Beginner Class - Lesson 4 - March 23

Week Four: March 23, 2015

Steps:
Strathspey Travelling and setting
Skip change
Pas De Basque (quick time setting)

Figures:
Set Advancing
Reel of four!!!
Half figure of 8

Scottish Dancing Pro Tip: Phrasing! Time the reels just right. Use the long cast to take the right amount of time, etc

MR WATSON'S FAVOURITE (R8x32) 2C (4C set) Bk of Graded SCDs Molly
1- 8 1s+2s Promenade
9-16 1s lead down the middle & up to top
17-24 1s+2s dance Allemande
25-32 2s+1s circle 4H round & back

REELING IN THE ANNEX (S8x32) 2C (4C set) S Tang Leaflet
1- 8 1s dance in & cast off behind own lines for 4 bars, 1s cast back up to place
9-12 1s+2s circle 4H round to left,
13-16 1s turn 2H as 2s step up & all set in line of 4 with 1s advancing to pass each other LSh
17-24 1s+2s dance reel of 4 across
25-28 All set, turn RH on Ladies side & LH on Mens side (1s in and up) to end with 1s in 2nd place, 1s dance ½ fig of 8 up around 2s to progressed place

Note: Reeling in the Annex turned out to be a harder dance than we expected. During bars 9-16, there is nothing for new dancers to hold onto and no chance for recovery. Would work well with adjustment of this portion.

200 KING STREET NORTH (J8x32) 2C (4C Set) Molly Lee Fuell and Patty Lindsay Flying Ghillies 4 
1- 8 1s dance 1/2 fig 8 round 2s, 1M dances down to face 2L as 1L dances down to face 2M (almost a ¾ figure 8) & all set
9- 16 1s+2s dance reel of 4 across
17-24 1s+2s set & 1s cast up round 2s to 1st place opposite sides (that “cast up” goes the long way below the 2s to end up at the top), 1s 1/2 turn RH & 2s step in ready for…
25-32 1s+2s dance Allemande

SWISS LASSIE (R8x32) 3C (4C set) R Betsche RSCDS Bk 39
1- 8 1s dance in & cast to 3rd place, 2s+1s turn partners RH 1.1/4 times to form a line up & down middle of set (Men facing down Ladies up)
9-16 2s+1s dance reel of 4 up & down middle of set ending with 2M facing Ladies side & 1L facing Men’s side
17-24 2s+1s chase round clockwise 1/2 way, 1s+3s+2s Adv+Ret
25-32 3s+2s 1/2 turn partners RH, dance RH across 1/2 way, 1s+2s 1/2 turn partners RH & dance RH across 1/2 way

Beginner Class - Lesson 3 - March 16

Week Three: March 16, 2015

Steps:
Strathspey setting
Pas de Basque

Figures:
Rights & Lefts
Cast off behind own lines
Allemande
3C progression

Scottish Dance Pro Tip: Learning to “chunk” the dance--thinking in 8-bar phrases.

THE HIGHLAND FAIR (J8x32) 2C (4C set) Bk of Graded SCDs
1- 8 1s cast, dance down behind own lines, turn outwards & dance back to place
9-16 1s+2s turn partners RH back to place & then turn LH
17-24 1s followed by 2s, lead down the middle & 2s lead back to the top
25-32 2s+1s dance R&L

SANDY O'ER THE LEA (S8x32) 2C (4C set) MMM 2
1- 8 1s+2s dance RH across & LH back to places
9-16 1s+2s set; cross RH, set & cross back RH
17-24 1s followed by 2s lead down, 2s divide & 1s followed by 2s lead back to top
25-32 1s+2s dance Allemande

GOOD HEARTED GLASGOW (J8x32) 3C (4C set) P Knapman Collins Pocket Ref
1- 8 1s turn RH cast to 2nd place, & turn partner LH 11⁄4 times to end Man facing down & Lady facing up
9-16 1s dance RH across (Lady with 2s & Man with 3s), 1s passing RSh & dance LH with other couple
17-24 1s lead down the middle & back to 2nd place on own side
25-32 2s+1s+3s circle 6H round & back

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

Back up dances:

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

KNIT THE POCKY (R8x32) 2C (4C set) Turnbull RSCDS Bk 11
1- 8 1L+2M Adv+Ret, turn 2H (Skip Change of step)
9-16 1M+2L Adv+Ret, turn 2H
17-24 1s followed by 2s (who first dance up) lead down middle and 2s lead back to 1st place followed by 1s who end in 2nd place
25-32 2s+1s dance R&L

Beginner Class - Lesson 2 - March 9

With the number of dancers in the week one class, we needed a bigger location and moved to the Dhu Varen location of Gretchen's House.

