Dances for February 4, 2019 – Ball Walk Through

No Video

The Isle (Jig)
Graded Book – No. 15

1–8 First, second and third couples dance reel of three on own side of dance.

9-16 First couple cast off round second couple, lead through third couple, and cast up round them to face first corner.

17 – 20 First couple set to first corner then set to second corner.

21 – 24 First couple turn each other with the right hand 1½ times to finish on own side one place down.

25 – 32 First and second couples right and left.

Repeat, having passed a couple.

The Manual of Scottish Country Dancing:
Bars 8-9    At the end of the reel, 1st woman continues into the casting movement.
Bar 20       1st  couple pull back right shoulders to face each other across the dance.

TACNotes:’
1-8 1st woman, acknowledging partner in passing, finishes bar 8 in original place facing out & flows on into cast on bar 9.
11-12 1st cpl nearer hand lead.
20 1st cpl pull R shoulder back to finish between corners.

Video: Bohemian Reflections

Bohemian Reflections
RSCDS Book 51
32-bar reel for three couples in a four-couple longwise set

1 – 4 1st couple lead down two places, cross over below 3rd couple, and cast up to second place on opposite sides. 2nd couple step up on bars 3 – 4.

5 – 8 1st couple, giving left hands, turn one and a quarter times to finish in the middle facing own sides.

9 – 12 1st man with 2nd couple and 1st woman with 3rd couple dance right hands across. To finish, 1st couple pass by the right shoulder in the middle.

13 – 16 1st woman with 2nd couple and 1st man with 3rd couple dance left hands across. 1st couple finish in second place on opposite sides.

17 – 24 2nd and 1st couples dance a ladies’ chain. 1st couple finish in second place on opposite sides, 1st man facing out.

25 – 30 1st man, followed by his partner, casts off one place and dances across the set and up behind 3rd man to second place on own side. On the last two bars, 1st woman dances up the middle and into second place on own side, pulling back right shoulder.

31 – 32 2nd, 1st and 3rd couples, joining hands on the sides, set.

Repeat, having passed a couple.

Devised by Holger Schuckelt, Central Germany Branch, January 2016.
The dance was inspired by the reflections on the lake behind Průhonice Castle in Bohemia.

Video: Holyrood Strathspey

Holyrood Strathspey
RSCDS Book 51
32-bar strathspey for three couples in a four-couple longwise set

1 – 4 1st couple set and, giving right hands, turn once round and face out.

5 – 8 1st couple cast off one place and, giving right hands, turn once round to finish facing out in second place on own side. 2nd couple step up on bars 5-6.

9 –16 2nd, 1st and 3rd couples dance reels of three on own sides. To begin, 1st couple pass partner’s first corner by the right shoulder. 1st couple finish in the middle, back to back, facing first corners.

17 – 20 1st couple dance corners pass and turn with first corners and pass partner by the right shoulder to face second corners.

21 – 24 1st couple dance corners pass and turn with second corners and pass partner by the right shoulder to finish in 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 Mervyn Short, Berks/Hants/Surrey Border Branch, September 2015.
The deviser is very fond of Edinburgh and its architecture.

Video: The Machine Without Horses

The Machine Without Horses
Book 12
32-bar jig for three couples in a four-couple longwise set

1 – 4 1st couple set and cast off one place. 2nd couple step up on bars 3-4.

5 – 8 1st and 3rd couples dance right hands across once round.

9 – 12 1st couple set and cast up one place. 2nd couple step down on bars 11-12.

13 – 16 1st and 2nd couples dance left hands across once round.

17 – 24 1st couple, followed by 2nd couple who dance up the sides to begin, dance down between 3rd couple cast up round them, dance up to the top, and cast off into second place, while 2nd couple dance up into top place.

25 – 32 1st and 2nd couples dance rights and lefts.

    Repeat, having passed a couple.

John Rutherford: Twelve Selected Country Dances…for the year 1772.
Original tune: The Machine Without Horses (Rutherford, 1772).

Video: The Somerset Children’s Reel

The Somerset Children’s Reel
RSCDS Book 51
32-bar reel for three couples in a four-couple longwise set

1 – 8 1st and 2nd couples dance right hands across and left hands back.

9 – 16 1st couple lead down for two steps, set to each other retaining right hands, lead up to the top, and cast off to second place. 2nd couple step up on bars 15-16.

17 – 24 1st and 3rd couples dance a double figure of eight. To begin, 1st couple cross down while 3rd couple dance up the sides.

25 – 32 2nd, 1st and 3rd couples dance six hands round and back.

Repeat, having passed a couple.

Devised by Elizabeth Beckinsale, RSCDS Somerset Branch, October 2015.

Dedicated to the children’s class of the RSCDS Somerset Branch. This dance includes the children’s favourite formations. The children also helped to choose the name of the dance.

