TACTFUL DANCERS
32-bar hornpipe for 3 couples in a 4-couple set
Music: David Jones’s Locker, by Chris Dewhurst, or similar hornpipe
1-4 1st and 2nd men, and 1st and 2nd women, facing on the sides, set and turn half way, men with left hand and women with right hand. 2nd couple make polite turns as they finish in top place.
5-8 1st and 3rd men, giving right hands, turn once round; meanwhile, 1st and 3rd women, giving left hands, turn once round.
9-10 1st couple change places with second corners (2nd woman and 3rd man) giving left hands.
11-12 Original second corners (now in 2nd place on opposite sides) change places with first corners (2nd man and 3rd woman) giving right hands.
13-14 Original first corners (now in 2nd place on opposite sides) change places with 1st couple (in 2nd corner positions) giving left hands.
15-16 Giving right hands to partner, all cross over and face in, pulling right shoulder back. Dancers are now on opposite sides in the order 312.
17-24 Dance set and link for 3 couples, twice, to finish on own side in the order 213.
25-32 Circle six hands round and back.
Repeat having passed a couple.
Devised by Chris Ronald, August 2016, in honour of Elizabeth Woodbury.
Notes:
The dance recognizes Elizabeth’s love of sailing, particularly J27s which can have a crew of six.
Bars 1-8 depict greeting the other crew members; bars 9-16 tacking, bars 17-24 ‘all hands on deck’, and bars 25-32 celebrate the successful conclusion of an event.
The title alludes to the tacking figure on bars 9-16. The figure was inspired by a similar movement in Iain Boyd’s dance: The Cashmere Shawl. In that dance right hands are given first, but in this dance left hands are given first, since the starboard tack has right-of-way over the port tack! PS. I find it helps to teach bars 9-16 first.
Video: Strathglass House
Video: Strathglass House
Video: Strathglass House
Strathglass House
Book 13 – No. 9
32-bar strathspey for three couples in a four-couple longwise set
1–4 1st, 2nd and 3rd couples set and dance six hands round to the left halfway.
5–8 3rd, 2nd and 1st couples repeat bars 1-4 to original places, again moving to the left.
9–12 1st couple lead down, cross over below 2nd couple and dance behind 3rd couple to meet below them facing up.
13–16 1st couple lead up to the top and cast off one place on opposite sides to face first corners. 2nd couple step up on bars 15-16.
17–24 1st couple turn first corner with right hand, partner with the left hand, second corner with the right hand, partner with the left hand to finish between corners.
25–28 2nd, 1st and 3rd couples advance and retire.
29–32 1st couple, giving both hands, turn one and a half times to finish in second place on own sides.
Repeat, having passed a couple.
R Bremner:
A Second Collection of Scots Reels or Country Dances c. 1765.
Original tune:
Mr Muir Mackenzie’s Favourite (Mr Sharpe of Hoddom)
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TACNotes:’
1 – 8 On second setting step (bars 2 & 6) 1st man & 3rd woman must begin to move into circle shape so that the half circle is completed in two steps (bars 3-4 & 7-8).
13 – 16 Nearer hand lead. 2nd cpl step up on bars 15-16.