Week Two: March 9, 2015

Steps:
Slip step and slipping circle
Skip change: forwards AND Backwards!
Strathspey travelling step

Figures:
Figure of Eight
Advance and Retire
Back to Back
Strathspey circle
Strathspey turn
Track figure
Promenade
Down the middle and up for 4 bars
Arches

Scottish Dancing Pro Tip: Covering! Looking at your fellow dancers for a hint of what you should be doing and where you should be located. This is especially good for Advance & Retire & Back to Back.

ALICE'S REQUEST (J8x32) 2C (4C set) R Goldring G & S 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

Fiddler's Choice (J8x32) 2C (4C set) M. Glenn
1- 8 1s & 2s advance and retire; dance Back to Back
9-16 1s & 2s dance RH Across & LHs Across
17-24 1s lead down the middle and up to 2nd place (2s step up on bars 19 & 20)
25-32 2s+1s circle 4H around to the left and back


Beginners at the Barn (S8x32) 2C (4C set)
1-4 1st man 2-hand turn 2nd woman
5-8 1st woman 2-hand turn 2nd man
9-16 1s and 2s chase around the set clockwise back to place.
17-24 1s followed by 2s, lead down the middle & 2s lead back to the top
25-32 1s and 2s turn neighbor two hands for two bars, then turn partner two hands for two bars, open to circle (4 bars)
Next time--pick a different dance or possibly edit this one--it’s actually really hard

VISIT IN ROME (J8x32) 2C (4C set) A Girards
1- 8 1M followed by partner casts 1 place, crosses below 2s, casts up & crosses back to place
9-16 1s+2s circle 4H round & back ending in centre 1s facing down & 2s up
17-24 1s dance down the set under an arch made by 2s (who dance up) & 1s dance back up to 2nd place
25-32 2s+1s Promenade

Beginner Class - Lesson 1 - March 2

We've been having some great classes, and out beginner's class series is going particularly well. Sorry for not posting for so long!

Week One: March 2, 2015

Steps:
Slip step
Skip Change

Figures:
Casting
step up/down
turn
RH across & LH back
2C progression
Down the middle for 3, up for 3, cast

Scottish Dance Pro Tip:
Smiles and eye contact (no one will look at your feet)
Good arms!

THE FLYING SCOTSMAN (R8x32) 3C (3C Set) Local Variant of H Thurston 16 SCDs B
1- 8 1L followed by 2L+3L cross, cast behind 1M, in front of 2M, behind 3M, cross and dance up to places
9-16 1M followed by 2M+3M repeat around Ladies
17-24 1s slip step down the middle and up
25-32 1s slip step down for 2 bars, 2s+3s join in and slip down and back. Ending 231.

THE DHOON (J4x32) 4C set J Hamilton SCDs for Children
1- 8 All (with nearer hands joined on sides) slip step right, slip step back & turn partner RH
9-16 All (with nearer hands joined on sides) slip step left, slip step back & turn partner LH
17-24 1s cast 1 place, dance to top & cast to 4th place
25-32 All circle 8H round & back

LEAP YEAR (J8x24) 2C (4C set) Bk of Graded SCDs
1- 8 1s+2s dance RH across & LH back to places
9-16 1s lead down for 3 steps, back to top & cast to 2nd places on own sides
17-24 2s & 1s turn partner RH, turn partner LH
Next time I’d use a different dance--down and up for 3 is hard and the 24 bar thing is confusing. -Mar

THE GLEN (R8x32) 2C (4C set) S Kass Let's All Dance
1- 8 1s+2s dance RH across & LH back
9-16 1s+2s turn RH & LH
17-24 1s lead down & back to 2nd places
25-32 2s+1s circle 4H round & back

Dancing on December 29th

In case you haven't heard, class is on! See you there!

Dancing on December 22nd

Class is on for December 22nd.
See you  there!

Back at Gretchen's barn TONIGHT!

We've had a great summer dancing out at Helen and Robin's but we'll be back in Ann Arbor Monday the 8th at the usual place - Gretchen's House 5 on Traver Rd. In the barn at 7:30. See you there!