Video: At the Summit

At the Summit
32-bar strathspey for three couples in a four-couple longwise set

1 – 4 1st couple turn once round with both hands to face up and cast off one place on own sides as 2nd couple step up.

5 – 8 1st couple cross, giving right hands, cast round first corners by the right and finish back to back in the middle, facing their first corners.

9 – 12 1st couple set to their first corners. 1st couple then cast around each other by the right to finish in their partner’s first corner position, while their corners dance into the middle and, pulling back right shoulders, finish back to back, facing their original positions.

13 – 16 1st couple and first corners set to each other. First corners cast round each other by the right to finish on the opposite sides in each other’s original positions, while 1st couple dance into the middle and, pulling back right shoulders, finish back to back, facing their second corners.

17 – 24 1st couple repeat bars 9–16 with second corners but pass by the right on bars 23-24 to finish in second place on opposite sides. Second corners finish on the opposite sides in each other’s original positions.

25 – 32 3rd, 1st and 2nd couples set and link twice to finish on their own sides in the order 2, 1, 3.

Repeat, having passed a couple.

Tune: The Anglins of Ottawa by Muriel Johnstone
Devised by Craig and Jody Williams
This dance was devised for Bob and Barbara Anglin in appreciation of their support and encouragement as we began teaching in Ottawa and running the Ottawa Valley workshop.
We had an exceptional day with Bob & Barbara at the summit of Whistler before the TAC AGM in July, 2009.
Note: The movement described in bars 9-24 was first devised by the late Alex Hay and published in his dance “Peter White”.

Video: The White Cockade

The White Cockade
Book 5 – No. 11
32-bar reel for three couples in a four-couple longwise set

1 – 8 1st, 2nd and 3rd couples set and, giving right hands, cross over. They repeat back to places.

9 – 16 1st couple lead down the middle and up to finish in first place in the middle of the set.

17 – 20 1st couple cast off to second place on own sides. 2nd couple step up on bars 19-20.

21 – 24 1st and 3rd couples dance four hands once round to the left.

25 – 32 2nd and 1st couples dance rights and lefts.

Repeat, having passed a couple.

William Campbell: 3rd Book of New and Favourite Country Dances and Strathspey Reels, London c.1782.
Original tune: The White Cockade (Traditional, earliest version Aird 1782 as The Ranting Highlandman)

No Video

McMARLEY’S CROSS 3S32
Rose and Thistle Book, of dances devised by Wigan Thistle Society

1 – 4 1st, 2nd and 3rd couples turn partner by the right hand once round.

5 – 8 1st, 2nd and 3rd couples turn partner by the left hand once round.

9 – 12 1st couple set and cast off one place. (2nd couple step up bars 11 & 12.)

13 – 16 1st and 2nd couples dance right hands across.

17 – 20 1st couple set and cast off one place. (3rd couple step up bars 19 & 20.)

21 – 24 1st and 3rd couples dance left hands across.

25 – 32 2nd, 3rd and 1st couples dance a grand chain. (1st couple face 3rd couple and 2nd couple cross.)

Devised by – Lorna Grundy, Lisa Jones, Ailsa Longmuir, Rebecca Markey, Kathryn Parkinson, Katherine Small and Nicola Strachan, some of the Junior Members of the Thistle Society, Wigan (1994)

Video: The Deil amang the Tailors

The Deil amang the Tailors
Book 14 – No. 7
32-bar reel for three couples in a four-couple longwise set

1 – 4 1st and 2nd couples set to partners and dance right hands across halfway round.

5 – 8 2nd and 1st couples set to partners and dance left hands across halfway round to original places.

9 – 16 1st couple lead down the middle and up to finish in the middle of the set facing up. 2nd couple step in.

17 – 24 1st and 2nd couples dance an allemande.

25 – 32 2nd, 1st and 3rd couples dance six hands round and back.

Repeat, having passed a couple.

Dale’s Collection of Reels and Dances c. 1799.
Original tune: The Deil amang the Tailors (Gow)

Video: Flowers of Edinburgh

Flowers of Edinburgh
Book 1 – No. 6
32-bar reel for three couples in a four-couple longwise set

1 – 6 1st woman casts off two places, crosses to the opposite side and dances up behind 2nd and 3rd men to her partner’s original place. 1st man follows his partner, crossing over and dancing behind 2nd and 3rd women, and up the middle to his partner’s original place.

7 – 8 1st couple set to each other.

9 – 14 1st couple repeat bars 1-6, with 1st man casting off and 1st woman following. 1st couple finish in original places.

15 – 16 1st couple set to each other.

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.

Kate Hughes’ Dancing Book (MS), Dundalk 1867.
Original tune: Flowers of Edinburgh (Traditional)