May 5, 2013
Who Am I? 8x40 R
WHO AM I?
40-bar reel for 3 couples in a 4-couple longwise set
1-8 1s dance Mirror Crossover Reels of Three, begin dancing out and down through second position opposite sides to finish in partner's original place on the sideline.
9-16 1s & 2s dance Ladies' Chain BUT 1M and 2M are dancing the ladies' role, turning by the RH, etc. with 1 and 2L stepping down/up on the sidelines
17-24 2s dance Mirror Crossover Reels of Three with 1s & 3s, 2s begin crossing down below 3s and casting up into the reel, finishing in partner's original place on the sideline.
25-32 2s & 3s dance Men's Chain BUT 2L and 3L are dancing the men's role, turning by the LH etc. with 2M and 3M stepping down/up on the sidelines.
33-36 1s & 2s dance Rights and Lefts halfway
37-40 2s and 1s turn partners once round by RH.
Devised by Bob Davidson (piobbeag [at] aol.com), who says, "Having recently done a dance which had the ladies dancing the men's role in a Men's Chain, I thought it only fair that the men would have their turn."
February 4, 2013
Minister on the Mississippi 8x32 S
THE MINISTER ON THE MISSISSIPPI
or THE REVEREND ALAN GRANT
32-bar Strathspey for 3 couples in a 4-couple longwise set
1-4 1C lead down for 4 bars. 2C step up on bars 3-4.
5-8 1C lead up for 2 bars to just above 3C, and turn RH once around to finish in promenade hold facing up.
9-16 1C in promenade hold dance a reel of 3 across with 3C, passing 3M by LS to begin. 1C end in 2nd place, still in the middle of the dance and 3C finish by curving in behind 1C to take promenade hold. 2C dance in on bar 16 to take promenade hold.
17-24 2C, 1C and 3C allemande. On the last 2 bars, instead of retiring, 1C petronella turn to finish woman between 3C (at the top) facing down, man between 2C (at the bottom) facing up.
25-30 3C with 1W and 2C with 1M take hands and set in lines of 3 across. All advance (1 bar) and retire (1 bar), and change places RH with opposite person.
31-32 1C petronella turn to 2nd place on own sides.
Tune: "Glengrant" by J. S. Skinner
Devised December 2012 by Lara Friedman~Shedlov (lfriedmanshedlov [at] gmail.com) in memory of RSCDS Twin Cities Branch member Alan Grant, who passed away on October 29. A native of the Pacific Northwest, Alan spent most of his adult life in Minneapolis and many years living along the shores of the Mississippi.
UPDATE 6 Feb 2013: Moved instructions for bars 31-32 to a separate line to make it more clear that only 1C are dancing the last 2 bars. Slight wording change to bars 25-30 to help clarify that crossing on bars 29-30 is up and down the set.
January 11, 2013
Outside the Box 4x32 J
OUTSIDE THE BOX
32 bar Jig for 4 couples in a 4 couple longwise set 2nd and 4th couples begin on opposite sides
1- 4 All four couples dance set and link in tandem. Danced as follows:
1-2 All, joining hands on the sidelines, set.
3-4 1st woman and 2nd man cast pulling back right shoulders to 3rd and 4th places; 3rd man and 4th woman cast pulling back right shoulders to 1st and 2nd places; 1st man and 2nd woman dance forwards into 3rd and 4th place; 3rd woman and 4th man dance forwards into 1st and 2nd places. Those dancing forwards curve round right shoulder back to face in.
5-8 1st and 4th (middle) couples dance right hands across just under once round finishing in the middle with 4th woman ,with 1st man behind her facing 3rd man (in 1st man's place) and 1st woman, with 4th man behind her facing 2nd man (in 4th woman's place) - See figure.
9-12 4th woman with 1st man and 1st woman with 4th man, dance a ½ diagonal tandem reel of four with 2nd and 3rd men (i.e. dancing couples swap over the lead of the reel on bar 2 of the reel), on bar 12 1st and 4th couples ½ turn partner left hand to finish 4th woman with 1st man behind her facing up and 1st
woman with 4th man behind her facing down
13-16 4th woman with 1st man and 1st woman with 4th man dance a ½ diagonal tandem reel of four with 2nd and 3rd women. 1st couple finish in 3rd place facing in and down while 4th couple finish facing in and up in 2nd place.
