We are planning to cover a number of dances for the social tomorrow. There should be a little less emphasis on steps and more emphasis on the dances and formations. We will be starting with a strathspey devised by Ottawa's own Barb Anglin.
The Saltire Strathspey
A 32 bar Strathspey for 4 couples
Book 45. No. 4, Barb Anglin
Bars Description
1 – 4 1st man and 2nd woman, 3rd woman and 4th man turn with both hands one and a half times to change places.
5 – 8 All four men dance left hands across once round. Staying in the middle, all release left hands and, giving right hands to partner, all finish facing anticlockwise, nearer hands joined with partners. (Fig. 1)
9 – 12 All set and link to change places with partners.
13 – 16 All set and link finishing on the sidelines facing partners. (Fig. 2)
17 – 24 All dance reels of four on the sides.
25 – 28 1st woman and 2nd man, 4th woman and 3rd man turn with both hands one and a half times to change places, all finishing on opposite sides in the order 2,1,4,3.
29 – 30 2nd and 3rd couples, giving right hands, cross over while 1st and 4th couples dance left hands across halfway round finishing in the order 2,4,1,3.
31 – 32 All set to partners.
Repeat from new positions.
Devised by Barbara Anglin, RSCDS Ottawa Branch and originally published by that branch in A Gatineau Gathering (2001).
Tune: Blinkbonny, George Meikle
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TACNotes:’
Bars 1-4 1st man & 4th man finish facing in, anticipating the change of direction on bar 5.
Bars 11-12 Women dance well into middle to prevent spreading of set outwards at bar 16.
Bars 25-28 1st & 4th women finish similarly to bar 4.
THE DANCING BEES
32 bar reel for 3 couples
24 GRADED and SOCIAL DANCES by Roy Goldring
Bars
1 – 8 First couple lead down the middle, turn inwards on bar 5 and lead up. They finish in the centre of the dance in second place, facing up. Second couple step up on bars 3 – 4.
9 – 16 First couple, taking promenade hold, dance a reel of “three” with second couple. To begin, first couple pass second woman by right shoulder. First couple finish in the centre of the dance, facing down.
17 – 24 First couple dance a reel of “three” with third couple. To begin, first couple pass third woman by left shoulder. First couple finish in the centre of the dance in second place, man facing down, woman facing up.
25 – 28 First couple set to each other then dance a petronella turn to second place on own side.
29 – 32 All turn partners once round with right hands.
Repeat having passed a couple.
For Penny and Robert Bee
Recommended tune:- Redheugh (M.A.J.)
Light and Airy
32-bar jig for three couples in a four-couple longwise set
Book 4 – No. 5
Bars Description
1 – 4 1st couple set and cast off two places on own sides. 2nd and 3rd couples step up on bars 3-4.
5 – 8 1st couple set and cast up to original places. 2nd and 3rd couples step down on bars 7-8.
9 – 16 1st couple lead down the middle and up, finishing in the middle facing up.
17 – 24 1st and 2nd couples dance an allemande, 1st couple finish facing first corners.
25 – 32 1st couple turn first corners with the right hand, partner with the left hand, second corners with the right hand and giving left hand to partner, cross over to second place on own sides.
Repeat, having passed a couple.
William Campbell: 19th Book of New and Favourite Country Dances and Strathspey Reels, London 1798. Original tine: Light and Airy (Neil Gow’s Collection)
Anderson’s Rant
32-bar reel for three couples in a four-couple longwise set
Miss Milligan’s Miscellany of Scottish Country Dances
Bars Description
1 – 16 1st couple dance reels of three on opposite sides of the set and then on own sides.
17 – 24 1st couple lead down the middle and up to second place. 2nd couple step up on bars 19-20.
25 – 28 1st couple dance a half figure of eight round 2nd couple.
29 – 32 1st couple dance a half figure of eight round 3rd couple, to finish in second place on own sides.
Repeat, having passed a couple.
Customary tune: Elliot Anderson (Muriel A. Johnstone)
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