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THE MENTOR

A 96 bar Strathspey for 4 couples in a square set.

First Figure.

1-8	All four men dance right hands across 1-1/4 round; they dance out and cast to the right, behind the lady opposite their partner, and curve round by the right to face her.
9-16	All four couples dance a double reel of four.
17-24	The men dance four hands round to the right in the centre finishing by pulling back their left shoulders to face the opposite lady; all set and, giving right hands, change places.
25-32	All dance a double targe: The ladies dance left hands across 3/4 round while the men dance on one place clockwise. The men turn the ladies with the right hand; these four bars are repeated, but on bars 31-32 all turn 3/4 to finish facing into the centre with the ladies on the left of the men.

Second Figure.

1 - 8	All four ladies dance right hands across 1¼ round; they dance out and cast to the right, behind their (original) partner, and curve round by the right to face him.
9-16	All four couples dance a double reel of four.
17-24	The ladies dance four hands round to the right in the centre finishing by pulling back their left shoulders to face their partner; all set and, giving right hands, change places.
25-32	All dance a double targe: The men dance left hands across 3/4 round while the ladies dance on one place clockwise. The ladies turn their partner with the right hand; these four bars are repeated, but on bars 31-32 all turn partner 3/4 to finish facing into the centre opposite original places.

Third Figure.

1-8	All set to their partners turn 3/4 with the right hand to promenade hold and dance two places clockwise to original places.
9-16	First and third couples, set and, pulling their right shoulders back, cast into the set to face across the dance. They dance four hands round for two bars and the men lead their partners out to original places.
17-24	Second and fourth couples repeat bars 9 - 16.
25-32	Eight hands round and back

Music: suitable recorded music is "Singing Sands" on Reflections of Dalriada.

Devised by Brian Charlton (briangcharlton [at] gmail.com), October, 2007. This dance was written to honour Margaret Sim on the occasion of her being presented with a well-deserved RSCDS Branch Award at the Branch Closing Social on 8th December 2007. Margaret has been a mentor for dancers, teachers, clubs and the Branch over many years.

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MISS ILONA BROWN

32-bar strathspey for 5 couples in a longwise set

1-4	1s & 3s lead down two places, cross over below 4s & 5s, and cast up one place (2s & 4s step up on 1 & 2)
5-8	All 5 couples turn partners with both hands(2s, 4s and 5s turn once finishing in sidelines; 1s & 3s turn 1-1/2 and finish in middle, facing up, nearer hands joined)
9-12	1s & 3s dance up for 2, set to partners,
13-16	1s & 3s dance down for 2, turn partners with both hands and finish facing first corners (lady pulls back R Sh, as in Sugar Candie)
17-24	1s & 3s set to first corners, dance round each other (R Sh back) to face second corners, 1s & 3s set to second corners, dance round each other to finish 1L between 2s facing 2L, 3M between 5s facing 5M, 1M 3L between 4s, 1M facing 4M, 3L facing 4L (1M & 3L pass L Sh)
25-32	1s & 3s dance the LOOP and cross down to third & fifth places, i.e. [3] half reels of three / four across (R Sh to start) – on bar 3 1s & 3s change to other reel [3] half reels of three / four across (R Sh) [2] 2s 4s 5s loop round / dance up to finish 2s at top, 4s in 2nd place, 5s in 4th place, while 1s & 3s cross down to 3rd & 5th place, passing partners L Sh

NOTE: in bars 25 – 32, although the reels are continuous, the priority changes in the reels of three, so they are actually two half reels

Devised by Malcolm Brown (mlamontbrown [at] btopenworld.com). Miss Ilona Brown is one of his grand-daughters. This dance was the result of having five couples in the class when wanting to teach a three couple dance (in a four couple set).

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DANCING ON WATER

32-bar Strathspey for a 4 couple longwise set

2 chords – couples 3 and 4 start from opposite sides

1-4	1st couple cross right hand and cast off one place while 4th couple cross right hand and cast up one place. 2nd and 3rd couples step up/down on bars 3-4.
5-8	2nd + 3rd couples set + cross over right hands to opposite sides (and face in) while 1st and 4th couples (in the middle places) set + link to change places (keep facing the direction they are coming). All 4 couples may give hands on the sidelines while setting.
9-12	4th and 1st couples (= middle couples) dance a full right hands across. At the end 4th couple face up to 2nd couple (which is in top place), and 1st couple faces down to 3rd couple (in bottom place).
13-16	All turn left hands once round (2nd man + 4th lady; 2nd lady + 4th man; 1st man + 3rd lady; 1st lady + 3rd man).
17-24	4th and 1st couple (still middle couples) dance a full “Men’s Chain”.
25-28	2nd couple dance a ½ figure of eight down around 4th couple, while 3rd couple dance a ½ figure of eight up around 1st couple. (Start by crossing up or down.)
29-32	All four couples turn partner both hands one round. New order is now: 2 4 1 3
	Repeat 3 more times from new places

Devised by Martina Mueller-Franz (mcmuellerfranz [at] aol.com), 31. May 2007. This dance was first tried out during a small occasion in Beelen (near Muenster, Germany) in June 2007. We used a small room adjacent to the organiser's house. I subsequently learned that the wooden floor covers their former small indoor swimming pool. This inspired me to call this dance: “Dancing on Water”.

