This week is another combined class at the Churchill Recreation Center. We will be mostly focusing on beginner dances from the Tea Dance coming up on Sunday March 25. The Reel of the 51st Division is from the Ardbrae AGM program.
Beach Dancer
A 32 bar Jig for 3 couples in a 4 couple longwise set
For Margaret Blackhall, a teacher at Kamo Club who lives on the coast at Ngunguru.
Devised by Eddy West 2003.
1-4 First couple set and cross giving right hand.
5-8 First couple set to second couple and change places on the side giving left hands (men remain facing out).
9-16 Second and first couples dance a ladies chain, first man finishes facing out. First couple must continue into the next figure without hesitation.
17-20 First man casts down round third lady and crosses to third place, own side then casts up behind third man to second place, first lady follows to own side third place then dances up the middle to second place on own side.
21-24 First and second ladies, and at the same time first and second men, turn giving left hands.
25-32 Second, first and third couples dance reels of three on the sides, first couple passing third couple right shoulder to start.
Repeat having passed a couple
Suggested recorded music “Over the Pond II” – Sound Company CD “On Track”.
The Reel of the 51st Division
RSCDS Book 13 – No. 10
32-bar reel for three couples in a four-couple longwise set
Bars Description
1 – 8 1st couple set to each other and cast off two places, meet below 3rd couple and lead up the middle to face first corners. 2nd couple step up on bars 3-4.
9 – 12 1st couple set to and turn first corners with the right hand, finishing in a diagonal line by joining left hands with partner.
13 – 14 1st couple and first corners balance in line.
15 – 16 1st couple, releasing right hands with corners, turn each other one and a quarter times to face second corners.
17 – 22 1st couple repeat bars 9-14 with second corners.
23 – 24 1st couple cross to second place on own sides.
25 – 32 2nd, 1st and 3rd couples dance six hands round and back.
Repeat, having passed a couple.
Devised by Jimmy Atkinson, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, and Peter Oliver, Seaforth Highlanders (London Scottish), with advice from Tom Harris-Hunter, Royal Army Service Corps while all were interned in the Prisoner of War camp at Laufen in Germany.
Original tune: The Drunken Piper or Highland Rory Alex. McLeod, c. 1880
The original instructions in the form of notes, written by Tom Harris-Hunter on a scruffy piece of paper when he was a prisoner of war, clearly show that the dance was intended for a five couple set as it is still danced in Perthshire.
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TACNotes:’
1-8 Set (no stealing) bars 1-2, cast bars 3-5, dance in to meet on bar 6, lead up on bar 7 to face corners on bar 8.
Wisp of Thistle
RSCDS Book XXXVII No.4
(Strathspey)
Music Description
Bars
1 – 4 1st and 3rd couples dance “Petronella turns” into the middle of the dance (1st man and 3rd woman back to back) and set to partners.
5 – 8 1st and 3rd couples dance a half reel of four.
9 – 10 3rd and 1st couples dance “Petronella turns” to own sides. (3rd couple are in first place and 1st couple in third place.)
11 – 12 3rd, 2nd and 1st couples set joining nearer hands on the sides.
13 – 16 3rd, 2nd and 1st couples turn partners with right hand to finish ready for allemande.
17 – 24 3rd, 2nd and 1st couples allemande.
25 – 28 1st couple cross over giving right hands and cast off one place. 2nd couple step up on bars 27–28.
29 – 32 1st couple dance a half figure of eight round 2nd couple.
Repeat, having passed a couple.
Note: At the end of their second turn at the dance, 1st couple finish the half figure of eight by dancing down to fourth place while 4th couple step up to third place on bars 31–32.
Choreographed by Pat Kent in honour of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, who, when she had seen the Scottish Country dancers perform in the Tattoo in Nova Scotia, stated that they looked like “wisps of thistle”.
Devised by Pat Kent (Nova Scotia Branch).
Granville Market
RSCDS Second Book of Graded Scottish Country Dances
32-bar jig for three couples in a four-couple longwise set
Bars Description
1 – 8 1st and 2nd couples dance right hands across and left hands back.
9 – 12 1st couple, giving right hands, cross and cast off one place. 2nd couple step up on bars 11-12.
13 – 16 1st couple dance a half figure of eight up around 2nd couple. 1st couple finish facing first corners.
17 – 18 1st couple, giving right hands, turn first corners.
19 – 20 1st couple pass each other in the middle by the right to face second corners.
21 – 22 1st couple, giving right hands, turn second corners.
23 – 24 1st couple pass each other by the right to finish in second place on own sides.
25 – 32 2nd, 1st and 3rd couples dance six hands round and back.
Devised by Elinor M Vandegrift, RSCDS Seattle Branch.
Granville Market is on Granville Island in Vancouver, B.C.
Inscribed to the children and organisers of the Vancouver Branch Children’s Scottish Country Dance workshops. It was presented at Vancouver Branch’s Whistler Weekend, May 1985.
THE PIPER AND THE PENGUIN
The Scotia Suite of Scottish Country Dances devised by Roy Goldring
(Reel for Four Couples in a Square Set)
Bars Description
1 – 4 The women dance round their corners, passing in front of them to begin.
5 – 8 The women dance right hands across and remain in the centre.
9 – 12 The women dance round their partners, passing in front of them to begin.
13 – 16 The women dance left hands across and finish in original places.
17 – 32 The men repeat bars 1–16, but dance in front of partners before dancing right hands across, and in front of their corners before dancing left hands across.
33 – 36 1st and 3rd couples, giving right hands, turn partners one and a quarter times.
37 – 40 1st man, followed by his partner, dances between 4th couple and cast back to place. Similarly, 3rd couple dance between 2nd couple and cast back to place.
41 – 48 1st and 3rd couple dance rights and lefts.
49 – 64 2nd and 4th couples repeat bars 33–48, 2nd couple dancing between 1st couple and 4th couple dancing between 3rd couple.
65 – 72 The women dance in and pull back right shoulders (2 bars), dance out (2 bars), and cast clockwise half way round the set to opposite woman’s place.
73 – 80 The men repeat bars 65–72, but pull back left shoulders at the end of bar 74, and cast anticlockwise.
81 – 84 All turn partners with the right hand, just over once round, to finish in promenade hold facing anticlockwise.
85 – 88 All promenade halfway round the set. On bar 87, all release right hands and the men lead their partners to original places ready for the bow and curtsey.