Dances for March 11, 2024 | Ottawa Dance Scottish

The Ruby Rant
RSCDS Book 49
32-bar reel for three couples in a four-couple longwise set

1 – 8 1st and 2nd couples set and, pulling back by the right, dance two places clockwise. 2nd and 1st couples, giving right hands, cross to own sides. 1st couple remain facing out.

9 – 12 2nd, 1st and 3rd couples dance half reels of three on the sides. 1st man and 2nd man, 1st woman and 3rd woman pass by the right to begin. On bars 11-12, 1st woman, from 3rd woman’s place, and 1st man, from original place, dance across to second place on opposite sides and face out.

13 – 16 3rd man and 1st woman, 1st man and 2nd woman, giving right hands, turn once round.

17 – 20 3rd, 1st and 2nd couples dance half reels of three on the sides. 1st woman and 2nd man, 1st man and 3rd woman pass by the left to begin. On bars 19-20, 1st man, from 1st woman’s place, and 1st woman, from 3rd man’s place, dance across to second place on own sides and face out.

21 – 24 2nd and 1st women, 1st and 3rd men, giving left hands, turn. 1st couple pass by the left to finish back to back in the middle of the set facing opposite sides. 2nd woman and 3rd man dance for four bars.

25 – 26 2nd, 1st and 3rd couples set as in double triangles.

27 – 28 2nd, 1st and 3rd couples set, 1st couple turning right about to face each other in the middle of the set.

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

Repeat, having passed a couple.

Devised by Francis Walduck, Queensland Branch.
To mark the 40th Australian Winter School in 2015, hosted by Queensland Branch.

Video: THE ELUSIVE MUSE

THE ELUSIVE MUSE
OR, EASILY LED

32 bar jig for a 3 couple set by Tim Wilson, March 5, 2003

1 – 4 1st woman dances around her partner giving right shoulder to finish in the center of the dance, beckoning him to follow.

5 – 8 1st woman, followed closely by 1st man, dances a half reel of three across the dance with 2nd couple, giving left shoulder to 2nd woman to begin. 1st couple finish ready to dance down, woman on man’s right. 2nd couple finish in first place.

9 – 16 1st couple dance down the middle for 4 bars with nearer hands joined, on bars 13-14 1st woman dances under their raised arms and in front of her partner (as he dances below her) to switch places and face up, on bars 15-16 they dance up to third place to face 3rd woman.

17 – 20 1st woman, followed closely by 1st man, dances a half reel of three across the dance with 3rd couple, giving right shoulder to 3rd woman to begin.

21 – 24 1st couple dance up with nearer hands and cast off around 2nd couple to finish in second place on opposite side.

25 – 32 2nd, 1st and 3rd couples set and link for three couples twice, as in bars 25-32 of Gang the Same Gate (RSCDS Bk. 36).

Ends 312 ready for a new couple to begin.

Music: “Calliope House” by David Richardson
Note: For Bruce Herbold on the occasion of his 50th birthday. A wonderful teacher, fellow dance devisor, and fish biologist, I had intended to surprise him with a dance on his 49th birthday but the muse was too elusive. This time she stayed just long enough. This dance pays homage to two of his fishy favourites: The Duran Ranger and The Salmonfield Poacher. “Easily Led” is a reference to one of his favourite teaching exercises which is to brief either the women or the men and have them lead their partners through a dance with non-verbal cues.