Dances for February 3, 2020 – Ball Walk through

Video: Cutty Sark

Cutty Sark (Jig)
Book 40 – No. 2

1 – 8 1st couple cast off and dance down behind own lines. They cast up and dance into second place. 2nd couple step up on bars 3-4.
9 – 16 2nd and 1st couples dance four hands across and back.
17 – 18 1st couple turn with the right hand to face first corners.
19 – 20 1st couple turn first corners with the left hand.
21 – 22 1st couple turn second corners with the right hand.
23 – 24 1st couple, giving left hands, cross to second place.
25 – 28 2nd , 1st and 3rd couples advance and retire.
29 – 32 2nd, 1st and 3rd couples turn with the right hand.

Repeat, having passed a couple.

Scottish Borders Dance Festival, 1992.
Tune: Thrums March

Video: West’s Hornpipe

WEST’S HORNPIPE
Five Traditional Dances for 1965
(Hornpipe)

1 – 8 First woman dances a reel of three with second and third men finishing in her partner’s place while first man does same with second and third women. Fig. 1.

9 – 16 First, second and third couples dance reels of three on own sides.

17 – 24 First couple lead down the middle and up again, turning inwards on last step to face second couple diagonally. Fig. 2.

25 – 28 First couple set to second couple and, joining nearer hands, dance down to foot of the set and turn inwards. Second, third and fourth couples move up.

29 – 32 First and fourth couples dance four hands round.

Repeat with new couple.

Ladies’ Pocket Book 1797
Tune: Robertson’s Hornpipe.

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: Mrs. Stewart’s Jig

Mrs Stewart’s Jig
RSCDS Book 35 – No. 1
32-bar jig for three couples in a four-couple longwise set

1 – 2 1st couple set.

3 – 8 1st woman casts off two places, crosses below 3rd couple and dances up behind 3rd man to second place on opposite side, facing down. 1st man dances across the set, down behind the women’s side, below 3rd woman and up the middle to second place on opposite side facing down. 2nd couple step up on bars 7-8.

9 – 16 2nd, 1st and 3rd couples dance a grand chain. 2nd and 1st men finish facing out.

17 – 24 2nd and 1st couples dance a ladies’ chain.

25 – 28 2nd, 1st and 3rd couples advance and retire.

29 – 32 1st couple, giving right hands, turn one and a half times to own sides.

Repeat, having passed a couple.

Devised by Frans Ligtmans, Eindhoven, 1986.
Original tune: Captain Charles Stewart’s Jigg (Malcolm MacDonald)

TACNotes:
1 – 8 On bar 8, 1st cpl curve by right into 2nd place on opposite side, to finish facing down.

No Video

Crickets by Moonlight
32-bar reel for three couples in a four-couple longwise set

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

5 – 8 1st couple turn with the left hand one and a half times to finish in second place on opposite sides facing out.

9 – 16 Reels of three on the sides, 1st couple passing second corners by the left to begin. 1st couple finish in second place on opposite sides, facing out. 2nd and 3rd couples finish in the middle, nearer hands joined facing each other up and down the dance.

17 – 20 1st couple dance counter clockwise half way round the set to second place on own sides while 2nd and 3rd couples advance and retire, finishing on own sides.

21 – 24 2nd, 1st and 3rd couples turn partners with the right hand.

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

Repeat, having passed a couple.

Devised by Brian Mortimer

Video: Miss Gibson’s Strathspey

Miss Gibson’s Strathspey
Leaflet – No. 10
(Strathspey)

1 – 8 1st and 2nd couples set on side lines joining nearer hands, then turn partners with two hands once round, opening out into four hands once round to the left. Finish in original places.

9 – 16 1st and 2nd couple dance the KNOT On the last 2 bars 1st couple turn with left hands to first corners while 2nd couple dance over to own sides, in top place.

17 – 24 1st couple turn first corners with right hands, partner with left hands, second corners with right hands, and partner with left hands, finishing ready for,

25 – 28 Right hands across, 1st man with 3rd couple, 1st woman with 2nd couple. 1st couple pass right shoulders into –

29 – 32 Left hands across, 1st man with 2nd couple, 1st woman with 3rd couple, 1st couple finishing in second place.

Repeat, having passed a couple.

Devised by Derek Haynes, 1979. Inscribed to Miss Muriel Gibson, Secretary R.S.C.D.S.

The Manual of Scottish Country Dancing:
Bar 24 1st couple stay in the centre of the set at the end of the left hand turn ready to dance right hands across.
Bar 28 Similarly, 1st couple pass right shoulders in the centre of the set to dance left hands across. They do not dance out to the sidelines.

