Video: No Video

Lassie Will Ye Come and Dance?
Iain Boyd, Let’s All Dance
A 32 bar jig for 3 Couples

1 – 8 1st couple set twice, cross right hands and cast down round 2nd couple on opposite sides. 2nd couple moves up on 7 & 8.

9 – 16 1stwoman dances a figure of 8 round 2nd couple, passing 2nd woman by the right shoulder, while 1st man dances a figure of 8 round 3rd couple passing 3rd man right shoulders to begin. 1stcouple finishes on opposite sides in 2nd place.

17 – 20 2nd, 1st, & 3rd C set twice with nearer hands joined on the sides.

21 – 24 1st couple turn with right hands 1 ¼ times to finish with 1st woman between 2nd couple and 1st man between 3rd couple.

25 – 28 1st woman with 2nd couple and 1st man with 3rd couple, set twice with nearer hands joined in threes across the set.

29 – 32 1st couple turn with right hands 1 ¼ times to finish on own sides in 2nd place.

No Video

Opossum Impossible
Le Petit Chat Celtique
32 bar Reel for 3 couples – McMurtry – 2006

1 – 8 1st couple dance in for one step and cast off two places, below 3rd couple. 1st couple, giving left hands, cross up between 3rd couple to end in second place opposite sides. 2nd and 1st couples facing up and down, set to each other, 2nd couple step up on bars 3 & 4.

9 – 16 2nd and 1st couples dance a ladies chain, 1st man remain facing out.

17 – 20 1st man cast up round 2nd woman passing left shoulder and dance down between 2nd couple to second place in the middle. Meanwhile 1st woman dances between 3rd couple and cast up round 3rd woman, passing left shoulders to end in the middle. 1st couple end side by side in the middle facing down (Fig. 1).

21 – 24 1st couple giving right hands lead down and cross between 3rd couple and cast up one place.

25 – 30 1st woman dance a right shoulder reel of three across the dance with 2nd couple passing right shoulders with 2nd woman to begin, while 1st man dance a right shoulder reel of three across the dance with 3rd couple passing right shoulder with 3rd man to begin.

31 – 32 1st couple giving right hands cross to second place on own side. Repeat having passed a couple.

Dance Note: 1st couple should not be below the 3rd couple until the end of bar 4, the cast to second place taking the additional 2 bars. At the end of bar 20, 1st couple should be in the middle facing down the set, right hand in right.

Music: Belle Femme de Bretague by Boh McMurtry – page 16

Note: Alfie, one of my cats, was trying to stalk an opossum. Though the opossum was a juvenile, it was still big enough to intimidate the stalking cat. I can happily report that neither animal was injured in the devising of this dance.

Video: The Paisley Weavers

The Paisley Weavers
RSCDS Third Book of Graded Scottish Country Dances
32-bar strathspey for three couples in a three-couple longwise set
Two chords: on the second chord, 2nd couple crosses to opposite sides.

1 – 8 1st couple, giving right hands, cross down between 2nd couple, cast off one place; giving right hands, cross up between 3rd couple and cast up to original places.

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

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

25 – 28 1st and 2nd couples dance half rights and lefts.

29 – 32 1st and 3rd couples dance half rights and lefts.

Repeat from new positions.

Devised by Derek Haynes, Headquarters Member.
Printed by permission of Maureen Haynes.

The town of Paisley, seven miles west of Glasgow, was well known in the nineteenth century for its production of shawls and threads. The best known design, a twisted teardrop shape, is known as Paisley pattern.

Video: The Mountain Stream

The Mountain Stream
Graded and Social Dances 3, devised by Roy Goldring
32 bar Reel for 2 couples

1 – 8 1st woman and 2nd man set twice then turn with right hands. They finish in place.

9 – 16 1st man and 2nd woman set twice then turn with left hands.
They finish in place – 1st man facing out.

17 – 24 1st man, followed by his partner, casts behind 2nd man, crosses up between 2nd couple, casts behind 2nd woman and crosses to 2nd place on own side. 1st woman finishes in 2nd woman’s place. 2nd couple step up on bars 23-24.

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

Repeat having passed a couple.

Tune: Miss Jean Donaldson’s Hornpipe (Traditional – James Walker 1st Collection)

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)