Ottawa Summer Class
Video: Kirsten’s Jig
Kirsten’s Jig
Ron Wallace, Give it a Whirl
32-bar jig for three couples in a four-couple longwise set
1 – 8 1st and 2nd couples dance the bourrel using RIGHT hands for the turns:
1st man and 2nd woman set advancing, turn by the RIGHT hands just over halfway and turn RIGHT about to face partner. 1st man faces down and 1st woman faces up.
while:
1st woman and 2nd man dance anti-clockwise round to face partner in a line up and down the middle of the set.
All set to partner and turn by the RIGHT hand. 1st couple turn right about to face first corners while 2nd couple cross to own side in first place
9 – 16 Corners pass and advance and retire:
1st couple pass first corners RIGHT shoulder and dance to meet partner to pass RIGHT shoulder, pass second corners RIGHT shoulder and join right hands to face up the middle in second place.
while:
9 – 12 First corners advance and retire.
13 – 16 Second corners advance and retire.
(On bar 10 (first corners) and bar 14 (second corners), corners slap both thighs on count “1”, clap hands together on count ‘and’ clap both hands to opposite corner on count “2”). Coach: advance for 1, slap clap clap, retire, retire
17 – 24 2nd,1st, and 3rd couples dance mirror reels:
1st couple lead up the middle and cross over to begin, 2nd couple dance out and down, 3rd couple dance out and up, all joining nearer hands with partner during the reel.
NOTE: At the end of the reel, 2nd couple continue to dance out and down as 1st couple dance up the middle to smoothly connect the reel and the non-progressive allemande, while the 3rd couple dance the long way into place to complete the reel.
25 – 32 2nd and 1st couples dance a non-progressive allemande:
25 – 26 1st couple dance up the middle taking hands in promenade hold before lifting them over smoothly into allemande hold.
while: 2nd couple cast off and dance down the side lines to meet in second place and take hands in promenade hold.
27 – 28 1st couple dance bars 3-4 of a standard allemande for two couples.
while: 2nd couple dance up the middle as they lift joined hands into allemande hold then turn onto the men’s side behind 1st couple.
29 – 32 1st and 2nd couples dance bars 5-8 of a standard allemande for two couples.
Deviser: Ron Wallace
Music: “Kirsten’s Jig” by Muriel Johnstone
This dance was commissioned by Kirsten Steinbach’s husband, Jenz, and first presented in Freiburg, Germany at a weekend course there.
Video: This is no’ my ain Hoose
This is no’ my ain Hoose
RSCDS Book 15
32-bar strathspey for three couples in a four-couple longwise set
1 – 4 1st and 2nd couples dance right hands across once round. On bar 4, 1st couple cast off one place and 2nd couple dance up.
5 – 8 1st couple repeat bars 1-4 with 3rd couple, dancing left hands across.
9 – 16 1st couple set, lead up to the top, cast off one place and, giving right hands, turn to face first corners. 3rd couple step down on bars 13-14.
17 – 24 1st couple dance round first corners, passing by the right and dance round partner, passing by the left, to face second corners. 1st couple dance round second corners passing by the right and, giving left hands, turn to face first corners.
25 – 32 1st couple set to first corners, set to each other across the set, set to second corners and, giving right hand to partner, turn to second place on own sides.
Repeat, having passed a couple.
Holmain Ms. c.1710-1720: from a notebook (early 18th Century) found in the Holmain (Dumfriesshire) Family Charter Chest. (Now in National Archives of Scotland.) By courtesy of the
Rev. W Mitchell Carruthers and Mr A Stanley Carruthers.
Original tune: Mrs Colonel Sinclair of Forss (D Grant)
Video: The Reel Of The Gordon Highlanders
The Reel Of The Gordon Highlanders
(32 bar reel for three couples in a four-couple set)
Aad L.M. Boode, The Delft Book Of Scottish Country Dances
1 – 8 1st couple cross over giving right hand, cast off 1 place (2nd couple move up); 1st man dances a ½ figure of eight between 3rd couple and round 3rd man – while – 1st woman does the same between 2nd couple and round 2nd woman, to finish 1st couple in 2nd place on own sides.
9 – 16 1st couple dance reels of three on own sides with 2nd and 3rd couples, giving LEFT shoulder to the person on their LEFT to begin, i.e.: 1st and 2nd men pass left shoulder and 1st and 3rd women pass left shoulder, to finish 1st couple in a diagonal line RIGHT hand joined with partner and LEFT hand with partner’s 1st corner. 2nd and 3rd couples turn the long way round to places.
17 – 24 Balance in line RIGHT ROUND or THE SPOKE (clockwise)
(Note: Everyone is dancing for 8 Pas de Basque steps. Only 1st couple move round, the other dancers set diagonally across the set when hands are not joined diagonally (1st couple may use skip change of step on last bar).)
1st couple retaining partner’s RIGHT hand throughout,
balance in line with partner’s 1st corner,
move on a ¼ turn clockwise,
balance in line with 2nd corner,
move on a ¼ turn clockwise,
balance in line with 1st corner,
move on a ¼ turn clockwise,
balance in line with partner’s 2nd corner,
1st couple drop hands and dance into 2nd place own sides.
25 – 32 2nd, 1st and 3rd couples dance six hands round to the left and back.
Repeat, having passed a couple.
(Dance crib compiled by the deviser, Aad L.M. Boode, Delft, 1994)
No Video
Don’t Make Me Stop, I’ll Get Lost
Rhonda Raye, RSCDS Atlanta Branch Celebrating 40 Years of Dancing Memories
32-bar reel for three couples in a three-couple longwise set
1 – 2 1st couple crosses down as 2nd couple steps up (no hand given).
3 – 4 1st couple turns 2nd couple three-quarter way round by left hand women’s side and right hand on the men’s side. All finish in a line across facing down, 1st man with his partner on his right.
5 – 8 1st and 2nd couples in line dance down the middle for 4 bars and on bar 7 1st couple takes the lead with 2nd couple behind still facing down.
9 – 12 2nd couple followed by 1st couple dance up to finish 2nd couple in first place on own sides and 1st couple in second place on opposite sides.
13 – 20 2nd and 1st couples dance a ladies chain.
21 – 24 1st couple dance a half turn and twirl while the 2nd and 3rd couples change places on the side and then set for one bar to that person just passed and then set for one bar across the set to partner finishing 3, 1, 2.
25 – 32 All three couples circle six hands round and back.
Repeat with a new top couple.
Note: The figures “down the middle and up” and “ladies chain” fall across phrases.
Devised by Rhonda Raye in memory of Jane Thomaston, known as “Grandma Jane” to many of her dancing friends.
Music: Eileen Watts Reel by Luke Brady.