TACNotes:’
23-24 1st cpl dance a wide, three-quarter LH turn & flow into RH across on bar 25.
28 As 1st cpl pass R shoulders, 2nd & 3rd cpls turn inwards ready to give left hands. Do not dance out to sidelines.

Video: The Montgomeries’ Rant

The Montgomeries’ Rant
RSCDS Book 10 – No. 1
32-bar reel for three couples in a four-couple longwise set

1 – 8 1st couple, giving right hands, cross over and cast off one place on opposite sides. 1st couple, giving left hands, cross over and 1st woman casts up one place while 1st man casts off one place. 1st woman finishes between 2nd couple facing 2nd man with 1st man between 3rd couple facing 3rd woman. 2nd couple step up on bars 3-4.

9 – 16 1st woman with 2nd couple and 1st man with 3rd couple dance reels of three across the set. 1st woman and 2nd man and 1st man and 3rd woman pass by the right to begin. On bar 16, 1st couple, with nearer hands joined, face 2nd woman.

17 – 24 1st couple set to 2nd woman. 1st couple turn towards each other and change hands to face 3rd man and set. 1st couple move round to face 3rd woman and set. 1st couple turn towards each other and change hands to face 2nd man and set. 1st couple finish facing second corners.

25 – 30 2nd, 1st and 3rd couples dance reels of three on the sides. 1st couple pass second corners by the right to begin.

31 – 32 1st couple, giving right hands, cross to second place on own sides.

Repeat, having passed a couple.

The Register of Dances at Castle Menzies, 1749.
Original tune: Lord Eglintoune (John Riddell, c. 1766) but usually danced to Lady Montgomerie (Lord Eglintoune, 1796).

TACNotes:’
17-24 1st woman is on her partner’s left to begin &, on bar 24, turns L about, with assistance from her partner, to face her second corner.

No Video

Mount Maxwell Strathspey — Saltspring Island 2007
Wes Clindinning – Canada’s Irish Rover
32 bar Strathspey for three couples

1 – 8 1st, 2nd and 3rd couples reel of three on the sides, 1st lady giving left shoulder to 2nd lady and 1st man giving right shoulder to 2nd man

9 – 16 All couples set, then turn partners with both hands twice, set

17 – 24 1st couple, followed by 2nd couple, lead down the middle. 2nd couple divide and follow 1st couple back to top. Both couples finish in the middle ready for

25 – 32 1st and 2nd couples dance allemande. On bars 31 & 32, 1st couple casts to 3rd place, 3rd couple dance up into 2nd place

For the Saltsprihg Island Club, especially Laura and Harvey Moore.With thanks for
all their generous hospitality and friendship. – HISCD

Video: Off to Speyside

OFF TO SPEYSIDE
Roy Goldring – Graded & Social 1
32 bar jig for 2 couples

1 – 8 1st couple, joining both hands, slip down the middle and up.

9 – 16 2nd couple repeat bars 1 – 8, but finish in 2nd place in the centre of the dance, facing up with nearer hands joined momentarily.

17 – 20 1st and 2nd women turn 1 1/2 times with right hands; 1st and 2nd men turn 1 1/2 times with left hands. All finish on the side lines having changed places.

21 – 24 1st couple dance back to back.

25 – 32 2nd and 1st couples dance right hands across and back with left hands.

Repeat having passed a couple.

Recommended tune: Coldingham (Muriel Johnstone)
Recording: SSCD06 “Haste Ye Back” Track 5

Video: The Reel of the 51st Division

The Reel of the 51st Division
RSCDS Book 13 – No. 10
32-bar reel for three couples in a four-couple longwise set

1 – 8 1st couple set to each other and cast off two places, meet below 3rd couple and lead up the middle to face first corners. 2nd couple step up on bars 3-4.

9 – 12 1st couple set to and turn first corners with the right hand, finishing in a diagonal line by joining left hands with partner.

13 – 14 1st couple and first corners balance in line.

15 – 16 1st couple, releasing right hands with corners, turn each other one and a quarter times to face second corners.

17 – 22 1st couple repeat bars 9-14 with second corners.

23 – 24 1st couple cross to 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 Jimmy Atkinson, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, and Peter Oliver, Seaforth Highlanders (London Scottish), with advice from Tom Harris-Hunter, Royal Army Service Corps while all were interned in the Prisoner of War camp at Laufen in Germany.

Original tune: The Drunken Piper or Highland Rory Alex. McLeod, c. 1880

The original instructions in the form of notes, written by Tom Harris-Hunter on a scruffy piece of paper when he was a prisoner of war, clearly show that the dance was intended for a five couple set as it is still danced in Perthshire.

TACNotes:’
1-8 Set (no stealing) bars 1-2, cast bars 3-5, dance in to meet on bar 6, lead up on bar 7 to face corners on bar 8.