17-20 2nd woman with 4th woman and 3rd woman with 1st woman turn right hands once round. At the same time 2nd man with 4th man and 3rd man with 1st man turn left hand once round.
21-24 4th couple dances a half figure of eight up through 2nd couple, while 1st couple dances a half figure of eight down through 3rd couple.
25-32 All four couples dance eight hands round and back.
Finish in the order 2 4 1 3, with 4th and 3rd couples on opposite sides.
Recommended Tune: "Combined Effort" (J Holland & P Cranford) - Jerry Holland's Collection (or an online version is on John Chambers' ABC site)
Devised 2012 by Duncan Brown (duncanqlnbrown [at] btinternet.com) for Chris Ronald, who when devising dances is always willing to think Outside the Box.
UPDATE: Bars 9-12 corrected on 13 Jan 2013
UPDATE: Bars 5-8 and 13-16 corrected on 15 Jan 2013 and diagram added.
July 24, 2012
Maggie and Caitlin 8x32 R
MAGGIE AND CAITLIN
32-bar reel for 3-couples in a 4-couple set
1-4 1st couple set advancing, turn both hands to face down nearer hands joined.
5-8 1st couple dance below 3rd couple, cross and cast up to 2nd place on opposite sides.
9-16 Right hands across: 1st man with 2nd couple, 1st woman with 3rd couple. Left hands across: 1st woman with 2nd couple, 1st man with 3rd couple.
17-20 All chase anti-clockwise halfway around the set.
21-24 3rd and 2nd couples dance half rights and left WHILE 1st couple cross right hand and cast right to face 1st corners.
25-32 1st couple turn corner, partner, corner, partner.
Devised by J. A. McKernan (jamckern [at] gmail.com) for Maggie and Caitlin on leaving Minnesota for Oregon, May 2012. It is a fast-paced dance to reflect Maggie and Caitlin's youth and vitality, it has a 1C solo to reflect their relationship, a chase to represent travel (4 bars to get to Oregon, pretty speedy!) and CPCP to suggest making new Scottish dance friends there.
June 26, 2012
Start Your Engines 8x32 J
START YOUR ENGINES
32-bar jig for 3 couples in a 4-couple set
1-8 LS Reel on ladies side. 1L, followed by her partner, dance LS reel on ladies'
side. 1M passes his partner when dancing through 3L position (as in dolphin reel).
9-16 RS reel on men's side - 1M, followed by his partner, dance RS reel on
men's side, crossing to 2nd place on men's side to begin. 1L passes her partner
when dancing through 3M position.
17-20 1C, nearer hands joined, dance down the middle, below 3C, and cast to 2nd
place on own side. 2C step up on bars 19-20.
21-24 2C, 1C, 3C turn RH once round
25-32 (As in Major Ian Stewart) 2, 1, 3 couples circle and chase -circle hands
around to the left for six slip steps. On bar 28, cross right foot over left, release
hands, pull back left shoulder to pivot round, and dance counterclockwise back to
progressed positions.
Repeat having passed a couple.
Devised by Ellen Ternes (ellenter [at] comcast.net) after learning, with great glee, that the very Italian-looking Dario Franchitti, winner of the 2012 Indy 500 race, is very Scottish!
Suggested music: "Flights of Fancy," from Celebrate 50 Years of Dancing with the
Boston Branch
May 31, 2012
Silver Heather 8x32 J
SILVER HEATHER
32-bar jig for 3 couples in a 4-couple longwise set
1 - 4 1W followed by 1M cast off one place (2C step up on 3-4) and cross to opposite side
5 - 8 2C + 1C RHA (and 1W faces out)
9 - 12 1W followed by 1M cast off one place (3C step up on 11-12) and cross to own side
13 - 16 1C + 3C LHA
17 - 20 1C cross RH and cast up one place (3C step down)
21 - 24 1C dance petronella turn (to 1M between 2C, 1W between 3C),
and all set in lines across the dance
25 - 28 1C cross RH up/down, cast to the Right to second place on own side while 2M + 3M and 2W + 3W dance back to back
29 - 32 all turn partner RH
Repeat having passed a couple.
Devised by Els van der Kamp (ekamp [at] xs4all.nl) in May 2012 for the coming Silver Jubilee of the Geldermalsen Scottish Country Dance Group "White Heather" in 2013.
