Sunday, December 1, 2013

Dances for December 9, 2013

Orwell Lodge Strathspey

32-bar strathspey for three couples in a three-couple longwise set

Bars                    Description

1-8    1st and 2nd couples dance the knot. 1St couple finish facing first corners

9-12    1st couple dance a half reel of four with first corners and pass by the right to face second corners.

13-26    1st couple dance a half reel of four with second corners and pass by the right to finish all on opposite sides in the order 3, 1, 2.

17-18    3rd, 1st and 2nd couples set.

19-20    1st couple dance a petronella turn. At the same time, 3rd and 2nd couples cast by the right and dance round one place clockwise. 1st man finishes at the top between 2nd and 3rd women, all facing down, and 1st woman in third place between 2nd and 3rd men, all facing up.

21-22    3rd, 1st and 2nd couples set.

23-24    1st couple dance a petronella turn. At the same time, 3rd and 2nd couples cast by the right and dance round one place clockwise. Finish in the order 2, 1, 3 all on own sides.

25-26    2nd, 1st and 3rd couples set.

27-28    2nd couple, giving both hands turn once round. At the same time 1st and 3rd couples, giving both hands to partners, turn to finish in a diagonal line with 1st woman and 3rd man back to back in the  middle of the set.

29-32    1st and 3rd couples dance a half poussette.

Devised by Ian Brockbank, Edinburgh Branch, and dedicated to Jane Purves.



FATHER CONNELLY’S JIG

THE DONSIDE BOOK of Scottish Country Dances, 1989-1990 by John Drewry

Dance devised January 1990

1–8    1st and 2nd couples “Set and Rotate”.

9–12    1st couple and their first corners dance half right and left on the diagonal. Meanwhile second corners set to each other and then change places giving right hands. At the end, 3rd and 2nd couples stay facing out.

13–16    3rd, 1st and 2nd couples dance half reels of three on opposite sides. To begin:- 1st and 3rd men, and 1st and 2nd women, pass by the right. At the end:- 2nd and 3rd couples veer into place (i.e. no extra loops).

17–20    1st couple and their second corners dance half right and left on the diagonal (1st couple begin by giving right hands to second corners in person). Meanwhile first corners set to each other and then change places giving right hands. At the end, 3rd and 2nd couples stay facing out.

21–24    3rd, 1st and 2nd couples dance half reels of three on the sides.To begin:- 1st and 2nd men, and 1st and 3rd women, pass by the right. At the end:- 2nd and 3rd couples dance round loops on the corners to enter the reels across the dance.

25–32    1st woman dances a reel of three across the dance with 2nd couple (left shoulder to 2nd man) while 1st man dances a reel of three across the dance with 3rd couple (left shoulder to 3rd woman).

33–40    1st couple, giving right hands, dance down between 3rd couple crossing over to opposite sides; 1st woman casts up round 3rd man while 1st man cast off round 4th woman. 1st couple, giving left hands, change places up and down the dance; 1st woman casts up round 4th woman while 1st man cast off round 3rd man. 3Rd couple step up on bars 39-40. (1st couple are now in third place on own sides.)

41–56    3rd, 1st and 4th couples dance the figures danced by 2nd, 1st and 3rd couples during bars 9-24.

57–64    3rd, 1st and 4th couples six hands round and back – (2nd couple could join in too to make it eight hands round and back).

Repeat with a new top couple.

NOTE   The dance is really two dances each of 32 bars. Bars 9-24 of each dance are similar. 1st couple dance the first part with 2nd and 3rd couples and the second part with 3rd and 4th couples. Either part could be danced separately as a normal 8 X 32  bar dance. The reason for this unusual structure is that the tune contains 64 bars and it was thought that this arrangement would make it less tiring for the dancers than a 8 X 64 bar dance.

In the half right and left on the diagonal it is essential for the dancers to be in the side lines before changing places with the left hand to leave the centre of the set free for the other dancers.





McLaughlin's Reel, 32R 3C (4C Set)                        B. Zobel, Whitadder Coll.

1-6    First Couple lead down the middle, cross over and cast up round third couple, dance up to the top behind the sidelines on the opposite side and in to meet each other to join hands.

7-8    First couple turn each other half way round with two pas de basque steps to finish ready for poussette, second couple stepping in.

9-16    First and second couples dance poussette, on bars 15 & 16 first couple stay in the middle and continue to turn an extra quarter of a turn opening out back to back  with first man facing the top and first lady facing the bottom of the set.

17-24    First couple dance round second corners passing right shoulder and turn each other with right hand one and a half times to finish on their own side in second place. At the same time second and third couples set and cross over with right hand, set and cross back with right hand.

