Video: Miss Catherine Ann
Miss Catherine Ann
David Queen, The Queen Collection
32 Bar Strathspey for a 3 couple set
1 – 4 1st and 2nd men and 1st and 2nd ladies, set and ‘mirror link’ ie. ladies pulling back right shoulders and men pulling back left shoulders.
5 – 8 1st couple dance half a figure of eight round 2nd couple, crossing up to begin.
9 – 12 1st and 3rd couples set and ‘mirror link’ ie.1st man and 3rd lady pulling back right shoulders, 1st lady and 3rd man pulling back left shoulders.
13 – 16 1st couple dance half a figure of eight round 3rd couple, crossing up to begin.
17 – 20 All 3 couples petronella turn into the centre of the set and set to partners.
21 – 24 All turn partners halfway with both hands and damce a petronella turn back out to own sidelines.
25 – 32 All 3 couples flow into a circle round and back.
Start again with a new couple at the top.
For my wife Cathy.
Video: The Ratcatcher’s Reel
The Ratcatcher’s Reel
David Queen, The Queen Collection, Vol. 1
32 bar Reel for 3 couples in a 4 couple set
1 – 4 1st and 2nd couples set and mirror link, ie. Men link by the left and Ladies link by the night.
5 – 8 1st, 2nd & 3rd couples dance half a reel of three on the sides, 1st couple dancing in and down to begin, 2nd couple out and down and 3rd couple out and up.
9 – 12 3rd and 1st couples set and mirror link ie. Men link by the left and ladies link by the right.
13 – 16 1st, 3rd & 2nd couples dance half a reel of three on the sides, 1st couple dancing out and down to begin, 3rd couple in and down and 2nd couple out and up.
17 – 18 1st man and 3rd man dance half a turn with the right hand, while 1st lady and 3rd lady dance half a turn with the left hand.
19 – 20 1st man and 2nd man dance half a turn with the left hand, while 1st lady and 2nd lady dance half a turn with the right hand.
21 – 24 1st and 2nd couples dance half a figure of eight, 1st couple casting down and 2nd couple crossing up to begin.
25 – 32 1st and 2nd couples dance an allemande starting by dancing a right hand turn into allemande hold facing up using the first two bars (as in the knot) and continuing to dance a normal two couple allemande.
This dance was devised for David Rye from West Wales who lists among his many talents and professions, the role of Ratcatcher.
Video: It’s all right
It’s all right
RSCDS Second Book of Graded Scottish Country Dances
32-bar jig for three couples in a four-couple longwise set
1 – 4 1st, 2nd and 3rd couples set and, giving right hands, cross over to finish facing clockwise.
5 – 8 1st, 2nd and 3rd couples chase halfway to finish in the order 3,2,1 on own sides.
9 – 16 3rd, 2nd and 1st couples repeat bars 1-8 to finish in original places.
17 – 24 1st couple lead down the middle and up.
25 – 32 1st couple set and, giving right hands, cross over, cast off one place and, giving right hands, cross to second place on own sides. 2nd couple step up on bars 29-30.
Repeat, having passed a couple.
Devised by Elma See.
For those who forget which is their ‘right’ hand.
No Video
Longtown Rant
Evelyn Ramwell, The Second Kirkbrae Collection
A 32 bar reel for 3 couples in a 4 couple set.
Tune: ‘Bill & Betty Galbraith’ (Donald Ridley) or any good reel.
1 – 4 1st couple dance down the middle for two steps, release hands & set to partner.
5 – 8 1st couple dance up and cast to corners. 2nd couple step up on bars 7 & 8.
9 – 12 1st couple turn 1st corner by the Right hand, pass partner by the Right shoulder to face 2nd corner. (Corners dance four bar turns.)
13 – 16 1st couple turn 2nd corner by the Right hand, (corners dance four bar turns), 1st couple cross to 2nd place own side, passing Right shoulder, and face out, ready for:
17 – 24 Reels of 3 on own sides, 1st lady dancing down, 1st man up, passing Right shoulders to begin.
25 – 32 2nd, 1st & 3rd couples dance six hands round & back.
Repeat having passed a couple.
No Video
Raccoon Ramble
Susie Langdon Kass, Let’s All Dance, Too
32/R/3 couple set by Susie Langdon Kass (1996)
San Francisco Branch
1 – 8 1st couple dance a figure of eight around 2nd couple, crossing down to begin.
9 – 16 1st couple cross with right hands and cast off one place; cross with left hands and cast off to 3rd place. 2nd couple move up on bars 3-4 and 3rd couple move up on bars 7-8 of the phrase.
17 – 24 3rd and 1st couples dance rights and lefts.
25 – 32 2nd, 3rd and 1st couples circle 6 hands round and back.
Repeat from new places.
Music: Any good reel
Notes: An easy dance for 3 couples in which only the 1st couple start, and the dance ends with a circle. For teaching purposes, the rights and lefts in bars 17-24 may be replaced with right hands across and left hands back, set and cross right and set and cross back for 3 couples, or promenade for 3 couples or any other appropriate, non-progressive, formation. If there is a 4th couple the last circle is 8 hands round and back.
The name of the dance came to mind one night when some raccoons came into my back yard while I was preparing the lesson for my class. (SLK)