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THE LAIRDS' CHAIN

32 bar Strathspey for two couples

1-4	First and second couples dance right hands across once around; finish in place, first couple facing down and second couple facing up
5-8	First and second women set and turn with right hands, a three-quarter turn, and finish facing each other; first and second men do the same, to make a line of four across the dance
9-16	Reel of four across the dance
17-20	First and second women, also first and second men, set, and turn with both hands, a three-quarter turn; open out, retaining near hands, and flow into
21-24	second and first couples circle, four hands round to the left; finish on the sidelines
25-32	Second and first couples dance rights and lefts
	Repeat, having passed a couple

Tune: Mountain Mist, by A. M. Laird

Devised by Peter McClure (joptmc [at] cc.umanitoba.ca), Winnipeg, March 2003, for Rena and Adam Laird . This dance can be used to introduce relatively new dancers to the reel of four. It is a variation of "The Lairds' Diamond," the reel of four is central to Scottish country dancing, just as Rena and Adam Laird have been central to the local Scottish cultural community for as long as we have known them.

The dance could also be done as a jig; in that case, we suggest skip-change-of-step for the two hand turns at bars 19-20. That may not be according to current RSCDS convention, but it will make the flow into the circle more pleasant. Finally, it could be done as a medley, 32 bars strathspey followed by 32 bars jig for each couple in a three couple set.

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THE LAIRDS' DIAMOND

32 bar Strathspey for two couples

1-4	First couple turn with right hands once around; finish in place, facing down (first man curves round by the right to face down), and second couple face up
5-8	First and second women set and turn with right hands, a three-quarter turn, and finish facing each other; first and second men do the same, to make a line of four across the dance
9-16	Reel of four across the dance
17-20	First and second women, also first and second men, set, and turn with both hands, a three-quarter turn, opening out, retaining near hands, to flow into
21-24	Second and first couples circle, four hands round to the left; finish on the sidelines
25-32	Second and first couples dance a Diamond Poussette (like an all round poussette, except that partners take equal steps in to meet in the centre on the first bar, and couples are covered up and down at the end of the first and fourth bars)
	Repeat, having passed a couple

Tune: Mountain Mist, by A. M. Laird

Devised by Peter McClure (joptmc [at] cc.umanitoba.ca), for Rena and Adam Laird, on the occasion of their Sixtieth Wedding Anniversary, 10 April 2003. Rena and Adam were married in Glasgow in 1943, and emigrated to Winnipeg a few years later. A devoted couple - symbolised by the solo turn for the first couple - they have also been very active in their community, both Rena's hospitality and Adam's music being appreciated by many people, including visitors to Winnipeg from faraway parts of the world. The reel of four is central to Scottish country dancing, as they have been central in their community, and the Diamond Poussette salutes their Diamond Anniversary.

Peter McClure, Winnipeg, March 2003

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AUDREY & PETER'S JUBILEE

48-bar strathspey for 3 couples in a 3-couple set

1-4	1st couple turn once round with the right hand and cast off to second place on own sides. 2nd couple step up on bars 3 and 4.
5-8	1st man dances a half figure of eight round 3rd couple, passing 3rd lady by the left shoulder to begin. 1st lady dances a half figure of eight round 2nd couple, passing 2nd man by the left shoulder to begin. 1st couple finish in second place on opposite sides. At the same time, 2nd and 3rd couple set to partners and cross over giving right hands.
9-12	1st couple turn once and three quarters with the left hand to finish facing partner’s second corner position (1st lady facing 2nd man and 1st man facing 3rd lady).
13-16	1st lady with 2nd man and 1st man with 3rd lady dance a half turn giving right hand. 2nd man and 3rd lady turn once and a quarter with the left hand to face their partners (who are in first corner positions).
17-20	2nd and 3rd couples dance a half turn giving right hands to their partners. 2nd lady and 3rd man turn once and a quarter with the left hand to face 1st couple (who are in second corner positions).
21-24	3rd man with 1st lady and 2nd lady with 1st man dance a half turn giving right hand. 1st couple turn with the left hand to finish with 1st lady between 2nd and 3rd men (in first place), all facing down and 1st man between 2nd and 3rd ladies (in third place), all facing up.
25-32	Joining hands, all set in lines of three then dance 6 bar reels of three across the dance, 1st couple giving right shoulder to the dancer on their right to begin the reel. 2nd and 3rd couples should end this reel by dancing loops on the corners.
33-40	All dance 6 bar reels of three on the sides of the dance, 1st lady giving left shoulder to 2nd lady and 1st man giving left shoulder to 3rd man to begin the reels. Finish in lines of three across the dance as at the end of bar 24 and joining hands, all set.
41-48	All dance six hands round to the left to finish with 2nd and 3rd couples on own sides and 1st couple in second place on opposite sides. 1st couple turn once and a half with the right hand. Finish in the order 312.