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A TIMBIT FOR JANIS

32-bar Strathspey for 4 couples, in a longwise set

1-8	1s 2s and 3s dance mirror reels of three on the sides, 1s dancing in and down and 2s dancing out and up to start; at the end, 2s stay facing out
9-16	2s, 3s and 4s dance mirror reels of three on the sides, 4s dancing out and up, and 3s dancing in and down to start; at the end, 2s and 4s stay facing out
17-24	"covalent" mirror reels of four on the sides: begin mirror reels of four on the sides, a right shoulder reel on the men's side and a left shoulder reel on the women's side; on the second step, 4s cross up to second place on the opposite side as all others take the second step of the reel; continue in this way, on the fourth step 3s cross up, on the sixth step, 1s cross up, and on the last step, 2s cross up; once having crossed, dancers complete the reel on the opposite side; at the end, dancers are in the original order, all on opposite sides; 4s stay facing out
25-28	1s dance down the centre below 3s, divide and cast up to third place, while 4s dance up behind the lines to above 2s, then meet and dance down to second place, where they face out; on bars 27-28, 2s step up, while 3s step down and face out
29-32	2s with 4s, also 1s with 3s, dance half a double figure of eight (2s and 1s cross down to start).
	The final order is 2-4-1-3; repeat from new places.

Notes:

1. In case any non-Canadian ever reads this, "timbit" is the name given to doughnut centres at Canada's best known coffee and doughnut chain, Tim Horton's. The reels in bars 17-24 are the "covalent" mirror reels of four in Tim Conrow's dance Covalence; this is the timbit.
2. At the time of writing, Janis Platts, one of our most faithful and enthusiastic dancers, is battling a severe illness In the midst of it all, she is still keen on coffee and a doughnut from Tim's.
3. All need impeccable phrasing in the reels of four.
4. 1s and 4s anticipate, and use long steps during bars 25-26, so that 1s are below 3s and dancing out, while 4s are above 2s and dancing in, by the end of bar 26
5. Except for the last repetition of the dance, 4s should stay facing out in second place at the end, ready for the new repetition.

Tune: Strathaven Way, by A. M. Laird

Suitable recording: George Washington Bridge set on Bobby Brown's Celtic Fire discs

Devised by Peter McClure (joptmc [at] cc.umanitoba.ca), Winnipeg, MB, March 2007, for Janis Platts of Winnipeg.

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A TIMBIT FOR GEORGE or AFTER A HANGOVER

32-bar Strathspey for 4 couples in a longwise set

1-8	1s 2s and 3s dance parallel reels of three on the sides, 1st and 2nd women, also 1st and 2nd men passing right shoulders to start; at the end, 2nd man and 3rd woman stay facing out
9-16	2s, 3s and 4s dance parallel reels of three on the sides, 3rd and 4th women, also 3rd and 4th men passing right shoulders to start; at the end, 2nd and 4th men, and 3rd woman stay facing out
17-24	connected reels of four on the sides: all begin a reel of four on the sides; on the second step, as all others continue the reel, 1st woman and 4th man change sides, passing left shoulders, 1st woman going into second place on the men's side, ready to dance up, while 4th man goes to third place on the women's side, ready to dance down; continue in this way, on each even numbered step, a pair of dancers "connect" the reels by changing sides; 2nd woman and 3rd man cross on the fourth step, 4th woman and 1st man on the sixth step, and 3rd woman and 2nd man on the eighth step; once having crossed, dancers complete the reel on the opposite side; at the end, all are on opposite sides, in order 4-3-2-1; 4th man (at top) and 1st woman stay facing out
25-28	4s and 1s dance clockwise halfway round, while 3s and 2s set and cross to own sides, giving right hands in passing
29-32	middles facing ends on each side (i.e., 1st man with 3rd woman, etc), set and change places giving right hands in passing.

The final order is 3-1-4-2; repeat from new places.

Notes:

1. The first half of this dance is the same as that of George Ogilvie's dance Hangover, which I've admired ever since I found it. George's dance is a reel, and this one could be danced in quick time (I think I would prefer jig) or as a medley (e.g., 2x32S + 2x32J - the Dewar set for Johnnie Walker would do), once the pattern is well known.
2. In case any non-Canadian ever reads this, "timbit" is the name given to doughnut centres at Canada's best known coffee and doughnut chain, Tim Horton's. Bars 17-24 are a slight variation of one of the "covalent" reels of four in Tim Conrow's dance Covalence; this is the timbit.
3. All need impeccable phrasing in the reels of four; third woman and second man will need a long step at the end, to finish facing partners.

Tune: Strathaven Way, by A. M. Laird

Suitable recording: George Washington Bridge set on Bobby Brown's Celtic Fire discs

Devised by Peter McClure (joptmc [at] cc.umanitoba.ca), Winnipeg, MB, March 2007, for George Ogilvie of Regina.

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