Video: The Ferry Louper
The Ferry Louper
24 GRADED and SOCIAL DANCES, Devised by Roy Goldring, Leeds Branch R.S.C.D.S.
32 bar jig for 3 couples
1 – 8 First, second and third couples dance clockwise (chase) round to places.
9 – 16 First and second couples dance right hands across and back with left hands. First couple finish facing out.
17 – 24 First couple cast off two places, dance up the middle and cast off one place. Second couple step up on bars 23 – 24.
25 – 28 Second, first and third couples advance and retire.
29 – 32 Second, first and third couples turn partners with right hands once round.
Repeat having passed a couple.
Recommended tune:- Castle Hill (M.A.J.)
NOTE: The term ‘Ferry Louper’ is an Orkney expression which refers to someone who lives of the Orkney Islands but who was not born there – i.e. someone who just jumped (or ‘louped’) onto the ferry and came over.
Video: Rakes of Glasgow
Rakes of Glasgow
RSCDS Book 11 – No. 11
32-bar strathspey for three couples in a four-couple longwise set
1 – 8 1st and 2nd couples dance rights and lefts.
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.
Preston’s Twelve Favourite Country Dances, 1806.
Original tune: Rakes of Glasgow (Preston’s Twelve Favourite Country Dances, 1806).
Video: The White Cockade
The White Cockade
RSCDS Book 5 – No. 11
32-bar reel for three couples in a four-couple longwise set
1 – 8 1st, 2nd and 3rd couples set and, giving right hands, cross over. They repeat back to places.
9 – 16 1st couple lead down the middle and up to finish in first place in the middle of the set. (Fig.)
17 – 20 1st couple cast off to second place on own sides. 2nd couple step up on bars 19-20.
21 – 24 1st and 3rd couples dance four hands once round to the left.
25 – 32 2nd and 1st couples dance rights and lefts.
Repeat, having passed a couple.
William Campbell: 3rd Book of New and Favourite Country Dances and Strathspey Reels, London c.1782.
Original tune: The White Cockade (Traditional, earliest version Aird 1782 as The Ranting Highlandman)
Video: Up in the Air
Up in the Air
RSCDS Book 20 – No. 2
32-bar strathspey for three couples in a four-couple longwise set
1 – 8 1st couple cast off, dance down behind own lines and cast up to original places. On bar 8, 1st , 2nd and 3rd couples dance in to meet partners and face up.
9 – 16 1st, 2nd and 3rd couples dance a promenade. On bars 15-16, 1st couple cast off one place to finish facing first corners while 2nd couple dance up to first place.
17 – 20 1st couple set to first corners and then to second corners, finishing between them.
21 – 24 2nd, 1st and 3rd couples dance six hands once round to the left.
25 – 28 2nd, 1st and 3rd couples advance and retire.
29 – 32 2nd, 1st and 3rd couples, giving both hands, turn partners to own sides, 1st couple turning one and a half times.
Repeat, having passed a couple.
W Boag: A Collection of Favourite Reels & Strathspeys by the Most Eminent Composers, 1797.
Original tune: Sir George Clark of Pennycuik (Nathaniel Gow)
The Manual of Scottish Country Dancing:
Bar 20 1st couple, pulling back right shoulder, turn between corners ready to begin the circle.
TACNotes:’
8 All 3 cpls dance into position for promenade (2nd & 3rd cpls, L foot).
20 1st cpl use last setting step to turn R about into sidelines.
Video: The Pawling Porch
The Pawling Porch
Moments in Time, 21 Scottish Country Dances devised by Elaine Brunken
32 Bar Reel for 3 couples
1 – 4 1st couple Set and cast off one place. (2nd couple step up on bars 3-4)
5 – 8 1st couple Dance down between 3rd couple and cast up to second place.
9 – 12 1st couple and 1st corners Advance and Retire.
13 – 16 1st couple and 1st corners Turn with the Right Hand.
17 – 20 1st couple and 2nd corners Advance and Retire.
21 – 24 1st couple and 2nd corners Turnwith the Right Hand. (1st couple pass Right shoulder to own side.)
25 – 32 2nd, 1st , and 3rd couple dance Circle Round and Back.
Repeat having passed a couple
Devised May 2005, at the Pawling Weekend in Sylvan Lake, New York.
Muriel (Johnstone) and I had a small porch off our cabin, which seemed to become
the place everyone stopped for a drink after classes, before lunch, after lunch, before dinner…….. (now there’s a surprise!)
Pawling Weekend (run by the New York Branch) and situated 45 miles north of ‘the City’ is a brilliant weekend. The New York Branch is one of the friendliest, most welcoming groups that I have met in my many travels.