Suggested tune: "Mr & Mrs T M Robertson," by Iain T MacPhail
Suggested recording: "Sarah's Favourite" in Reels and Wheels by Gordon Shand and his Scottish Dance Band
April 12, 2012
Heathery Breeze 4x32 S
HEATHERY BREEZE
32-bar Strathspey for 4 couples in a 4-couple set
1-8 1s dance Mirror Crossover Reel of Three finishing in partner's original place
9-10 1s cross down to second position own sides facing out while 2s continue reeling to finish in top position
11-12 1s turn 3s halfway on the sidelines, men by LH, ladies by RH
13-16 1M dances down between 4s and casts up and around 4L to finish in the center facing up while 1L dance up between 3s and casts down and around 3M to finish in the center facing down. 1s are back to back
17-24 1s circle three hands round to the left, 1M with 3s, 1L with 4s, cross up/down to circle three hands round to the right, 1L with 3s, 1M with 4s, 1s finishing in third position opposite sidelines, 1M facing up, 1L facing down
25-30 Reels of three on opposite sides in six bars, begin passing facing person by right shoulder, 1s finish back in third position facing down
31-32 1s cross down to fourth position own sides while 4s continue reeling to finish in third position
Devised by Bob Davidson (piobbeag [at] aol.com) after listening to a tune by the same name performed by Matt Molloy.
Suggested recorded music: "The Double Diamond Strathspey" from the Muriel Johnstone/Keith Smith album, Vintage Goldring.
March 9, 2012
Groundhog Day 8x32 S
GROUNDHOG DAY
32-bar Strathspey for 2 couples in a 4-couple set
1-4 1s+2s Set & Cross RH
5-8 Set & 3/4 Turn Both Hands to face each other in the middle (Man facing down, ladies facing up).
9-16 1s+2s dance reel of 4 in the middle
17-20 1s+2s Set to each other in the middle & turn RH to the own Side.
21-24 1s+2s Set & 3/4 Turn Both Hands in the middle (facing up), ready for...
25-32 1s+2s dance Allemande.
Devised by Sergey Kargapoltsev (robroyway [at] gmail.com).
Suggested recorded music: "Cuillins of Skye" by Alastair Hunter & the Lorne Scottish Dance Band - http://my.strathspey.org/dd/recording/5142/
December 19, 2011
Graduation Reel 8x40 R
THE GRADUATION REEL
40-bar reel for 3 couples in a longwise set
1-8 1C dance below 2C, cast up to 1st place. 1C dance below 3C and cast to 2nd placeon own sides. 2C step up on bars 7-8.
9-12 2C, 1C, 3C dance half reels across, 1L with 3C, 1M with 2C. 1C give right shoulder to their second corners to begin. 1C finish in 2nd place on opposite sides, 1L facing up, 1M facing down.
13-16 2C, 1C, 3C dance half left shoulder reels on the sides, 1C give left shoulder to person in their first corner position. 1C pass left shoulder in center to end back to back, facing their partner's first corner position. (Their first corner person will be there.) 2C, 3C dance a loop to finish the reel.
17-24 1C set to first corner, partner, 2nd corner, partner. On bar 8, 1C sets advancing to the right, to finish back to back in center, facing their own first corner positions.
25-32 Corners pass and twirl. 1C dance pattern of corners pass and turn to finish in 2nd place on own sides. 1st corners change places with turn and twirl - dance into center, turn RH half way, turn right about (twirl) and dance out to progressed positions (having changed places.) 2nd corners repeat.
33-40 2C, 1C, 3C circle hands around and back.
Suitable music: Waverley Station, First Stop, 8x40 reels
Devised by Ellen Ternes (ellenter [at] comcast.net) in celebration of the first graduating seniors of RSCDS@UMD, University of Maryland, especially Chris Tabisz and Gabi Kocerha, who got this awesome group started with their imagination, dedication, and unbeatable Terp spirit. Fear the Kilt!
October 3, 2011
Ginger Sharks 8x32 R
GINGER SHARKS
32-bar reel for 3 couples in a 4-couple set
1 - 4 First and second couples dance right hands across once round (1L face out);
5 - 8 Mini chase: First lady dances down behind second lady and across to 2nd place on the men's side and face out - First man follows and ends in second lady's place. Second couple step up on 7&8.
9 -16 First and third couples dance left hands across (1L face out); first lady dances up behind second man and across to own place facing out - first man follows to end in own place. Second couple step down on 7&8.
17-24 First couple, lady leading, dance down behind second and third ladies, into and up the center, and turn with right hands (2 bars) to face first corners. Second couple step up on 5&6.
