Dances for May 22, 2024
No Video
Marlborough Rant
A 32 bar reel for 3 couples in a 4 couple set
Craig Williams, March 2024
1 – 8 1st couple dance a ½ figure of eight on their own sides. Begin by dancing in and down. Take nearer hands when they meet between the 3rd couple, dance up to the top and cast off to 2nd place on own sides, 2nd couple stepping up on bars 7 & 8
9 – 16 2nd, 1st & 3rd couples dance a 3 couple Espagnole.
9 – 10 2nd man & 3rd woman cross to opposite sides
2nd & 1st women giving right hands, cross to opposite sides, 1st woman passing in front of 2nd woman
1st & 3rd men giving right hands, cross to opposite sides, 1st man passing in front of 3rd man
11 – 12 Repeat bars 9-10 from new positions
13 – 14 Repeat bars 9-10 from new positions. The dancers should finish on opposite sides in order (3, 1, 2) across from their partners
15 – 16 All ½ turn partners with the right hand, finishing ready for allemande.
17 – 24 3rd, 1st & 2nd couples dance a allemande.
25 – 32 Circle 6 hands round & back.
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Video: Jeanie Deans’ Strathspey
Jeanie Deans’ Strathspey
RSCDS Sir Walter Scott – A Celebration through Scottish Music and Dance
The Dance — 1820 and 2021
32-bar strathspey for three couples in a four-couple set
1820 Instructions
1st Cu: swing round, & cast off there left hand
& set abreast top & bottom, same on the sides,
set cross corners
& lead outsides
2021 Reconstruction
1 – 8 Giving right hands, 1st couple turn and cast off one place: 2nd cou ple step up. 1st couple, giving left hands, turn to finish man between 3rd couple and woman between 2nd couple.
9 – 12 2nd and 3rd couples face up or down.
All set. 2nd and 3rd couples continue setting as, on bars 11 and 12, 1st man casts up to 2nd place on his own side and 1st woman casts off into 2nd place on her side.
13 – 16 All three couples set twice.
17 – 24 1st couple, advancing, set to first corners. 1st couple dance round each other by the right to face second corners. 1st couple set to second corners, then dance round each other to face the men’s side, man with his partner on his right.
25 – 32 1st couple lead outsides:
Giving nearer hands, 1st couple dance out between 2nd and 3rd men, then cast back into centre. Giving nearer hands, they dance out between 2nd and 3rd women and cast back to 2nd place own sides.
Repeat having passed a couple.
Notes:
- ‘Swing’ meant turn using one hand; ‘turn’ meant both hands.
- Bars 9 – 16 are different from modern RSCDS practice. The above version is similar to that in D.A.’s ‘Country Dancing Made Plain and Easy’ of 1764.
- The interpretation here of ‘set cross corners’ in bars 17 – 24 is based on Thomas Wilson’s ‘set contrary corners’ on pages 44 – 46 of his ‘Analysis of Country Dancing’ of 1811.
- Lead outsides could be simply danced out or the dancers cross, depending on contemporary fashion. In a crowded ballroom with little space for dancers to dance out together, 1st man could cross his partner in front of him, giving left hands.
Video: The Hazel Tree
THE HAZEL TREE
John Drewry, The Brodie Book
devised between 1972 and 1982
for the 25th Anniversary of the Goyt Valley S.C.D. Club
Jig – 3 couples ~ 32 bars
Tune – “Sandy Pirie of Hazelhead” by I. Munro
Kerr’s Thistle Collection page 29
1 – 8 1st and 2nd couples dance “The Espagnole” to change places. See the note at the end of the book. At the end, 2nd couple turn with the right hand to first place on own sides, but 1st couple turn with the left hand to face first corners.
9 – 12 1st couple turn their first corners with the right hand. At the end, 1st couple pass each other by the right to face partners’ first corners. They release hands after three steps but the corners continue to dance for the full four steps.
13 – 16 1st woman turns 3rd woman with the left hand, while 1st man turns 2nd man with the left hand. At the end, 1st couple pass each another by the left to face own second corners.
17 – 20 1st couple turn their second corners with the right hand. At the end, 1st couple pass each other by the right to face partners’ second corners.
21 – 24 1st woman turns 2nd woman with the left hand, while 1st man turns 3rd man with the left hand. At the end, 1st couple pass each other by the left to finish side by side in the middle of the dance in second place on wrong sides facing down.
25 – 28 Joining left hands, 1st couple dance down between 3rd couple crossing over to own sides and cast up to 2nd place.
29 – 32 2nd, 1st and 3rd couples turn partners with the right hand.
Repeat, having passed a couple.
“The Espagnole” (A new progression)
1 – 2 1st and 2nd women, joining right hands, dance towards the men’s side passing between their partners. On the second step, 1st woman crosses 2nd woman over in front of her, so that 2nd woman dances out and up towards first place while 1st woman dances out and down towards second place.
Meanwhile 1st and 2nd men cross to the women’s side passing on either side of their partners.3 – 4 1st and 2nd men, joining right hands, dance back towards their own side passing between their partners. On the fourth step, 1st man crosses 2nd man over in front of him, so that 2nd man dances out and up towards first place while 1st man dances out and down towards second place.
Meanwhile 2nd and ist women cross back to their own side passing on either side of their partners.5 – 8 2nd couple turn with the right hand while 1st couple turn with the left hand.
No Video
CATRIONA’S REEL
Duncan Brown, The Bovey Collection
32 bar Reel for three couples in a four couple longwise set
1 – 4 1st, 2nd and 3rd couples set and, giving right hands, cross over.
5 – 8 1st, 2nd and 3rd couples set and, giving right hands, half turn partner to finish in promenade hold facing up.
9 – 16 1st, 2nd and 3rd couples dance a promenade, finishing in original places.
17 – 24 1st couple lead down the middle and up, finishing in the middle, facing each other, both hands joined. On bar 24 2nd couple step in to finish in the middle both hands joined.
25 – 32 1st and 2nd couples dance a poussette.
Repeat, having passed a couple.
Note: On the 2nd, 4th and 6th times through the dance it is recommended to dance a three couple poussette, with the bottom two couples stepping in on bar 24.
Devised for my elder daughter, Catriona.
Recommended tune: Iain MacPhail’s Compliments to the late Gordon Jamieson