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Lady Spencer’s Wedding
32-bar strathspey for four couples in a four-couple longwise set
Bars Description
1 – 8 1st couple cast off and dance down behind their own lines, meet below 3rd couple and, joining nearer hands, dance back up to the top and cast off to second place. 2nd couple step up on bars 7-8.
9 – 16 2nd and 1st couples dance a non-progressive knot (or “slip knot”), 2nd couple finishing back in first place and 1st couple finishing in the middle of the set, nearer hands joined, facing 2nd woman, 1st woman on her partner’s right.
A non-progressive knot is danced as follows:
Bars 1-6 are danced as in a standard knot; on bars 7-8, instead of partners turning with the left hand to finish in progressed places, both couples dance left hands across halfway round to finish in their original order. (In this particular dance, 2nd couple finishes in first place, but 1st couple finishes in the middle of the set, as explained above.)
17 – 24 1st couple set to 2nd woman and, turning towards one another, face 3rd man. They set to 3rd man and turning to their left face 3rd woman. They set to 3rd woman and turning towards one another face 2nd man. They set to 2nd man and on bar 24, 1st man pulls back right shoulder to face his partner while 1st woman dances a long setting step to her left to finish ready for a half poussette. 3rd couple dance in on bar 24 ready for…
25 – 28 1st and 3rd couples dance a half poussette. 3rd couple finish on the sidelines while 1st couple dance a slow turn in the middle of the set on bars 27-28 and remain in the middle as 4th couple dance in on bar 28 ready for…
29 – 32 1st and 4th couples dance a half poussette.
Repeat from new positions.
Devised by Elaine Hoag and Michael Hoffman in 2001 to celebrate the marriage of Ardbrae members, Michael Hoffman and Rosalind Spencer, and presented by Michael to Rosalind.
Legend:
Bars 1-8 Courtship; meeting of minds, hearts and hands; walking up the aisle
Bars 9-16 Tying the knot in a nautical fashion (the bride and groom are both very fond of sailing)
Bars 17-24 Greeting guests at the reception
Bars 25-32 Dancing at the reception
Note: The non-progressive knot in bars 9-16 was devised by Mel and Ellie Briscoe in 1990 and is described in the dance, ‘Ellie’s Jig’, published in The Slip Knot Collection of Scottish Country Dances devised by Melbourne G. Briscoe.
Video: Hooper’s Jig
Hooper’s Jig
Miss Milligan’s Miscellany of Scottish Country Dances
32-bar jig for three couples in a four-couple longwise set
1 – 4 All clap and 1st couple, passing right shoulders, cross over and cast off one place on opposite sides. 2nd couple step up on bars 3-4.
5 – 8 1st and 3rd couples dance right hands across once round.
9 – 12 All clap and 1st couple, passing by the right, cross over and cast up to original places. 2nd couple step down on bars 11-12.
13 – 16 1st and 2nd couples dance left hands across once round.
17 – 18 1st man and 3rd woman, giving right hands, change places.
19 – 20 1st woman and 3rd man, giving right hands, change places, while 1st man and 3rd woman dance round ready to cross back.
21 – 22 1st man and 3rd woman, giving right hands, change places and 1st man faces out. At the same time, 1st woman and 3rd man dance round ready to cross back.
23 – 24 1st woman and 3rd man, giving left hands, cross over with 3rd man guiding 1st woman into second place while 1st man casts off to second place. 2nd couple step up.
25 – 32 2nd and 1st couples dance rights and lefts.
Repeat, having passed a couple.
Rutherford, D: Compleat collection of 200 of the most celebrated country dances, both old and new, c. 1756, London
Customary tune: Peter’s Peerie Boat (Tom Anderson)
Video: Mairi’s Wedding
Mairi’s Wedding
TWENTY-TWO SCOTTISH COUNTRY DANCES by James B. Cosh and TWO OTHERS
40R 3C (4C Set)
(N.B. Dancing couple passing left shoulder in centre.)
1 – 4 First couple turn with right hand and cast one place on own side.
(Second couple move up.)
5 – 8 Then turn with left hand to corners.
9 – 12 First couple dance half reel of four with first corners.
(The corners changing places.)
13 – 16 First couple dance half reel of four with second corners.
17 – 20 First couple dance half reel of four with first corners,
(Who are now on the other side.)
21 – 24 First couple dance half reel of four with second corners.
25 – 32 Reels of three across, the woman with second couple and the man
with third couple.
33 – 40 Six hands round and back.
Fig. 1 shows pattern danced by first woman. Fig. 2 shows pattern danced by first man.