Suggested Tune: The Merrymaking (Traditional)
Video: Beach Dancer
Beach Dancer
A 32 bar Jig for 3 couples in a 4 couple longwise set
For Margaret Blackhall, a teacher at Kamo Club who lives on the coast at Ngunguru.
Devised by Eddy West 2003.
1-4 First couple set and cross giving right hand.
5-8 First couple set to second couple and change places on the side giving left hands (men remain facing out).
9-16 Second and first couples dance a ladies chain, first man finishes facing out. First couple must continue into the next figure without hesitation.
17-20 First man casts down round third lady and crosses to third place, own side then casts up behind third man to second place, first lady follows to own side third place then dances up the middle to second place on own side.
21-24 First and second ladies, and at the same time first and second men, turn giving left hands.
25-32 Second, first and third couples dance reels of three on the sides, first couple passing third couple right shoulder to start.
Repeat having passed a couple
Suggested recorded music “Over the Pond II” – Sound Company CD “On Track”.
Video: The Braes of Breadalbane
The Braes of Breadalbane
RSCDS Book 21. – No. 7.
(Strathspey.)
1 – 4 First couple turn with right hand and cast off one place. Second couple move up.
5 – 8 First couple turn with left hand, the woman casts up, and the man casts down to finish three and three across the dance.
9 – 12 First, second and third couples set twice.
13 – 16 First woman casts down while first man casts up. They turn each other with right hand and finish three and three on own side of dance.
17 – 20 First, second and third couples set twice.
21 – 24 All three couples turn partners with both hands and return to places.
25 – 32 First and second couples dance right and left across and back.
Repeat, having passed a couple.
Tune – The Braes of Breadalbane.
Skillern, 1795.
TACNotes:’
12 1st cpl turn R about, ready to cast.
Video: Postie’s Jig
Postie’s Jig
A 32-bar jig for four couples ina four-couple longwise set
1 – 2 1st and 4th couples set.
3 – 4 1st couple cast off one place while 4th couple cast up one place. 2nd couple step up to top place while 3rd couple step down to fourth place.
5 – 8 1st couple dance a half figure of eight round 2nd couple while 4th couple dance a half figure eight round 3rd couple.
9 – 12 1st man with 4th man and 1st woman with 4th woman, take nearer hands and cross to the opposite side of the set, the men making an arch for the women to dance under. Give free hand to corner person and turn (i.e. 1st man to 2nd man and 1st woman to 2nd woman etc). Corners finish in places, while 1st couple meet and join nearer hands to face down and 4th couple meet and join nearer hands to face up.
13 – 16 1st couple and 4th couple, with nearer hands joined, change places up and down, the 4th couple making an arch for the 1st couple to dance under. Give free hand to corner person and turn (i.e. 1st man to 3rd man and 1st woman to 3rd woman etc.). Corners finish in places, while 1st and 4th men meet and join nearer hands on own side and 1st and 4th women meet and join hands on own side.
17 – 24 Repeat the pattern of crossing and turning as in bars 9 – 12 and 13 – 16. When changing places across the set the men always make the arch and when changing up and down the set the couple dancing up always make the arch. Finish in the order 2, 1, 4, 3 with the 1st and 4th couples on the opposite side.
25 – 28 1st and 4th couples dance half rights and lefts.
29 – 32 1st and 4th couples turn by the right hand once round to finish in the order 2,4, 1, 3.
Repeat from new positions.
Devised by Roy Clowes.
Original tune: Lassie Come and Dance with Me by Neil Grant.
Source: Ormskirk Scottish Dances Book 5.
Video: Flowers of Edinburgh
Flowers of Edinburgh
RSCDS Book 1 – No. 6
32-bar reel for three couples in a four-couple longwise set
1 – 6 1st woman casts off two places, crosses to the opposite side and dances up behind 2nd and 3rd men to her partner’s original place. 1st man follows his partner, crossing over and dancing behind 2nd and 3rd women, and up the middle to his partner’s original place.
7 – 8 1st couple set to each other.
9 – 14 1st couple repeat bars 1-6, with 1st man casting off and 1st woman following. 1st couple finish in original places.
15 – 16 1st couple set to each other.
17 – 24 1st couple lead down the middle and up to finish facing each other in the middle of the set with both hands joined. 2nd couple step in.
25 – 32 1st and 2nd couples dance a poussette.
Repeat, having passed a couple.
Kate Hughes’ Dancing Book (MS), Dundalk 1867.
Original tune: Flowers of Edinburgh (Traditional)