Lagavulin 5x32 S

Posted by on May 19, 2014 in Strathspeys

LAGAVULIN

32-bar Strathspey for 5 couples in a 5-couple set

1-8

1s & 2s and 3s & 4s espagnole:

  • 1s+2s (& 3s+4s) cross (Women lead across RH passing between Men) with Women changing places RH
  • 1s+2s (& 3s+4s) cross back (Men lead across RH between Women) with Men changing places RH
  • 2s & 4s turn RH once round while 1s & 3s turn LH once round

1s and 3s end facing 1st corners
9-16 1s & 3s turn 1st corners RH, partner LH, 2nd corners RH, partners LH; 1s & 3s end facing 1st corners
17-24 Diagonal reels of 4 with 1st corners,1s & 3s giving R shoulder to 1st corners to start, 1s & 3s take LH at end of reel ready for ...
25-32 1s turn LH and cast to 3rd place opposite side, dance ½ figure of 8 up through 4s while 3s turn LH and cast to 5th place opposite side, dance ½ figure of 8 up through 5s, (4s and 5s step up on bar 27/28 so that they get lots of time to remember how to dance the espagnole) ending 24153

Suggested Music: "Roy's Threescore and Ten" as on Colin Dewar's Special Requests Vol 5 : Hamilton Welcome.

Devised by Gordon Scott (gordon.scott [at] btinternet.com). The name of Lagavulin is an anglicization of the Gaelic "lag a'mhuilin", meaning "hollow by the mill", and is also the name of a well-known single malt whisky.

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Janice 3x32 S

Posted by on May 10, 2014 in Strathspeys

JANICE

32-bar Strathspey for 3 couples in a 3-couple set

1-8 All 3 couples dance the petronella figure (petronella turn and set, repeat) to partner's side.
9-16 1C dance in slightly and cast to 2nd place, cross down between 3C, giving LH briefly, and cast up to 2nd place on own sides. 2C step up on bars 3-4 of the phrase.
17-20 1C and dancers in 1st corner positions advance one step and retire on the diagonal; repeat with 2nd corners
21-24 All 3 couples dance back-to-back
25-32 Diagonal rights and lefts (i.e. half R & L with 1st corners, then half R & L with 2nd corners)

Music: No designated tune as of yet. Any good Strathspey in the traditional style (i.e. not an air).

Devised in June 2013 by Lara Friedman-Shedlov (lfriedmanshedlov [at] gmail.com) for Janice Lacock, now of Madison, Wisconsin. However, the dance did not actually debut until May 2014, when it was taught to members of the Oslo Scottish Country Dance Group, with whom Janice used to dance.

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The Battle of Trafalgar 6x40 H

Posted by on Apr 29, 2014 in Reels

THE BATTLE OF TRAFALGAR

6x40 bar Hornpipe for 6 couples in two, side-by-side 3-couple sets.

The dancers are arranged as two, side by side, 3 couple sets, i.e. 4M, 5M and 6M are back to back with 1L 2L and 3L. The first set, couples 1, 2 and 3 represents the English fleet, the second set with couples 4, 5 and 6 represents the French and Spanish fleet.

1-8 1C, 2C and 3C dance Inveran Reels. (All dance reels of 3 up and down the set, 1C cross down to opposite sides on bar 1 and cross up, back to own sides on bar 5.) while 4C 5C and 6C dance similarly. All finish in original places
9-12 1C, 2C and 3C set to partners and turn half way giving right hands, finishing with ladies behind partners, all facing across to second set. while 4C 5C and 6C stand.
13-16 1M dances across to second set, passing 4M right shoulder and dancing clockwise around 4L to finish facing her while 1L follows and dances clockwise all the way around 4M who turns around to face 1L, 4M is back to back with 1M.
while 2C and 3C dance similarly around 5C and 6C

17-20 All set and turn once round with the right hand.
21-24 4L, 1M, 4M and 1L dance half a reel of 4 across the set. On bars 23-24, 1M and 4M should pass right shoulder, NOT left, and on bar 24 1L and 4L should start to come in again from the sidelines to end right shoulder to right shoulder with 4M and 1M respectively while 2C with 5C and 3C with 6C dance similarly.
25-26 4C with 1C dance half right hands across while 2C with 5C and 3C with 6C dance similarly.

