Dances for June 5, 2024
No Video
Miamha
Jayne Irwin, April 2024
A 40 bar hornpipe for 4 couples in a square set
1 – 4 All 4 women dance ½ reel of 4 up/down the set. To start: 1st & 2nd women pass right shoulders, 3rd & 4th women pass right shoulders. All finish in the opposite woman’s place (i.e. 1st & 3rd women change places, 2nd & 4th woman change places)
5 – 8 All 4 men dance ½ reel of 4 across the set. To start: 1st & 4th men pass right shoulders, 3rd & 2nd men pass right shoulders. All finish in the opposite man’s place (i.e. 1st & 3rd men change places, 2nd & 4th men change places)
9 – 16 1st & 3rd couples dance a mixed Rondel inside the square to get back to original places.
9 3rd couple dance under an arch made by 1st couple
10 1st & 3rd men guide their partner in front of them
11 1st woman & 3rd man dance to meet each other and join nearer hands (in front of 4th couple), 1st man & 3rd woman dance to meet each other and join nearer hands (in front of 2nd couple.
12 1st man & 3rd woman dance under an arch made by 1st woman & 3rd man
13 1st & 3rd men guide 3rd & 1st women across in front of them
14 1st & 3rd couples dance to meet partners and take nearer hands
15 3rd couple dance under an arch made by 1st couple
16 1st & 3rd men guide their partner across in front to finish in original places.
17 – 24 2nd & 4th couples dance a mixed Rondel inside the square to get back to original places
17 4th couple dance under an arch made by 2nd couple
18 2nd & 4th men guide their partner in front of them
19 2nd woman & 4th man dance to meet each other and join nearer hands (in front of 1st couple), 2nd man & 4th woman dance to meet each other and join nearer hands (in front of 3rd couple.
20 2nd man & 4th woman dance under an arch made by 2nd woman & 4th man
21 2nd & 4th men guide 4th & 2nd women across in front of them
22 2nd & 4th couples dance to meet partners and take nearer hands
23 4th couple dance under an arch made by 2nd couple
24 2nd & 4th men guide their partner across in front to finish in original places.
25 – 28 Sashay in tandem, 1st & 3rd couples with nearer hands joined, advance with pas de basque, passing the other couple by the left, and dance out to opposite sides
29 – 32 Sashay in tandem, 2nd & 4th couples with nearer hands joined, advance with pas de basque, passing the other couple by the left, and dance out to opposite sides
33 – 40 All 4 couples poussette one place clockwise around the square.
33 With both hands joined advance clockwise
34 All ¼ turn pulling back right shoulders
35 All advance clockwise
36 All ¼ turn pulling back right shoulders
37 All advance towards the centre
38 All ¼ turn pulling back right shoulders and open to face the centre of the set
39 – 40 All retire to the sides of the square
Note: Miamha, pronounced mee-ah is meow in Gaelic
Video: Madge Wildfire’s Strathspey – 1934 Reconstruction
No video for 2021 Reconstruction
Madge Wildfire’s Strathspey
RSCDS Sir Walter Scott, The Heart of Midlothian
The Dance – 1820 and 2021
32-bar strathspey for three couples in a four-couple set
1820 Instructions
Six hands round, back again
3 couples crossing over opposite sides, back again & turn partners
set cross corners
lead outsides
2021 Reconstruction
1 – 8 1st, 2nd and 3rd couples dance six hands round and back.
9 – 12 1st, 2nd and 3rd couples, passing right shoulder, cross over. Passing right shoulder, they cross back.
13 – 16 Giving both hands, all three couples turn:
1st couple turn for 2 bars then cast off one place.
2nd couple turn for 2 bars and then dance up to top place.
3rd couple turn for four bars.
17 – 24 1st couple, advancing, set to first corners, then turn them, giving both hands, to face second corners. 1st couple set and turn second corners.
1st couple finish in the centre facing 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:
- In bars 9 — 12, it is unclear if hands would have been given in 1820.
- It seems clear that the progression must take place during bars 9-16. The above solution is traditional and unobtrusive.
- As in other dances in this leaflet ‘set cross corners’ is open to interpretation. The interpretation here is ‘set and turn corners’, a common figure which was often followed by a reel or ‘lead outsides’.
- Lead outsides could be danced out or the dancers cross, depending on fashion. In a crowded ballroom, 1st man could cross his partner in front of him giving left hands.
1934 Reconstruction
1 – 8 1st, 2nd and 3rd couples dance six hands round and back.
9 – 12 1st, 2nd and 3rd couples, passing by the right, cross to opposite sides.
13 – 16 1st, 2nd and 3rd couples repeat bars 9-12 to original places.
17 – 20 1st, 2nd and 3rd couples, giving both hands, turn partners. 1st couple finish facing first corners, and 2nd couple, on bars 19-20, dance up on own sides to first place while 3rd couple finish in original places.
21 – 24 1st couple set to corners.
25 – 30 2nd, 1st and 3rd couples dance reels of three on the sides. To begin 1st couple pass second corners by the right.
31 – 32 1st couple, giving right hands, cross over to own sides in second place.
Repeat, having passed a couple.
In Heart of Midlothian by Sir Walter Scott, Madge Wildfire is “the nickname of Margaret Murdochson, a beautiful but giddy girl, whose brain was crazed by seduction and the murder of her infant.”
Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable
The Manual of Scottish Country Dancing:
Bars 17-20 As 1st couple turn, they dance down the middle, opening out to face first corners, man releasing his left hand.
TACNotes:’
17-20 Cpls turn 2H, 2nd cpl turning in 2 bars & dancing out & up sidelines to top, while 1st cpl move down as they finish the turn & open out to face corners, 1st man dropping his LH & aiding partner.
No Video
SUSIE’S JIG
Duncan Brown, The Bovey Collection
32 bar Jig for three couples in a four couple longwise set
1 – 8 1st and 2nd couples dance right hands across and left hands across. 1st man finishes facing out.
9 – 16 1st man, followed by 1st woman, casts off one place, dances across the set, casts off one place and dances across the set. 1st couple finish in 3rd place, own sides. 2nd couple step up on bars 11 – 12, 3rd couple step up on bars 15 – 16.
17 – 24 2nd, 3rd and 1st couples dance six hands round and back.
25 – 28 1st couple, giving nearer hands, dance up to the top and cast off one place. 3rd couple step down on bars 27-28.
29 – 32 2nd, Ist and 3rd couples, giving right hands, turn partner once round.
Repeat, having passed a couple.
Devised for my younger daughter, Susie.
Recommended tune: Miss Sally Hunter of Thurston (Nathaniel Gow)
No Video
Further Ado
Lydia Hedge, Further Ado
32 bar Reel for 3 couples in a 4 couple longwise set
devised by Lydia Hedge 2019.
1 – 8 1s set, cross down between 2s (as 2s step up), cast behind 3s, dance up between 3s to 2nd place in the centre.
9 – 16 2s, 1s and 3s dance mirror reels of 3 (1s out and up, 2s in and down, 3s in and up) 1s finish back to back facing opposite sides.
17 – 22 2s, 1s and 3s dance 6 bars of double triangles.
23 – 24 1s petronella turn out to own sides in 2nd place.
25 – 32 2s, 1s and 3s circle 6 hands round and back.
Repeat, having passed a couple
Tune: Further Ado by M. G. Hughes 2017