July 4th, 2011: Independence Day

> NO CLASS <

Lesson Plan for June 27, 2011

This week, we shall be introducing our beginners to corners, and working a little more on setting and reels of three.

ALICE'S REQUEST   J8x32 2C (4C set) R Goldring Graded & Social Dances 2
  1- 8     1s+2s circle 4H round & back

  9-16    1s fig of 8 round 2s

17-24    1L+2M turn RH, 1M+2L turn RH

25-32    1s lead down the middle & up to 2nd place

REEL OF THE 51ST DIVISION   R8x32 3C (4C set) Atkinson RSCDS Bk 13
  1- 8     1s set & cast below 3s & lead up to face 1st corners

  9-16    1s set & turn 1st corners RH to Balance-in-line diagonally,
             1s turn LH to face 2nd corners

17-24    1s set & turn 2nd corners RH to Balance-in-Line,
             1s turn LH to 2nd place own sides

25-32    2s+1s+3s circle 6H round & back

THE BRAMBLE BUSH   J8x32  3C (4C set)               RSCDS Bk 25
   1- 8    1s cross RH, cast 1 place & dance 1/2 fig of 8 round 2s

  9-16    1s set, cross RH, set & turn LH to face 1st corners

17-24    1s turn 1st corners RH, turn partners LH,
              2nd corners RH & partners LH to 2nd places. 2 1 3

25-32    1s set to person on right & turn RH,
             1s set to person on left & turn LH

OGDEN OF GREENHOW   R8x32   3C (4C Set)
                                                                   M Frost Leeds Branch Newsletter 36
  1- 8    1s set, cast 1 place, dance 1/2 fig of 8 (Lady round 2s & Man round 3s)

  9-16   1s dance RH across (Man with 2s & Lady with 3s),
             pass RSh to dance LH across with other couple
            (finish facing 1st corner)

17-24   1s dance LSh reels of 3 across (Lady with 2s & Man with 3s)
            & pass LSh into…

25-32   1s turn 1st corner RH, partner LH, 2nd corner RH
            & cross LH to 2nd places

Lesson Plan for June 20, 2011

Dancing continues throughout the summer!

Location: Robin & Helen's barn. Please ring 734.426.0241 for details.

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The new things this week for our beginners will be reels of three and strathspey, which we ended up skipping last week. Reels of three are the real stars of the week. 

COLLIE LAW   J8x32   2C (4C set)               R Goldring 24 G & S Dances
 1- 8      1s+2s Advance+Retire, turn RH

9-16     1s+2s dance Allemande

17-24    1s dance fig of 8 round 2s

25-32    2s+1s dance RH across & LH back

DOMINO FIVE   R5x32  5 person Sq. Set with 5th person in centre 

                                                                         D Haynes Carnforth Coll 4

 1- 8      5+1+2 dance RH across, 5+3+4 dance LH across

9-16      5+1+3 dance RSh reel of 3 (5 & 1 pass RSh to start)

17-24    5+4+2 dance LSh reel of 3 (5 & 4pass LSh to start)

25-32     5 changes place with 1 (pass RSh), 1 change pl with 4, 

              4 change pl with 3, 3s change pl with 2 

              & 2 becomes new 5 (similar to Fisherman's Reel)

GET YOURSEL' A TOYBOY!  J8x32    3C (4C set)  

                                                                             J Drewry Stoneywood Coll

 1- 8      1s+2s+3s circle 6H round & back

 9-16     1s+2s dance LH across, 1L dances crosses down between 2s
              & casts up behind 2M to meet partner in Prom hold

              (Lady on Man's right)

17-24   1s dance reel of 3 across with 2s (LSh to 2L to start)

25-32   1s dance in & down, cross to 3rd place own sides & turn 3s on sides

             (Ladies LH & Men RH) 1½ times (turn twice 2nd time through)

DR MARGARET UNDERWOOD'S STRATHSPEY   S3x32    3C set

 1- 8      All dance reels of 3 on sides (1s in & down to start) 

 9-16    1L followed by partner casts to 3rd place & crosses 

             while 3M followed by partner casts up to 1st place & crosses;

             2s dance RH across (Lady with 3s & Man with 1s)

 17-24   2s pass RSh to dance LH across with other couple,

             1M followed by partner chase back to place 

              while 3L followed by partner do likewise

25-32    All set & turn partner RH; 1s cast to 3rd place 

              as 2s+3s dance up 1 place

THE CRAVEN REEL   R8x32    3C (4C set)      D Haynes Carnforth Coll 5

 1- 8      1L followed by partner cast off 2 places 

              & dance RH across with 3s

9-16     1L followed by partner dance up behind men to original places 

              & dance RH across with 2s

17-24    1s+2s+3s dance RSh reels of 3 on own side (1s & 2s start)

25-32    1L followed by partner cast off 1 place, dance up between 2s, 

               cast down round 2M to end 2nd place own side

Lesson Plan for June 13, 2011

As we have word of several new people starting this week, we'll be giving them a strong foundation, while getting in a lot of dancing, including a few old favorites.