27-28 1C, retaining right hands, turn right hand half way to 4C's original place in set 2 while 4M, followed by 4L dances across to 1C's original place in set 1 while 2C with 5C and 3C with 6C dance similarly.
29-32 1C, 2C and 3C, in set 2, set to partners. 1C and 2C cast off one place, 3C, with right hands, lead up two places to the top of the set, All finish in promenade hold facing down the set, ladies on partner's left, in the order 3 1 2 while 4C, 5C and 6C in set 1, turn partner with right hand once round in 4 bars to finish in promenade hold facing up the set in the order 4 5 6.
39-40 All, with promenade hold, chase clockwise once round the set, 2C and 4C leading and following 6C and 3C respectively, to end 4 5 6 in the first set and 3 1 2 in the second set.
  Repeat from new positions. Progression for 1st couple is: 1 5 2 6 3 4

Music: Admiral Nelson. (I edited a 4x64 Hornpipe recording to 6x40).

Devised by Keith Rose (keith [at] krose.plus.com) for a Scottish Dancing holiday to Conil de la Frontera on the Costa de la Luz, Spain which is about 8 miles from Cape Trafalgar. The Battle of Trafalgar was fought on 21 October 1805 when Admiral Nelson attacked the larger combined French and Spanish fleets using a new strategy of attacking perpendicularly to the line of enemy ships.

1-8: depict preparation for the battle and revue of the fleets.
9-16: The attack.
17-24: Fighting at close quarters.
25-32: End of the battle, chasing the vanquished and victory celebrations.
33-40: Return to port

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The Road to Scurdie Ness 4x40 R

Posted by on Apr 01, 2014 in Reels

THE ROAD TO SCURDIE NESS

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

1-8 1s + 2s and 3s + 4s dance RH across and chase clockwise half way.
9-16 4s + 3s and 2s + 1s dance R+L (retain LH to lead into reels)
17-24 All dance left shoulder reels of 4 on the side.
25-32 4s + 3s and 2s + 1s dance LH across and chase anti-clockwise back to places.
33-34 1s + 2s dance LH across half way
35-36 1s + 3s dance RH across half way
37-38 1s + 4s dance LH across half way
39-40 All cross RH. (retain RH to move into RH across)

Composed by R Harcus (bobharcus [at] btinternet.com) to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the East Angus Branch of RSCDS on 30th November 2013. Some features of the route out through Ferryden to Scurdie Ness and around the base of the lighthouse might be recognised.

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Swirling Leaves 8x32 J

Posted by on Oct 24, 2013 in Jigs

SWIRLING LEAVES

32-bar jig for 3 couples in a 4-couple set

1-8 1st couple set, cross giving right hand, cast to second place on opposite sides, turn by left hand to face 1st corners. 2nd couple stepping up on bars 3 and 4.
9-12 1st couple dance corners pass and cast with their first corner.
13-16 1st couple dance corners pass and cast with their second corner finishing in order 3x, 1x, 2x.
17-20 1st couple dance a right shoulder half reel of three across the dance, 1st man with the 2nd couple below, 1st woman with the 3rd couple above, finishing with all dancers on their own side of the dance in order 3, 1, 2.
21-24 1st couple dance a left shoulder half reel of three on their own side finishing in order 2, 1, 3.
25-32 Dance 6 hands around and back.
  Repeat having passed a couple.

Note: Corner Pass and Cast is a variation of the standard corner pass and turn.

Bar 1 Corners dance in, passing 1st man or 1st woman by the right shoulder. At the same time, 1st couple dance out towards their corner position.
Bar 2 Corners turn each other half way with the right hand to finish facing each other. At the same time, 1st couple curve round by the right through their corner position to face in.
Bar 3 Corners pull back right shoulder to begin casting into their opposite corner place, passing 1st man or 1st woman by the right, as 1st couple dance into the middle.
Bar 4 Corners curve round by the right into place. At the same time, 1st couple pass by the right to face their second corner.

Devised October 2012, by Gary Lindsey (gary.lindsey [at] sbcglobal.net)

UPDATED: 20 November 2013

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