The Threesome Reel
Medley of 48-bar strathspey and 48-bar reel for three dancers

The dancers comprise a man between two women with nearer hands joined. The man may hold the corner of a handkerchief in each hand, the opposite corners of which are held by the women. Alternatively, ribbons can be used.

Strathspey
1 – 8 With eight strathspey travelling steps, the women dance round the man in opposite directions, the woman on his left keeping to the outside and the women on his right keeping to the inside and going under the arch made by the others. The man turns slowly round in the same direction as the women going under the arch, using travelling step. All finish in places.

9 – 16 All set with Highland Strathspey setting steps

17 – 48 Repeat twice with different Highland strathspey setting steps.

Reel
1 – 8 Repeat three times with Highland reel setting steps.

Collected in Perthshire and Angus

Original tunes:
Strathspey: Mrs Stewart Nicholson’s (Nathaniel Gow)
Reel: Sleepy Maggy (Bremner, 1757)

 

 

The Judge’s Jig
32 bar jig for 3 couples

1 – 8 1st and 2nd couples dance rights and lefts up and down the dance. To begin, 1st and 2nd women (also 1st and 2nd men) change places with right hands. At the end of bar 8, 1st couple finish facing out.

9 – 16 1st and 3rd couples dance double figures of eight. To begin, 1st couple cast off two places and 3rd couple cross up to the top. At the end of bar 16, 1st couple again finish facing out.

17 – 20 1st and 2nd women turn 1 ½ times with right hands and 1st and 2nd men turn 1 ½ times with left hands to change places.
21 – 24 1st couple dance a half figure of eight crossing up between 2nd couple to begin. 1st couple finish in 2nd place on opposite sides.

25 – 30 Reels of three on the sides. To begin: 1st couple dance in and down, 3rd couple dance out and up, 2nd couple dance out and down.
31 – 32 1st couple cross giving left hands

Repeat having passed a couple.

Note: At the end of the first turn, 1st woman finished facing out but 1st man curves slightly to finish to finish just inside the side lines ready to give right hand to the ‘new’ 2nd man.

For Johan Berg.
Tune: Venskaben (Muriel Johnstone)
Roy Goldring (2005) – Auld Friends Meet

 

 

The City of Preston Reel
A 32-bar reel for 3 couples in a 4-couple set

1 – 4 1st couple, giving right hands, cross over and cast to 2nd place; 2nd couple step up on bars 3 & 4

5 – 8 1st couple, giving left hands, cross over and cast to their left to finish 1st woman facing 2nd man and 1st man facing 3rd woman.

9 – 16 Dance Reels of 3 across the dance giving right shoulder to begin.

17 – 20 Joining hands three and three across the dance, all advance and retire up & down the set.

21 – 24 1st couple, giving right hands, change places up and down, and cast to their right to finish on the sidelines between their corners.

25 – 28 Joining hands, all advance and retire.

29 – 30 All set.

31 – 32 1st couple cross over giving right hands to finish in 2nd place on own sides.

Repeat having passed a couple.

Devised by Lavinia Morris to celebrate Preston receiving City status and dance by the beginners’ class of 2008/2009.