Monday, September 29, 2014

Dances for September 29, 2014


A Capital Jig
RSCDS, 5 Dances 2009
32-bar jig for three couples in a four-couple longwise set

1–8        1st and 2nd couples set and rotate. 2nd couple finish in first place facing down and 1st couple in second place facing up.

9–16    2nd, 1st and 3rd couples dance reels of three on own sides. To begin, 2nd and 1st couples pass by the right.

17–20    1st couple set and, giving right hands, turn three quarters to be side by side in the middle of the set facing own sides.

21–24    1st woman with 2nd couple and 1st man with 3rd couple dance left hands across. 1st couple finish in second place on opposite sides.

25–28    1st couple set and, giving right hands, turn three quarters to be side by side in the middle of the set facing opposite sides.

29–32    1st man with 2nd couple and 1st woman with 3rd couple dance left hands across. 1st couple finish in second place on own sides.

Repeat, having passed a couple.

Devised by Tine E Mackay, Delaware Valley Branch.
Original tune:  The Reunion by George M Anderson
Dedicated to the Harrisburg Scottish Country Dancers. Harrisburg is the capital of Pennsylvania.







Rodney’s Rant
RSCDS: A Collection of Dances to Celebrate The Diamond Jubilee of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

32-bar jig for three couples in a four couple longwise set

1–4        1st couple set to partner 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.

9–10    1st man and 3rd woman, 1st woman and 2nd man, giving right hands, change places.

11–12    1st man and 2nd man, 1st woman and 3rd woman, giving left hands, change places.

13–14    1st man and 3rd man, 1st woman and 2nd woman, giving right hands, change places.

15–16    1st man and 2nd woman, 1st woman and 3rd man, giving left hands, change places.

17–20    3rd, 1st and 2nd couples dance set and link for three to finish in lines across the set, 1st man between 2nd couple facing down and 1st woman between 3rd couple facing up.

21–24    2nd, 1st and 3rd couples dance set and link for three to finish 1st couple in second place on opposite sides, 2nd couple in first place and 3rd couple in original place.

25–28    1st woman dances a half figure of eight, crossing up round 2nd woman to begin. 1st man dances a half figure of eight, crossing down round 3rd man to begin.

29–32    2nd, 1st and 3rd couples, giving right hands to partners, turn once round.

Repeat, having passed a couple.

Devised by Ann Dix, Berks, Hants, Surrey Border Branch at the request of the Saltire Scottish Country Dance Club for Rodney Mount’s 80th birthday.





MR. DONALD DAVIDSON                          
32-bar strathspey for three couples in a three-couple longwise set by Jody Williams   

1–2         1st and 2nd couples turn with both hands three quarters round to finish in a line up and down the dance, men facing up and women facing down.

3–6        1st and 2nd couples dance a half reel of four.

7–8        1st couple turn with both hands half way and pull back right shoulders to finish facing first corners while 2nd couple turn with both hands three quarters of the way round to finish in first place on own sides.

9–12    1st couple set to first corners and, pulling back right shoulders, dance round one another to face second corners.

13–16    1st couple set to second corners and, pulling back right shoulders, 1st woman dances up to finish between 2nd couple facing 2nd woman, while 1st man dances down to finish between 3rd couple, facing 3rd man.

17–20    Right shoulder half reels of three across the dance, 1st woman with 2nd couple and 1st man with 3rd couple. On bar 20, 1st couple turn with the left hand half way to finish 1st woman between 3rd couple facing 3rd woman’s original position and 1st man between 2nd couple facing his original position.

21–24    Left shoulder half reels of three across the dance. 1st couple finish in second place on own sides. (2nd and 3rd couple dance a full reel of three on bars 17-24.)

25–32    1st and 3rd couples dance a bourell to finish in order 2, 3, 1.

Repeat, with a new top couple.

This dance was inscribed to Mr. Donald Davidson, a most dedicated dancer, on his birthday.







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)

Sunday, September 21, 2014

Dances for September 22, 2014

Welcome back to the new season of dancing in the Ardbrae Intermediate class. I am excited about the new year of dancing. Hopefully, we can all have some fun, get some exercise and improve our dancing.

This year we are celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Ardbrae Dancers of Ottawa.

