1 ½ times, all finishing on own sides in order 2,3,1. 3rd woman dancing into 2nd woman’s position finishes facing out.*
Repeat from new places
*At the end of the third and last repetition, woman dancing into 2nd place would face in for bow and curtsy.
Inspiration for dance: Skaters who glide effortlessly and smoothly, without stopping. Therefore all couples keep dancing throughout, hopefully reaching the required spot just in time to glide through without waiting for the music to prompt the next move. On a busy day, skaters would weave around each other, occasionally meeting up with a friend perhaps, for a brief hello.