Suitable Music: CD Dancers’ Choice 2, Robert Whitehead & the Danelaw Dance Band, Track 6 ‘One for the Millenium’.

Devised by John Brenchley (jbrenchley [at] hatch.com.au) and presented to Audrey and Peter Saunders on the occasion of their 50th wedding anniversary.

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HIGH SOCIETY

40-bar reel for 4 couples in a 4-couple set

2nd and 4th couples start the dance on opposite sides

1-8	All dance reels of four on the sides. On bar 8, 2nd and 3rd couples do not pass left shoulder but curve to their right to face 4th and 1st couples respectively.
9-16	1st couple with 3rd couple and 2nd couple with 4th couple dance rights and lefts, commencing by giving right hand on the sides. At the end, 3rd and 2nd couple remain in the centre facing partners and join both hands.
17-24	3rd and 2nd couples dance a poussette. Finish in original places.
25-28	2nd and 3rd couples dance half figures of eight round 1st and 4th couples respectively. Finish in the order1,2,3,4 with 3rd and 4th couples on opposite sides.
29-32	All turn partners once round with the right hand to finish in the middle with 1st and 2nd couples facing up on own sides and 3rd and 4th couple facing down on opposite sides.
33-40	1st couple with 2nd couple and 3rd couple with 4th couple dance an allemande. On bar 36, 1st and 4th couples dance along the sides to 3rd and 2nd places respectively to interlock the allemandes. On bar 38, when all couples dance into the centre, the order is 2,4,1,3. Finish in the order 2,4,1,3 with 4th and 3rd couples on opposite sides.

Suitable Music: CD: A’ the best fae Banffshire Track 15 by Colin Dewar

Devised by John Brenchly (jbrenchley [at] hatch.com.au) and presented to Barbara Boyd on the occasion of her 50th birthday. Barbara has a preference for RSCDS dances and traditional formations, hence the title and style of this dance.

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A TRIBUTE TO FRED DeMARSE or THE NONDESCRIPT CARPET COURT

32 bar reel for 3 couples in a 4-couple longwise set

1-8	1st couple cross giving right hands, cast off 2 places, dance up to top Nearer Hands Joined and cast off 1 place. 2nd couple step up 3-4
9-14	Chain Rights & Lefts for 6 bars; 9-10: 1st man changes diagonally giving right hands with 2nd man, while 1st woman changes diagonally giving right hands with 3rd woman. 11-12: 2nd man changes diagonally giving left hands with 3rd man, while 3rd woman changes diagonally giving left hands with 2nd woman. 13-14: 1st man changes diagonally giving right hands with 3rd man, while 1st woman changes diagonally giving right hands with 2nd woman.
15-16	1st couple turn 3/4 right hand to face 2nd corner position, while 2nd and 3rd couples cross giving right hands
17-20	1st couple dance ½ a reel of 4 with 2nd corners, 1st couplet urn left hands approximately 3/4 on bar 20 to face 1st corner position.
21-24	1st couple dance ½ a reel of 4 with 1st corners, 1s dance straight to 2nd place own sides from 1st corners' position on 23-24.
25-32	2nd, 1st and 3rd couples dance 6 hands round and back.

Tune: Alasdair Fraser's Compliments to Lorna Mitchell (Publ. in The Nineties Collection – Saltire Music)

Devised by Duncan Brown (duncanqlnbrown [at] tiscali.co.uk, sometime in 2008. Named in tribute to Fred DeMarse's great teaching of the Highland Class at the 2008 RSCDS Summer School.

The alternative title - The Nondescript Carpet Court refers to an article in the Nov 2008 RSCDS San Francisco Branch Newsletter 'The Reel and Strathspeyper' where Donna Weidenfeller had told of the demise of the chequered carpet tiles of the Chequered Court in University Hall in St Andrews, which have been replaced by nondescript carpeting.

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