Video: Old and Dangerous

Old and Dangerous
San Andreas Collection
32 bar strathspey for 2 couples in a 4-couple

1-4 1st & 2nd couples set, 1st woman cast down, 2nd man cast up as 1st man and 2nd woman pass LEFT shoulders to face partners on the 1st corner diagonal

5-8 1st & 2nd couples dance half reel of four

9-16 Revolving chain:

Bar 1 1st and 2nd couples turn partner with RIGHT hand half way
Bar 2 1st woman and 2nd man turn LEFT hand as 1st man and 2nd woman travel 1/8 on outside (line is up and down the set)
Bars 3-6 Repeat bars 1-2 twice more (end of bar 4 – line is on 2nd corner diagonal; end of Bar 6 – line is across the set)
Bars 7-8 Men turn with RIGHT hands ¾ to progressed positions while women do the same, 1st man and 2nd woman remain facing out

17-24 1st man cast up and 2nd woman cast down, dance back to back and set while: 1st woman & 2nd man dance back to back, then set twice advancing, passing retiring 2nd woman and 1st man respectively, then passing each other to face partner, still on the diagonal

25-32 1st & 2nd couples turn partner two hands once round (2 bars), half poussette (4 bars), and set (2 bars)

Repeat having passed a couple

Devisor: Gary Thomas, 2007
Music: “Old and Dangerous” by Gary Thomas

The dance is named after the windows in the building where we practice. There are signs that
say not to use them as they are “old and dangerous”. Sometimes we feel the same way.

Video: Miss Emily Gordon’s Jig

Miss Emily Gordon’s Jig
Dancing on Air, 12 new dances devised by Bill Zobel & Muriel Johnstone

1 – 2 1st, 2nd and 3rd couples turn with right hands half-way to face partner in the middle of the set, retaining right hands and joining left hands below the right.
3 – 6 1st, 2nd and 3rd couples slip down the middle for four steps, then slip back to the top.
7 – 8 Using two pas de basque, all three couples change places with partner, retaining joined hands but lifting right hands over the ladies’ heads to finish in allemande hold facing the top.

9 – 16 1st, 2nd and 3rd couples dance allemande.
On bars 15 – 16, 1st and 3rd couples dance two pas de basque to finish in the middle of the set, 1st couple facing up and 3rd couple facing down with nearer hands joined.

17 – 18 3rd and 1st couples change places, 1st couple dancing through the arch made by 3rd couple.
19 – 20 1st and 3rd couples change sides, lady dancing under her partner’s arm.
21 – 22 1st and 3rd couples change places, 3rd couple dancing through the arch made by 1st couple.
23 – 24 3rd and 1st couples change sides, lady dancing under her partner’s arm to finish on own sides, 3rd couple in 1st place facing down and out, 1st couple in 3rd place facing up and out.

25 – 28 3rd, 2nd and 1st couples dance half reel of three on the sides, 2nd couple dancing in and down, 1st couple dancing out and up to begin.
29 – 32 1st and 2nd men turn 1 ½ times with left hand, 1st and 2nd ladies turn 1 ½ times with right hand.

Repeat having passed a couple.

Tune: Em’s Tattie Scones (Muriel Johnstone)

Dance devised by Bill Zobel for Emily, who has quietly supported Scottish Dance in Delta for decades and makes the best ‘Tattie Scones’ in Canada.

Note: the first figure of this dance was devised by Robert McOwen of Boston and used in his dance ‘Burns Night’, published in the Boston Branch book ‘Celebrate Fifty Years of Dancing’.