Tonight’s class is at the Churchill recreation center. We will be running a single combined class in the main room. We have selected dances from the Beginner Ball for tonight. While the dances are easy they will be unfamiliar to most dancers. Hopefully, this will provide enough challenge to the more experienced dancers.
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.
Petronella
RSCDS Book 1 – No. 1
32-bar reel for two couples in a four-couple longwise set
Bars Description
1 – 2 1st couple dance a petronella turn, i.e. they dance a three-quarters turn, moving diagonally to their right into the middle of the set and pull back right shoulders to face partner. (Fig.)
3 – 4 1st couple set to each other.
5 – 16 1st couple repeat bars 1– 4 always moving to the right until they are back in original positions.
17 – 24 1st couple lead down the middle and up to finish facing each other in the middle of the set with both hands joined. 2nd couple step in.
25 – 32 1st and 2nd couples dance a poussette.
Repeat, having passed a couple.
Introduced at Nathaniel Gow’s Annual Ball in Edinburgh, 1820.
J P Boulogne: The Ball-Room or the Juvenile Pupil’s Assistant, Glasgow 1827.
Original tine: Petronella (Traditional)
BRAVEHEART
THE BANKHEAD BOOK, Part 6, Scottish Country Dances by JOHN DREWRY, 1995 – 1996
dance devised in September 1996
A dance to mark the passage of 700 years since the Battle of Stirling Bridge in 1297
Strathspey – 3 couples – 32 bars
BARS
1 – 4 1st couple set to each other and then, giving right hands cross over to second place on opposite sides and stay facing out. 2nd couple step up on bars 3-4.
5 – 8 1st couple dance round their first corners, passing them by the right and then turn each other with the left hand to finish in the middle of the dance in second place with the man facing down and the woman facing up.
9 – 12 2nd, 1st and 3rd men dance right hands across on the men’s side, while their partners dance right hands across on the women’s side. At the end, 1st couple pass each other by the right.
13 – 16 1st woman dances left hands across with 2nd and 3rd men on the men’s side while 1st man dances left hands across with 2nd and 3rd women on the women’s side. 1st man finishes between 2nd couple in first place all facing down, while 1st woman finishes between 3rd couple in third place all facing up.
17 – 20 All set in lines of three facing down and up and then change places with the opposite person giving right hand.
21 – 24 All set again in lines of three facing down and up and then change places with the opposite person giving right hand. 2nd couple stay facing up in first place, 3rd couple stay facing down in third place and 1st couple turn right about to finish facing each other (Man facing down, woman up).
25 – 32 1st man dances a reel of three across the dance in first place with 2nd couple, beginning by giving right shoulder to 2nd man. 1st woman, similarly, dances a reel of three across the dance in third place with 3rd couple, beginning by giving right shoulder to 3rd woman. At the end, 1st couple dance to second place on own sides.
Repeat, having passed a couple.
THE MAD HATTER
Happy to Meet
A three couple, 32 bar jig for four couples in a longwise set.
1 – 8 First couple dance down between second and third couples with nearer hands joined, cast up round third couple, dance up between second couple with nearer hands joined and cast off into second place. Second couple move up on bars 7-8.
9 – 12 First couple advance and retire with first corners.
13 – 16 First couple dance back to back with first corners.
17 – 20 First couple advance and retire with second corners.
21 – 24 First couple dance back to back with second corners.
25 – 32 Second, first and third couples dance six hands round and back.
Repeat having passed a couple.
“The Mad Hatter” was devised by Iain Boyd.