We will continue to review the more challenging dances for the January Social. The Meeting of the Waters will be quite challenging. The reel of four can be confusing. Hopefully, we will present it in a clear manner.
We will also be repeating the strathspey from last week.
Cumberland Reel
32-bar jig for four couples in a four-couple longwise set
RSCDS Book 1 – No. 11
Bars Description
1 – 8 1st and 2nd couples dance right hands across left hands across back to places.
9 – 16 First couple lead down the middle and up to finish in first place, facing out.
17 – 22 1st couple, followed by 2nd, 3rd and 4th couples cast off and dance behind their own lines.
23 – 28 1st couple, followed by 2nd, 3rd and 4th couples dance up the middle. On bar 28, 1st couple face down and 2nd, 3rd and 4th couples join both hands with partners to make an arch in the middle.
29 – 32 First couple dance down the middle under the arches to fourth place. On bar 32, 2nd, 3rd and 4th couples release hands and step up and out to new places.
Repeat with a new top couple.
There are many versions of Cumberland Reel in 19th Century ballroom guides. Several are similar to the above description but include a four-couple promenade in a 40-bar dance.
Originl tune: Cumberland Reel (Traditional)
BURNS BICENTENARY STRATHSPEY
THE BANKHEAD BOOK, Part 6, Scottish Country Dances by JOHN DREWRY, 1995 – 1996
dance devised in November 1995
A dance to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the death of Robert Burns
Requested by the Ayr Branch of the RSCDS.
Strathspey – 4 couples – 32 bars
Tune – “Of A’ the Airts the Wind Can Blaw”
In this dance, 3rd and 4th couples start on opposite sides.
BARS
1 – 4 1st couple with 2nd couple and 3rd couple with 4th couple dance four hands round to the left.
5 – 8 1st couple with 2nd couple and 3rd couple with 4th couple, retaining hold of nearer hands on the sides, set and then link to change places.
At the end:-
2nd couple are in first place facing down,
1st couple are in second place facing up,
4th couple are in third place on opposite sides facing down,
3rd couple are in fourth place on opposite sides facing up.
9 – 16 2nd man, 1st man, 4th woman and 3rd woman dance a reel of four on the men’s side, while their partners dance a reel of four on the women’s side. At the end, 1st and 4th men stay facing out.
17 – 24 1st and 4th couples dance a ladies’ chain across the dance. At the end, 1st man turns towards 4th woman to face in and, retaining hold of her left hand, joins right hands with her in promenade hold. 4th man dances similarly with 1st woman.
25 – 28 1st man with 4th woman and 4th man with 1st woman cross the dance to change sides, the men passing each other by the left shoulder.
29 – 32 4th couple, joining nearer hands, dance up between 2nd couple and cast off to second place on own sides. 1st couple, similarly, dance down between 3rd couple and cast up to third place on opposite sides.
The finishing order is 2, 4, 1, 3.
Repeat from new places.
THE MEETING OF THE WATERS
Iain Boyd, Strathtay Album (New Zealand, 1969)
“The Meeting of the Waters” is a three couple, 48 bar reel for four couples in a longwise set.
Bars
1 – 8 First and second couples dance a reel of four across the dance. First man and second woman pass by left shoulders while first woman casts off and second man casts up to commence.
9 – 16 First couple dance a parallel figure of eight on own sides round second and third couples passing second couple by right shoulders to commence.
17 – 24 First woman casts off behind second woman, crosses down between third couple, casts up round third man and crosses over to second woman’s place, while first man follows his partner across the dance, casts off behind second woman, crosses down between third couple and casts up round third man to second man’s place.Second couple move up on bars 19 – 20.
25 – 28 First and third couples dance right hands across once round.
29 – 32 Second and first couples dance left hands across once round.
33 – 40 Second, first and third couples dance reels of three on own side. First and third couples pass by right shoulders to commence.
41 – 48 Second, first and third couples dance six hands round and back.
Repeat having passed a couple.
“The Meeting of the Waters” was devised to commemorate the 1964-65 Summer School held in Wanganui, the ‘River City’.
Burn's Hornpipe
RSCDS Book 27 No. 4
Music DESCRIPTION
Bars
1 – 8 First woman casts off behind second, third and fourth women, while first man dances down the middle. First couple meet below fourth couple and lead up to original places.
9 – 16 On bar 9 men all turn by the LEFT to face out folding arms as in hornpipe. On bar 16 they face the middle again turning by the left. First woman dances across in front of her partner, behind second man, in front of third man and across to third woman’s place (Fig. 1). Second and third women step up on bars 15 – 16.
17 – 24 First man repeats the pattern of bars 9 – 16 round the women to finish in third man’s place. Women remain facing the middle (Fig. 2). Second and third men step up on bars 23 – 24.
25 – 32 First and fourth couples poussette.
Repeat with a new top couple
Hill Manuscript (Aberdeen) 1841.
Tune: Glasgow Hornpipe
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The Manual of Scottish Country Dancing:
Bars 9 – 16 As the men stand facing out, they may beat with the right heel.
Bars 17 – 24 1st man dances into 3rd man’s place on bar 23, so that on bar 24, 1st and 4th couples step
in to the middle ready for the poussette.
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TACNOTES:
9 – 16 Men may beat with right heel, while facing out.
23 – 24 1st man dances through 3rd man’s position & then curves by right into middle,
as his prtnr & 4th cpl step in on bar 24, all ready for possette.
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