25-32    Second, first and third couples dance six hands round and back

Dances for December 2, 2013

IAN POWRIE’S FAREWELL TO AUCHTERARDER
(Jig)

BARS    1st Figure                DESCRIPTION

1 – 8    All four couples dance eight hands round and back.
9 – 12    All four ladies pass in front of their partners and dance behind the next man, round him, and into the middle of the dance.
13 – 16    All four ladies dance a right hand wheel right round.
17 – 20    All four ladies then pass in front of 3rd man round and dance behind the 4th man to finish in the middle of the dance.
21 – 24    All four ladies dance four hands across in a right hand wheel to finish ready for a promenade with partners.
25 – 32    All four couples dance promenade round to own places.

2nd Figure

1 – 4    1st couple, turning to the left, dance round behind 2nd couple, 1st man passing round 2nd man to finish facing him while 1st lady dances round 2nd lady to finish facing her. At the same time, 3rd couple dance round behind 4th couple, 3rd man dancing round 4th man to finish facing him while 3rd lady dances round 4th lady to finish facing her.
5 – 8    All set and turn right hand the person they are facing, finishing in line of four.
9 – 16    All four couples dance a reel of four across the dance to finish in lines of four.
17 – 24    Couples 1 and 3 dance complete figure of eight round 2’s and  4’s, who stand still, and finish in centre.
25 – 28    1’s and 3’s dance four hands across, giving left hands.
29 – 32    1st couple dance round behind 2nd couple and return to places while at the same time 3rd couple dance round behind 4th couple and return to places.
33 – 36    2nd and 4th couples repeat bars 1-4 dancing round behind 3rd and 1st couples.
37 – 40    All couples repeat bars 5-8.
41 – 48    All four couples dance reels of four up and down the dance to finish in lines of four.
49 – 56    2nd and 4th couples dance figure of eight round 3rd and 1st couples who stand still.
57 – 60    2nd and 4th couples repeat bars 25-28.
61 – 64    2nd and 4th couples repeat bars 29-32.

3rd Figure

1 – 8     All four couples dance promenade round to places. (On last bar of 2nd Figure men 1 and 3 dance in on left foot to meet partners.)
9 – 12    All four men pass in front of their partners, moving to the right, and dance behind the next lady, round her and into the middle of the dance.
13 – 16    All four men dance left hands across in a wheel.
17 – 20    All four men pass in front of 3rd lady, round the 4th lady and finish in the middle of the dance.
21 – 24    All four men dance four hands across in a left hand wheel to finish for a circle of eight.
25 – 32    All four men dance a circle of eight round to the right and back to the left to finish.

Copyright — Bill Hamilton




Mr Gallamore's Strathspey
Elaine Brunken, Moments in Time
32 Bar Strathspey for 4 couples

1-4        1st and 2nd men, and 3rd and 4th ladies, (top men and bottom ladies) dance around their partners, by the right shoulder, curve in to face their partner in the center.
5-8        All join nearer hands with the person beside you and set, (1st and 2nd men, and 3rd and 4th ladies pass back to back in the center as they set) 1st and 2nd men, and 3rd and 4th ladies pull back right shoulder and dance out to place.
9-12    1st and 2nd ladies, and 3rd and 4th men Set and Link (top women and bottom men)
13-16    1st and 3rd ladies, and 2nd and 4th men Set and Link (middle ladies and men. Finish in order ladies 2,3,1,4, men 1,4,2,3)
17-24    Four couple Bourrel.
17-20    2nd lady (top position) and 3rd man (bottom position) dance anti-clockwise around the set to finish in the center of the set. (lady at the bottom facing up and man at the top facing down). While, 1st man with 3rd lady, 4th man with 1st lady, 2nd man with 4th lady Set advancing on the diagonal and turn each other 3/4 round, with two hands. All pull back right shoulder (birl), finish, in the center with all ladies facing up and all men facing down, facing partner.
21-24    All set to partners and turn them with two hands 3/4 round, to finish in own side, (order is now 3, 1,4,2)
25-32    3rd, 1st, 2nd and 4th couples dance Circle Round and Back

Repeat with a new top couple



Fight About the Fireside, 32R 3C (4C Set)                                   
RSCDS Bk 1

1-8    1s lead down the middle & up to end facing 1st corners
9-16    1s dance reels of 3 across giving RSh to 1st corner (1s end facing 1st corners)
17-24    1s set & turn 1st corners, set & turn 2nd corners ending in 2nd place opposite sides
25-32    1s set twice & turn RH 1.1/2 times