Video: The Bon Viveur

The Bon Viveur
RSCDS Book 523
Medley of 2 x 32-bar strathspey and 2 x 32-bar reel
for four couples in a square set

1 – 8 All dance eight hands round and back.

9 – 16 1st and 3rd couples dance a men’s chain. All four women face out at the end of bar 16.

17 – 28 All dance twelve bars of a Schiehallion reel:

17 – 18 Men, passing left shoulders in the middle, dance to the place of the woman diagonally to their right while women dance a loop to their right into their partner’s place.

19 – 20 Women, passing left shoulders in the middle, dance to the woman’s place diagonally to their right while men dance a loop to their right into the man’s place.

21 – 28 Repeat bars 17—20 twice, finishing one place clockwise from original places.

29 – 32 All four couples, giving right hands, turn once round (or birl in quick time).

Repeat in strathspey time from new positions, finishing opposite original
places. Repeat twice more in reel time, finishing in original places.

Devised by Ian Brockbank, RSCDS Edinburgh Branch, December 2015.

Written for Stewart Adam in recognition of his award of the RSCDS Scroll of Honour at the AGM in Perth in November 2015. Stewart has served as Chairman of RSCDS Edinburgh Branch, Dunedin Dancers and the RSCDS. Along with his wife Chris, he is a most sociable dancer and after dancing he can usually be found near the bar in a jovial group — a true ”bon viveur”.

Video: Summer on the Beach

Summer on the Beach
RSCDS Book 51
32-bar reel for four couples in a four – couple longwise set

1 – 4 1st and 2nd couples, also 3rd and 4th couples, dance right hands across once round.

5 – 8 2nd and 3rd couples dance left hands across once round.

9 – 12 All four women, joining nearer hands, advance and retire, while all four men, joining nearer hands, set twice on the sideline.

13 – 16 All four men, retaining nearer hands, advance and retire, While all four women, retaining nearer hands, set twice on the sideline.

17 – 24 1st couple, followed by 2nd, 3rd and 4th couples, Who dance up the sides to begin, dance down the middle and cast up to original places.

25 – 28 1st couple dance down the middle and curve the long way into fourth place. 2nd, 3rd and 4th couples step up on bars 27—28.

29 – 32 All four couples turn with the right hand once round.

Repeat With a new top couple. 4

Devised by Helena Strandberg Luthi, Gothenburg Branch, June 2012.

The deviser explains: “This dance was devised for Laura in my children’s class in Ghent,
Belgium. She was nine years old at the time and, although a very enthusiastic dancer, was
looking forward to her summer holiday at the seaside.

Bars 1—8 represent the parasols being set up on the beach; bars 9—16 represent the Children
jumping over the waves that roll onto the beach; bars 17—24 represent the children diving into
the water and swimming hack to the shore; and bars 25—32 represent the children playing with
their kites. ”