25-32 First couple set to corner-partner (Hello-Goodbye).
Repeat from second place.
Suggested music: "Kiss Me Quick, My Mither's Coming" - 7 Favourite Scottish Dances Vol. 4, George Stirrat's Band or "Mrs Leslye Buchanan" - Dancing Fingers 2, Muriel Johnstone
Devised 21 September 2011 by Peter M Price (peter.price1672 [at] gmail.com) and dedicated to Rudi and Bugs, ginger cats who, at the opening of the front door, my sitting in the living room rocker, or the sound of a can being opened, come circling. When sitting in the rocker often only the tip of their tails are visible.
September 21, 2011
Corners' Hello 8x32 S
CORNERS' HELLO
32-bar Strathspey for 3 couples in a 4-couple set
1-8 1st and 2nd couples Set and Rotate. 2nd couple finish in first place and 1st couple in 2nd place, all facing in.
9-12 1st couple, passing left shoulder, set advancing to first corner and turn that corner in two bars finishing woman between 2nd couple and man between 3rd couple, both facing their own side of the dance (fourth corner position).
13-16 1st woman with 2nd couple and 1st man with 3rd couple, half reel of three across the dance passing the person they are facing by the left shoulder to begin. Finish with 1st couple facing each other up and down the set.
17-20 1st couple passing left shoulder, set advancing to 2nd corner person (third corner position) and turn that corner in two bars to finish man between 2nd couple and woman between 3rd couple, both facing the opposite side (second corner position).
21-24 1st man with 2nd couple and 1st woman with 3rd couple, half reel of three across passing that corner position by the left shoulder to begin. Finish in lines of three across, 1st man between 2nd couple all facing down and 1st woman between 3rd couple all facing up.
25-28 1st man with 2nd couple and 1st woman with 3rd couple, Set and Link finishing in order 2, 1, 3 on opposite side of the dance.
29-32 All set and, giving right hand to partners, cross to own side.
NOTES:
If you feel adventurous, try this dance in Jig or Reel Time.
Bars 11-12 and 23-24 Turning corners will be standard 2-hand turns in strathspey time or right hand turns in jig or reel time.
Bars 17-18 Setting to corners in Jig or Reel Time - 1s can pass their partner by the right shoulder directly toward the corner to their left.
Devised by Gary Lindsey (gary.lindsey [at] sbcglobal.net)
August 9, 2011
Just a Dozen 6x40 R
JUST A DOZEN
40-bar reel for two 3-couple sets, side by side
1-4 1st couple in both sets, lead down (right hands) to cross below 3rd couple, cast up to 2nd place on opposite sides.
5-8 1st couples, 1st woman with 3rd couple, 1st man with 2nd couple, dance right hands across. Finish facing 3rd corners.
9-16 1st couples half reel of four with 3rd corners, pass right shoulders, then half reel of four with 4th corners. 1st couples again pass right shoulders, to finish facing inwards in 2nd place on opposite sides.
17-24 1st couples from the two sets dance full reel of four across the sets. Meanwhile, 3rd and 2nd couples set to partner, turn right hand with partners right round, and dance ½ reels of four across the sets.2nd and 3rd couples are now in the opposite set, in 3rd and 1st places, on own sides.
25-30 1st couples cross right hands with partner, then cast to their right, man around 3rd man to dance in the top of the set, and the woman around 2nd woman to dance in the bottom of the set.
31-32 Both 1st couples dance right hands across, half way round.
33-34 1st couples retain right hands in the star, and join left hands with the dancers in the 'inside' lines of the two sets. 1st men will join with 2nd man or woman (in 3rd place), 1st women will join with 3rd man or woman (in 2nd place). These dancers all set. (Fig. 1)
35-40 All drop hands. In the left hand set (viewed from the top), 1st man followed by his partner dance down, across below 2nd couple (in 3rd place), cast up one place on the ladies side, and the man crosses to 2nd place on his own side. In the right hand set, 1st woman followed by her partner dance up, across above 3rd couple (in 1st place), cast off on the men's side, and the woman dances crosses to 2nd place on her own side. (Fig. 2)
All finish in the opposite set, in order 3, 1, 2. Repeat from new places.
