Ottawa Summer Class
No Video
Rick’s Farewell to Saskatoon
Castle Glen Archives
A 40 bar reel for 3 couples in a 3 couple longwise set
1 – 4 1st couple set and cross giving right hands and remain facing out.
5 – 8 1st, 2nd & 3rd couples dance a half mirror reels of three on the sides, 1st man & 2nd woman pass right shoulder, 1st woman & 2nd man pass left shoulder to, 3rd couple dance out and up. 1st couple stay facing out at the end of the half reel.
9 – 10 1st couple cast up to 2nd place, while 2nd couple dance down to 3rd place.
11 – 16 1st couple, giving right hands, cross up, cast off one place and dance in to face 1st corner position.
17 – 24 1st couple with the dancers in 1st corner position dance set and spring point, turn with the right hand. 1st couple pass each other by the right shoulder to finish facing 2nd corner position.
25 – 32 1st couple with the dancers in 2nd corner position dance set and spring point, turn with the right hand, 1st couple passing each other by the right shoulder to finish in 2nd place on their own sides.
32 – 40 All Circle six hands round and back. Finish in order 3, 1, 2
Repeat from new positions.
This dance was devised to mark the leaving of Rick Forsyth and family from Saskatoon. Originally published in 75th Anniversary Dances by the RSCDS Saskatchewan Branch
Craig Williams
1998
No Video
The Theekit Hoose
RSCDS Book 15
48-bar strathspey for two couples in a four-couple longwise set
1 – 8 1st couple lead down the middle and up and cast off one place. 2nd couple step up on bars 7-8.
9 – 16 2nd couple repeat bars 1-8. 1st couple step up on bars 15-16.
17 – 20 1st and 2nd men dance between 1st and 2nd women, cast round partners and return to places.
21 – 24 1st and 2nd women repeat bars 17-20.
25 – 32 1st couple and 2nd woman dance a reel of three diagonally across the set. To begin, 1st couple pass by the right and 2nd woman dances up and passes 1st man by the left.
33 – 40 1st couple and 2nd man dance a reel of three diagonally across the set. To begin, 1st couple pass by the left and 2nd man dances up and passes 1st woman by the right.
41 – 44 1st and 2nd couples set to partners and, giving right hands, cross over.
45 – 48 1st and 2nd couples dance half rights and lefts.
Repeat, having passed a couple.
Thompson’s Compleat Collection of 200 Favourite Country Dances c. 1755 as The Thatch’d House.
Original tune: McVicar’s Strathspey (Gow)
TACNotes:
The Theeket Hoose
[as me kit, as loose]
25 – 32 Reel starts with 1st man & 2nd woman dancing up & in, as 1 st woman dances through middle, Right shoulder to partner.
33 – 40 2nd man & 1st woman dance up & in to start reel as 1st man dances through middle, Left shoulder to partner.
43 – 44 Give Right Hand in crossing.
No Video
Kaleidoscope
A 32 bar jig for 4 couples in a longwise set
Jayne Williams, November 2025
1 – 8 All 4 couples chase clockwise back to places
9 – 16 All 4 couples dance down the middle, change sides with women dancing under raised arms and mend dancing below. All 4 couples dance up to places on opposite sides
17 – 22 1st woman & 4th man lead a snake pass. Always passing the other dancers by the right
1st woman, followed by 1st man, 2nd man & 2nd woman, dance down to 2nd man’s place, diagonally cross to 3rd woman’s place, passing 4th man by the right, down to 4th woman’s place, across to 4th man’s place, up to 3rd man’s place and across to 3rd woman’s place.
4th man, followed by 4th woman, 3rd woman & 3rd man, dance up to 3rd woman’s place, diagonally cross to 2nd man’s place, passing 1st woman by the right, up to 1st man’s place across to 1st woman’s place down to 2nd woman’s place and across to 2nd man’s place.
Finish in order: 3, 4, 1, 2
23 – 24 All set on the sides
25 – 28 4th & 1st couples, 1/2 Rights & Lefts
29 – 32 4th & 1st couples, set & cross over giving right hands
Video: For Old Times’ Sake
For Old Times’ Sake
Mrs M Linklater Shirras, The Diamond Jubilee Collection (Inverness)
Tune: The Linklater Reel
8 x 32 bar reel
A reel for three couples in a four-couple longwise set
1 – 8 1st couple giving right hands, cross over and cast off to 2 place. 2nd couple step up on bars 3 and 4. Joining hands on the sidelines 2nd, 1st and 3rd couples set twice.
9 – 16 2nd, 1st and 3rd couples dance reels of three on the sidelines. 1st couple begin by giving right shoulder to the person on their right.
17 – 24 1st couple giving left hands, cross over to own sides. 1st woman casts up behind 2nd woman to finish in the middle between 2nd couple, all three facing down. While 1st man casts down behind 3rd man to finish in the middle between 3rd couple, all three facing up. Joining hands all three couples set twice.
25 – 32 Reels of three across the set, 1st couple begin by giving left shoulders to the person on their left finishing in second place on own sides.
Repeat, having passed a couple.
Devised by Mrs M Linklater Shirras
“Link” as she was affectionately known was very active in the Branch over the years as a dancer and in her roles as Treasurer 1967 – 1973, Secretary and Treasurer 1973 – 1983 and Secretary 1983 – 1988.