KNIT THE POCKY   R8x32  2C (4C set)                                            RSCDS Bk 11
 1- 8     1L+2M Advance+Retire, turn 2H (Skip Change of step)

 9-16    1M+2L Advance+Retire, turn 2H

17-24   1s followed by 2s (who first dance up) lead down middle
            & 2s lead back to 1st place followed by 1s who end in 2nd place

25-32   2s+1s dance R&L

"Knit the Pocky" on YouTube (with a German accent! Hessisches Volkstanzturnier 2008)


THE MACHINE WITHOUT HORSES    J8x32  3C (4C set)    
                                                                                Rutherford RSCDS Bk 12
 1- 8     1s set, cast & dance RH across with 3s

 9-16    1s set, cast up & dance LH across with 2s

17-24   1s followed by 2s lead down, cast up behind 3s,
             in & lead up to top & 1s cast back to 2nd place

25-32   2s+1s dance R&L

DANCE INFORMATION  
(from http://www.scottish-country-dancing-dictionary.com/dance-crib/machine-without-horses.html)

The title of this dance 'The Machine Without Horses' probably refers to either the sedan chair or the chain plough.

The Sedan Chair
The dance and tune first appeared in a publication in 1772, long before the steam carriage or steam locomotive had been invented, and the word 'machine' at that time was often used for a horse drawn carriage in Scotland. Logically a machine without horses would be the carriage itself, without the horses -- the sedan chair.

A Machine Without Horses

Sedan Chair Designed by Robert Adam for Queen Charlotte, 1775

By the mid-17th century, sedans for hire were a common mode of transportation. In London, 'chairs' were available for hire in 1634, each assigned a number and the chairmen licensed because the operation was a monopoly of a courtier of Charles I. Sedan chairs could pass in streets too narrow for a carriage and were meant to alleviate the crush of coaches in London streets, an early instance of traffic congestion.
A similar system was later used in Scotland. In 1738, a fare system was established for Scottish sedans, and the regulations covering chairmen in Bath are reminiscent of the modern Taxi Commission's rules. A trip within a city cost six pence and a day's rental was four shillings. A sedan was even used as an ambulance in Scotland's Royal Infirmary. 

The Chain Plough
The enclosed chair has been in use since at least the days of the Roman Empire and would hardly merit special attention. It doesn't replace the horse for transport.

The chain plough was pulled along the length of the field by a stationary steam engine and chain drums. These were moved along the ends of the field as ploughing progressed. However the earliest mention found of this device (which arguably is reflected in the crossing and hands across movements, if these are original) slightly post-dates Rutherford's 1772 publication. At least it would mark the potential ability to displace the horse in one of its traditional roles. Certainly the title is too early to refer to machine-powered transport. 

"Machine Without Horses" on YouTube (Russian?)



LORD EGLINTON'S REEL  R8x32   3C (4C set)                                  MMM 2
 1- 8     1s set & cast to 3rd place, 1s set & cast back to top

9-16     1s lead down the middle, back to top & cast to 2nd place

17-24    2s+1s+3s circle 6H round & back

25-32    2s+1s+3s Advance+Retire & turn partners 2H (4 PdB)


SEANN TRUIBHAS WILLICHAN   S8x32  2C (4C set)    T Wilson RSCDS Bk 27
 1- 8      1s cast & dance down behind own lines,
              turn outwards & dance back to top

 9-16     1L+2M set & change places RH
              while 1M+2L change places & set & repeat

17-24    1s lead down for 2 steps, turn RH, lead up to top & cast to 2nd place

25-32    2s+1s set & turn partner 2H opening out to circle 4H round to left

"Seann Truibhas Willichan" on YouTube (2.45-3.45)
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Pronounced 'Shan trews Willichan' meaning 'Willie's old trousers'. 