For the first three weeks we will be focusing on dances for the Ardbrae workshop on October 17-19. Some of the dances on the program have been taken from the book of dances devised by Ardbrae members.



The Jubilee Jig
32J 3C (4C Set)
RSCDS Leaflet 19

1–2        1st man casts off one place. 2nd man steps up.

3–8        1st man and 3rd woman set and turn with right hands to places.

9–10    1st woman casts off one place. 2nd woman steps up.

11–16    1st woman and 3rd man set and turn with left hands to places.

17–20    1st woman dances right hands across with 2nd couple, while 1st man dances right hands across with 3rd couple, 1st couple finish in the centre, with left hands joined, facing the opposite side.

21–24    1st couple set and dance out to opposite side.

25–28    1st man dances right hands across with 2nd couple, while 1st woman dances right hands across with 3rd couple. 1st couple finish in the centre with left hands joined, facing own side.

29–32    1st couple set and dance out to own side.






St. John’s Road
32 bar reel for 3 couples
The Highland Road, Scottish Country Dances Devised by Sandy Gallamore

1–4        1st couple, giving right hands, cross over and cast off one place. (2nd couple step up on bars 3-4.)

5–8        1st woman dances ½ figure of eight around 3rd couple, 1st man dances 1/2 figure of eight around 2nd couple, finish in 2nd place on own side.

9–12    2nd, 1st, and 3rd couple dance ½ reels of three on the side.  2nd and 1st woman, 1st and 3rd men giving right shoulder to begin.

13–16    1st woman with 3rd couple, 1st man with 2nd couple dance 1/2 reels of three across the dance, 1st woman giving left shoulder to 3rd man, 1st man giving left shoulder to 2nd woman.  1st couple finish facing partner’s first corner position.

17–20    1st couple and first corners set and, 1st couple, pulling back by the right, dance around each other and out to finish in first corner position.  At the same time, 1st corners dance in towards each other and, pulling back by the right, finish back to back in the middle facing corner position.

21–24    1st couple and first corners set and first corners, pulling back by the right, dance around each other and out to finish in first corner position.  At the same time, 1st couple dance in towards each other and, pulling back by the right, finish back to back in the middle facing partner’s second corner position.

25–32    1st couple repeat bars 17-24 with second corners and pass each other by the right shoulder to finish in 2nd place on own side.

Repeat having passed a couple.

Note:  the movement in bars 17-32 was devised by the late Alec Hay.






Neidpath Castle
32-bar strathspey for three couples in a three-couple longwise set
RSCDS Book 22 – No. 9

1–2        1st, 2nd and 3rd couples set to partners.

3–6        1st, 2nd and 3rd couples, giving both hands, turn twice round.

7–8        1st, 2nd and 3rd couples set to partners.

9–16    1st, 2nd and 3rd couples dance a grand chain.

17–24    1st couple dance figures of eight on own sides, dancing in and down to begin and giving nearer hands when possible. 1st couple finish in the middle and, on bar 24, 2nd couple dance in to form a diagonal line with 1st couple, 1st woman and 2nd man back to back.

25–28    1st and 2nd couples dance a half poussette, 2nd couple finishing in top place while 1st couple turn in the middle. On bar 28, 3rd couple dance in to form a diagonal line with 1st couple, 1st woman and 3rd man back to back.

29–32    1st and 3rd couples dance a half poussette to finish in the order 2, 3, 1.

Repeat with a new top couple.

Devised by Derek Haynes, Liverpool Branch.
Original tune: Dr and Mrs Green (K Macaulay-Jones)

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TACNotes:’
25–28       Slow turn for 1st cpl on bars 27-28.

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TACNotes:’
3-4    Emphasize that 1st man stays on the sidelines as he sets to 3rd woman.
24    1st cpl flow through 2nd position on the side, before entry into RH across on bar 25.
32    1st man may finish facing out to flow on into his cast on bars 1-2 of the repetition.




The Deil amang the Tailors
32-bar reel for three couples in a four-couple longwise set
RSCDS Book 14 – No. 7

1–4        1st and 2nd couples set to partners and dance right hands across halfwayround.

5–8        2nd and 1st couples set to partners and dance left hands across halfway round to original places.

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.

Dale’s Collection of Reels and Dances c. 1799.
Original tune: The Deil amang the Tailors (Gow)