Video: Glayva
Glava
THE CANADIAN BOOK OF SCOTTISH COUNTRY DANCES by John Drewry
for Mary Prentice’s Birthday 12 January, 1976, in Ibiza
Jig – 2 couples – 32 bars.
Tune – “Mary Prentice’s Jig” by Bobby Jack.
1 – 4 1st and 2nd couples dance half a double figure of eight. To begin:- 1st couple dance down crossing over, while 2nd couple dance up on the sides. At the end:- 2nd couple stay facing out.
5 – 8 1st and 2nd men turn once round by the left hand, while 1st and 2nd ladies turn by the right hand. Again, 2nd couple stay facing out.
9 – 12 1st and 2nd couples dance another half double figure of eight. Again 2nd couple stay facing out.
13 – 16 1st and 2nd men turn once round by the right hand, while 1st and 2nd ladies turn by the left hand. This time 2nd couple finish facing in, with polite turns.
17 – 20 1st and 2nd couples dance right hands across – on the last step they dance into the centre, pulling right shoulders back, to finish closely back to back facing out towards own original positions.
21 – 24 1st and 2nd couples dance out to original positions (two skip change of step), then set facing diagonally in.
25 – 32 1st and 2nd couples dance the “Espagnole” to change places.
Repeat, having passed a couple.
THE ESPAGNOLE
a new method of progression
Bars
1 – 2 1st and 2nd ladies, joining right hands, dance towards the men’s side, passing between their partners – on the second step, 1st lady crosses 2nd lady over in front of her, so that 2nd lady dances out and up towards top place, while 1st lady dances out and down towards second place. Meanwhile 1st and 2nd men cross towards the ladies’ side passing on either side of their partners.
3 – 4 1st and 2nd men, joining right hands, dance back towards their own side, passing between their partners – on the fourth step, 1st man crosses 2nd man over in front of him, so that 2nd man dances out and up towards top place, while 1st man dances out and down towards second place. Meanwhile 1st and 2nd ladies cross back towards their own side passing on either side of their partners.
5 – 8 2nd couple turn by the right hand, while 1st couple turn by the left hand.
NOTE – there is no need to dance right into the side lines during Bars 1-6 but both couples must be in the side lines at the end.
No Video
Lady Spencer’s Wedding
32-bar strathspey for four couples in a four-couple longwise set
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: Red House
Red House or Where would Bonnie Annie lie?
RSCDS Book 7 – No. 2
40-bar reel for two couples in a four-couple longwise set
1 – 8 1st couple set and cast off one place, set and cast up to original places.
9 – 16 1st man casts off below 2nd man, dances up between 2nd couple, round behind 2nd woman and crosses over to own side to finish below 2nd man. 1st woman follows her partner to finish below 2nd woman. (Fig. 1)
17 – 24 1st woman casts up above 2nd woman, dances down between 2nd couple, round behind 2nd man and crosses over to own side to finish in original place. 1st man follows his partner to finish in original place.
25 – 32 1st couple dance a reel of three with 2nd man on the men’s side of the set. 1st and 2nd men pass by the left to begin the reel. 1st woman dances across to enter the reel at 2nd man’s place. On bars 31-32, 1st and 2nd men change places passing by the left and 1st woman dances across to original place. (Fig. 2)
33 – 40 1st couple dance a reel of three with 2nd woman on the women’s side of the set. 1st and 2nd women pass by the right to begin the reel. 1st man dances across to enter the reel at 2nd woman’s place. On bars 39-40, 1st and 2nd women change places passing by the right and 1st man dances to second place on own side. (Fig. 3)
Repeat, having passed a couple.
John Walsh: The Compleat Country Dancing-Master, 1731. Also in Playford: The Dancing Master (9th Edition, 1695).
Original tune: Red House (Walsh’s Country Dances, 1731). 17th Century as The Red House.