BEGINNER’S LUCK   J4x40  4C Set             J Ackerley 8 Anniversary Dances
 1- 8     1s dance fig of 8 round 2s

 9-16    1M+2L set & change places RH, 1L+2M set & change places RH

17-24   1s+3s dance RH across & LH back

25-32   1M+3M set & change places RH, 1L+3L set & change places RH

33-40   1s+4s dance 1/2 R&L, all set & cross over. 2 3 4 1


THE DE'IL AMANG THE TAILORS   R8x32   3C (4C set)                RSCDS Bk 14
 1- 8     1s+2s set & dance RH across ½ way,
            set & dance LH across ½ way back to place

 9-16    1s lead down the middle & back to top

17-24   1s+2s dance Allemande

25-32   2s+1s+3s circle 6H round & back

"The De'il Amang the Tailors" on YouTube (in Tenerife!)

Dances of June 6, 2011

REST AND BE THANKFUL  R8x32 3C (4C set)                   Grampian Coll
 1-4      1s cross by the right and cast (2s step up);
 
5-8      1s cross by the left and cast (L up, M down);
            1s pick up 1st corners in promenade hold.


 9-12    1M+3L, 1L+2M promenade anticlockwise halfway
             while 2nd corners advance and retire; 

13-16  1s turn by the left 1¾ times;

17-24  1s repeat bars 9-16, promenading with 2nd corners
            while 1st corners advance and retire;
            (1s finish facing first corner positions, M to M, L to L)

25-28  1s half-diagonal reel of 4 with 1st corner positions; 

29-32  1s half-diagonal reel of 4 with 2nd corner positions,
           1s finishing in 2nd place on own sides.

The A83 from Arrochar climbs through Glen Croe up to Rest-and-be-Thankful,
and continues on to Inveraray.

THE HAPPY MEETING   J8x32 2C (4C set)                               RSCDS 29
  1- 8     1M & 2L passing RSh & dance figs of 8 round standing partners
             passing own partner LSh

 9-16     1L & 2M passing LSh & dance figs of 8 round standing partners
             passing own partner RSh

17-24    1s dance 4 slip step down middle, set to each other,
             slip step up to top & cast to 2nd place

25-32    2s+1s Advance+Retire clapping on bar 28, & turn partners RH


BONNIE STRONSHIRAY  S8x32 3C (4C set)         R Campbell Glasgow Assembly
  1- 8      1s+2s turn ¾ 2H to form line up/down centre & dance ½ reel of 4,
              turn partners ¾ 2H to own sides (having changed places)

9-16     1s set adv & turn 1st corner 2H ending 1L between 2s & 1M between 3s,
             set adv to 2nd crnr & turn 2H end 2nd place opposite sides

17-24    2s+1s+3s cross RH
            1s cast to right round partners 1st corner positions
            while corners Advance+Retire (1M between 2s & 1L between 3s),
            2s+1s+3s cross RH (up/down set),
            1s cast to right round partners 2nd corner positions
            & in to face them while 2s+3s Advance+Retire

25-32    1s dance ½ RSh reel of 4 with partners 2nd corner position,
              pass LSh & dance ½ reel with partners 1st corner position
             & turn RH back to place

Stronshiray is the former name of a part of south-west Argyllshire (near Inveraray) from whence the devisor's family originated.


WEE COOPER O' FIFE  J8x40 in 10-bar phrases 2C (4C set)  
                                                                   H Foss Dances to Song tunes
  1-10    1s set & cross RH, set & cross down LH & cast up round 2s
              to original place

11-20    1s+2s dance R&L 1¼ times (ie 5 moves)

21-30    1s+2s set & dance ½ RH across, set & dance ½ LH across,
             1L+2M continue turning LH to face partner,
             while 1M casts off and 2L casts up

31-40    1s+2s dance full reel of 4 across dance passing partners RSh
             & dance back to own side (1s in 2nd place)


DA RAIN DANCIN'   R8x32 3C (4C set)                      Whiteadder Coll
 1- 8      1s dance down below 3s, cast up round 3s to 2nd place own side,
             2s+1s+3s set and cross RH

 9-16    1s dance up round 2s and cast off to 2nd place opposite sides,
            2s+1s+3s set, 1s turn LH to face 1st corners while 2s and 3s cross LH

17-24   1s set right to 1st corners and left to partner,
             ¾ turn RH to face 2nd corners,
             set to right and left to partner,
             ¾ turn RH to end 2nd place own side.

25-32   2s+1s+3s circle 6H round and back

This dance features the "interrupted hello-goodbye setting" figure.