Monday, January 9, 2012

Lesson Plan for January 9

THE BRAES OF BALQUHIDDER 1 (R8x32) 3C (4C set) 18C Dances
1- 8      1s+2s dance RH across & 1s cast 1 place as 2s lead up
9-16     1s+3s dance RH across & 1s cast 1 place as 3s lead up
17-24   1s lead up to top, cast to 2nd place,
             lead down & cast round 3s to 2nd place own sides
25-32   1s pass RSh, dance out on opposite sides, cast round 1st corner,
             turn RH, dance out ends & cast round 4th corner to 2nd places

Dance Information

Balquidder, a glen and village in Southern Perthshire, has always had many variant spellings, including Balquither, Balwhither, Bowhether etc. ('Balquidder' is obviously a modern Anglicisation of the Gaelic, since the letter Q does not occur in that language) - 'Balwhither' seems to be the correct and/or most traditional pronounciation.

A song and melody "The Braes of Balquhidder" (also known as "Frae far beyond the Grampian hills") was the tune was used by Robert Burns for his "Bonnie Peggy Alison" (1780). Curiously, the melody also became the basis for "Lone Pilgrim" or "White Pilgrim", a song recorded by Dylan in 1993 on "World Gone Wrong". Another song and poem, "The Braes of Balquidder" was penned by Scottish poet Robert Tannahill (1774-1810) of Paisley. Tannahill's melody is probably an earlier traditional air - he followed Robert Burns' interest in collecting and adapting traditional songs, and indeed he seems to have based this one on an even earlier song "The Braes o' Bowhether". Tannahill's poem was rewritten by Francis McPeake, in 1957 for the series "As I Roved Out" on BBC, and is well known as "Will You Go Lassie, Go", "Wild Mountain Thyme", or "Purple Heather".


THE LEA RIG S8x32 2C (4C set) RSCDS 21
1-16      1s+2s dance full Petronella back to places
              (with 2s stepping up & join in on bar 3 by setting, then follow 1s.
              2s petronella turn to place on bars 15-16)
17-24    1s lead down centre of set & back to top
25-32    1s+2s dance RH across once round &
              ½ Diamond Poussette to change places

I'll Meet Thee On The Lea Rig, by Robert Burns, 1792

LIGHT & AIRY (J8x32) 3C (4C set) W Campbell RSCDS Bk 4
1- 8       1s set & cast to 3rd place, set & cast back to top
9-16      1s lead down the middle & back
17-24    1s+2s dance Allemande (1s end facing 1st corners)
25-32    1s turn 1st corners RH, partner LH, 2nd corner RH, partner LH
              to end in 2nd place own sides

HIGHLAND LADDIE (R8x32) 3C (4C set) RSCDS Bk 4
1- 8       1s set, cast to 3rd place (3s step up), 2s+3s cross RH
9-16      1s lead up to top (2s+3s step down), set,
             cast down 1 place to face 3rd corner pstns (2s step up)
17-24    1s set & turn 3rd corners, set & turn 4th corners.
             1s end facing out in 2nd place on own sides
25-32    2s+1s+3s Balance-in-Line twice & turn RH back to places
             (2s & 3s turn 1½ times)

Dance Information

Burns wrote words to both the tune which gave the name to the dance and the tune the RSCDS uses for the dance, "Cairney Mount".

As I cam o'er the Cairney Mount, by Robert Burns, 1796. Read by Blythe Duff.


BAULDY BAIN'S FIDDLE (R8x32) 3C (4C set) J Dickson Lothian Coll
1- 8       1s turn RH, cast 1 place, turn LH 1½ times 2nd place opposite sides
9-16      1s cast to their left (man up, lady down), cross RH &
              cast to their right to 2nd place own side
              while 2s+3s dance RH across once round
              1s turn LH 1½ times to face 1st corners
              while 2s+3s chase clockwise to opposite corners
17-24    1s dance ½ diagonal reel of 4 with 1st corners &
              ½ reel of 4 with 2nd corners
25-32    2s+1s+3s dance 6H round & back

THE DUSTY MILLER (J8x32) 3C (4C set)       Border Bk

1- 8       1s set, cast down below 3s, lead up, cross over & cast
              to 2nd place opposite sides
9-16      2s+1s+3s circle 6H round & back 1s ending facing 1st corners
17-24    1s set to 1st corners & turn 2H, set to 2nd corners & turn 2H
25-32    1s dance reels of 3 on opposite sides (giving LSh to 1st corners to start)
             & cross to own sides

Hey The Dusty Miller, by Robert Burns, 1788.

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