Suggested recorded music: Suggested Music: 'Red House Revisited', Vallin Suite 1, Track 1. (Neil Barron)
Devised by Jeffery Green (jeffery.green [at] wideband.net.au)
UPDATE: Bars 25-30 corrected 13 October 2011
August 3, 2011
The Red Squirrel 4x32 S
THE RED SQUIRREL
32-bar Strathspey for 4 couples in a 4-couple set
1 - 4 1st couple set, turn with both hands finish in the middle facing down.
5 - 8 1st couple dance down 1 place and turn with both hands to 1st corner, 2nd couple step up on bars 5 & 6
9 - 12 Highland Schottische Setting with 1st corners
13 - 16 1st couple turn their 1st corner with right hand, partner with left hand to finish facing 2nd corner
17 - 20 Highland Schottische Setting with 2nd corners
21 - 24 1st couple turn their 2nd corner with right hand, partner with left to finish in the middle facing up
25- 28 1st couple cast off 2 places, 3rd and 4th couple step up on bars 27 & 28
29- 32 1st couple turn with both hands 1 ½ times
Finish in the order 2341
Recommended recorded music: "The Fair Maid of Perth" by Jim Cameron and his Scottish Dance Band from the album The Duke & Duchess of Edinburgh.
Devised by Sybille Spägele (macrudi [at] t-online.de), June 2011. Dedicated to Jim Rae of Lockerbie
August 2, 2011
Redfoot's Ramble 4x32 S
REDFOOT'S RAMBLE
32-bar Strathspey for 4 couples in a 4-couple set
1-8 1C lead down the middle and up, the other three couples creating arches (virtual).
9-12 1C turn by the RH 1 ½ times moving down between the 2C so 1W faces 2M and 1M faces 2W
13-16 1C and 2C dance a half reel of four, 2C dancing up into first place at the end and 1C turning down by the RH to between 3C
17-20 1C & 3C repeat 13-16, 3C finishing on opp. side in 2nd place, 1C moving down to between 4C
21-24 1C & 4C repeat 13-16, 4C dancing up to 3rd place opposite side, 1C turning RH to finish on opposite side.
25-32 All four couples on opposite sides, join nearer hands on the side and advance and retire (one step each) twice, then turn partner w/both hands once and a half t finish on own side progressed.
Note: Bars 9 through 24 are the figure known as the "spurtle".
Tune: "Morlan Fancy" by Linda Lieberman
Devised by Linda Lieberman (lindasuzan [at] aol.com) assisted by the Monday night Scottish dancers at St. Luke's church, Des Moines, Iowa.This dance is dedicated to Paige Morlan and Jonathan Rothfus on the occasion of their marriage, Saturday, July 23, 2011. We wish them all the best as they start their new life together.
July 19, 2011
The Erlangen Reel 8x32 R
THE ERLANGEN REEL
32-bar reel for 3 couples in a 4-couple set
1- 4 1st couple turn, giving right hands and cast off 1 place, finishing slightly in from the sidelines. 2nd couple step up on bars 3-4.
5- 8 1st couple turn giving left hands and cast 1st lady up round 2nd lady to finish between 2nd couple facing 2nd man, and 1st man down round
3rd man to finish between 3rd couple facing 3rd lady.
9-16 Reels of three across the dance. 1st couple pass the person they are facing right shoulders to begin. On bar 16, 1st couple half turn each
other left hand to finish in the middle of the set left shoulder to left
shoulder facing their own side.
17-24 Reel of three across the dance. 1st man passes 2nd man and 1st lady passes 3rd lady right shoulder to begin. On bar 24 1st couple half turn
each other left hand to finish facing 1st corners.
25-32 1st couple turn 1st corner right hand, pass each other right shoulder to face 2nd corner, turn 2nd corner right hand and pass each other right
shoulder to finish in 2 place own sides. Corners dance for 4 bars.
Repeat, having passed a couple.
Devised by Duncan Brown (duncanqlnbrown [at] tiscali.co.uk). Erlangen in southern Germany has a young group of energetic dancers, for whom I taught a day school in 2009. I thought this rather energetic dance might suit them. Bars 9-24 are inspired by bars 9-24 of 'The Colonel' as interpreted by the RSCDS in their 75th Anniversary leaflet.
Recommended Tune: A Trip to Windsor (Dan R MacDonald) published in the Trip to Windsor Collection, or a version from the Web
NOTE: It is advised that some "intelligent anticipation" is used to start the left hand turn in bar 5 some way in from the sidelines to ensure 1st couple get round the standing people in time for the reels starting in bar 9.
