Dances for July 20, 2017

There is one video this week!

Oxton Reel
144-bar strathspey for six couples in a six-couple longwise set

Part A
1 – 6 1st couple, followed by 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th couples, who dance up the sides to begin, cast off and dance down behind their own lines.

7 – 12 1st couple, meet at the bottom of the set and lead up the middle, followed by 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th couples.

13 – 16 All six couples, giving right hands, turn partners once round.

17 – 24 All six couples set to partners with simple setting steps.

Part B
1 – 12 1st couple take promenade hold and, turning to the right to begin, dance a figure of eight down and up the set, to places, followed by 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th couples.

13 – 16 All six couples, giving right hands, turn partners once round.

17 – 24 All six couples set to partners with simple setting steps.

Part C
1 – 12 All repeat bars 1 – 12 of part B, but with hands joined behind their backs.

13 – 16 All six couples, giving right hands, turn partners once round.

17 – 24 All six couples set to partners with simple setting steps.

Part D
1 – 12 1st, 2nd and 3rd couples, and also 4th, 5th and 6th couples, dance a grand chain with two steps to each hand. 1st couple and 4th couple face across, 2nd couple and 5th couple face down and 3rd couple and 6th couple face up to begin.

13 – 16 All six couples, giving right hands, turn partners once round.

17 – 24 All six couples set to partners with simple setting steps.

Part E
1 – 12 All six couples dance into the middle, and with each man behind his partner and hands on her waist, 1st and 4th couples facing down and the others facing up. 1St, 2nd and 3rd couples, and also, 4th, 5th and 6th couples, dance reels of three in tandem. To begin 1st and 2nd couples and 4th adn 5th couples pass by the right.

13 – 16 All six couples, giving right hands, turn partners once round.

17 – 24 All six couples set to partners with simple setting steps.

Part F
1 – 12 1st, 2nd and 3rd couples, and also, 4th, 5th and 6th couples, dance six hands twice round to the left.

13 – 16 All six couples, giving right hands, turn partners once round.

17 – 24 All six couples set to partners with simple setting steps.

Collected at Oxton, Berwickshire.
Original tune: Cameron’s got his wife again (Bremner)

 

 

Video: The  Thistle and the Columbine

The Thistle and the Columbine
8×32 Jig

1-8 1st couple set and cast off one place, 2nd couple step up on bars 3 & 4. 1st woman with 2nd couple and 1st man with 3rd couple dance right hands across once round, the first couple finish facing their first corners

9-16 1st couple dance the track of a reel of four to finish back to back in the center of the dance in second place facing their own sides while 2nd and 4rd couples dance rights and lefts.

17-24 2nd, 1st and 3rd couples dance double triangles, the 1st couple finishing in the centre of the dance facing down on their own side with nearer hands joined.

25-32 1st couple with nearer hands joined down between 3rd couple, cast up one place to meet in the centre of the dance facing up and with nearer hands joined dance up between the 2nd couple and cast off one place.

This dance was devised by Miss Janet Renton on August 2007 for a forthcomming visit to Colorado, USA. The dance was named after the emblem of Scotland and the Columbine flower which is the state flower of Colorado, USA