Dances for March 31, 2015 - Churchill Recreation Centre

I made some minor clarifications to Stanford Swing

STANFORD SWING
The Devil’s Quandary by Bob McMurtry
40 bar Jig/Reel for 3 couples – May 2002

1–6        1st couple set, cross with right hands and cast off one place. 2nd couple step up on bars 5 & 6.

7–8        1st couple turn three quarters, with the left hand, to face first corners.

9–16    1st couple set and dance the La Baratte with first corners. 1st couple stay facing out while corners stay facing in.

17–20    1st couple dance round second corners, passing left shoulders, and in the ends of the set, 1st man dancing between the 2nd couple and 1st woman through the 3rd couple. 1st couple end in the middle left shoulder to left shoulder, while first corners turn by the right hand for 4 bars and back to place.

21–24    1st couple turn by the left hand one and a half times to face second corner.

25–32    1st couple set and dance a La Baratte with second corners. 1st couple stay facing out while corners stay facing in.

33–36    1st man dances left round 2nd man into second place on own side, facing down, while 1st woman dances left round 3rd woman into second place own side facing up. Second corners turn by the right hand, once round, back to place but facing the 1st couple, as they arrive in second place.

37–40    1st man with 3rd man, 1st woman with 2nd woman, dance back to back on the sides.

Repeat having passed a couple.

Dance Notes:  Corners use the full 4 bars for the turn in bars 17-20 and 33-36. 1st corners should utilize the vacated spot in second place to dance through to avoid running into 1st couple on bars 17-24. The turn for 1st couple on bars 21-24 should be quick. 1st couple slow down on bars 33-36. Second corners and 1st couple should flow into the back to back figure.

Music:  Jeannie o’ the Witchin E’e (jig) on Dances from the Collections of Mary MacNab, Volume 2 (CD) and The Bull Stane (reel) on Memories of Fife.

Notes:  Dedicated to the Stanford Class in their final year of dancing in the San Francisco Branch.







Bratach Bana
THE BON ACCORD BOOK OF SCOTTISH COUNTRY DANCES by John Drewry
Reel  -  3 couples - 32 bars
Tune - "Bratach Bana"

1-4     1st couple turn by the right hand and cast off to second place on own sides. (2nd couple move up on Bars 3 - 4)

5–8        1st man dances down between 3rd couple and then casts up to second place on the ladies' side. 1st lady dances up between 2nd couple and then casts off to second place on the men's side.

9-12    Half reels of three on the sides. 1st man gives right shoulder to 2nd lady, while 1st lady gives right shoulder to 3rd man.

13–16    Half reels of three across the dance. 1st man cuts up between 3rd couple who are in top place, giving left shoulder to 3rd man. 1st lady cuts down between 2nd couple who are in 3rd place, giving left shoulder to 2nd lady. NOTE The 2nd and 3rd couples dance round loops on the corners between the half reels. (1st couple are now in second place on own sides, 2nd couple are in third place on wrong sides, and 3rd couple are in top place on wrong sides).

17–18    1st couple turn each other with the left hand.
19–20    1st couple turn first corners (who are on the wrong sides) by the right hand.
21–22    1st  couple pass each other by the right shoulder to face second corners.
23–24    1st couple turn second corners by the right hand and finish on own sides in second place retaining hold of second corners by the right hand and giving them left hands also in promenade hold.

25–26    1st couple lead their second corners diagonally across the dance, 1st man and 2nd lady passing above 1st lady and 3rd man.
27-28    Dropping left hands, 1st couple turn their second corners half-way round by the right hand, so that 1st couple finish in second place on wrong sides while their corners are in their proper places i.e. 2nd lady is in top place, and 3rd man in third place on own sides.**

29-30    1st man and 3rd lady change places giving right hands. 1st lady and 2nd man change places similarly.

31-32    1st and 2nd men, and 1st and 3rd ladies change places on the sides giving left hands. This last four bar figure is like half rights and lefts but on the diagonal, and 2nd man and 3rd lady do "polite" turns at the end.

Repeat, having passed a couple.

** I am indebted to Derek Haynes for suggesting this improvement in the dance. Originally I had 1st couple and their second corners turning with two pas de basque, while retaining promenade hold.