Lesson Plan for Mar 28, 2011

MRS STEWART'S JIG   J8x32  3C (4C set)                       F Ligtmans RSCDS 35

   1-8     1s set, and 1W cast off two places (round 3W), followed by partner
              (2s step up); 1W dance across the set and up the men’s side, 
              (outside the set) to 2nd place on opposite side facing down.
             1M dance up the middle to 2nd place on opposite side facing down.

 9-16     All three couples dance a Grand Chain. 1M and 2M end facing out.

17-24   2s and 1s dance Ladies' Chain (Men turn LH).

25-32   All three couples Advance-and-Retire.
            1s turn-RH 1½ times to own sides.

Mrs Stewart's Jig on YouTube


MARY'S STRATHSPEY  S8x32   3C (4C set)
                                             R Williams  4 SCDs Memory of Mary Nixon

   1- 8      1s set, ½ turn-RH to face down, set to 2s on sides & turn-LH

  9-16      1s+2s dance Ladies' Chain; 1s end in 2nd place opposite sides

17-24     1s dance RSh reels of 3 (1s dance up to start)

25-32     1s turn 2H in centre & end back-to-back
               (1W facing up & 1M down);
              1s circle 3H round to left (1W with 2s & 1M with 3s),
              ending in 2nd place


THE FALLS OF ROGIE  R8x32  3C (4C set) J Attwood  Alexander Bk 1

  1- 8      1s cross RH & cast 1 place (2s step up bars 3-4),
              1s cross RH & cast 1 place (1M up, 1W down)
               to end 1M between 2s, 1W between 3s.

  9-16    1s dance ½ left-shoulder reel of 3 across (1M with 2s & 1L with 3s);
              all set in lines across & change places RH with opposite person

17-24    2s and 3s chase clockwise all the way while 1s chase clockwise ½ way,
              dance in & turn RH 1¼ to face 1st corners

25-32    1s dance ½ right-shoulder reel of 4 with 1st corners, passing RSh;
             dance ½ right-shoulder reel with 2nd corners & cross passing RSh
             to 2nd place own sides

"Falls of Rogie" on YouTube (at 2:00)

NOTE: The Falls of Rogie refers to the waterfall on the Blackwater River just outside Contin, 20 miles northwest of Inverness.

SUGAR CANDIE  S8x32  3C (4C set)                                            RSCDS Bk 26


 1- 8     1s set & cast 1 place (2s step up), cross passing LSh
             & cast RSh round 1st corner into centre ending back-to-back
             (1W facing up, 1M down)

 9-16    1W circle left with 2s, 1M circle left with 3s, 1s turn to face partner & set,
             ¾ turn partner 2H to end facing 1st corners

17-24    1s turn 1st corner RH, partner LH, 2nd corner RH, partner LH
              & end facing 1st corners

25-32    1s dance reel of 3 on opposite sides passing 1st corner LSh
             1s cross RH to 2nd place own sides


REEL OF THE ROYAL SCOTS   R8x32    3C (4C set)  R Goldring  SCD Leaflet 7

 1- 8         1s ½-turn 2s on sides (1M RH - 1L LH) to face out
                (double-triangle position),
                2s+1s+3s set, 1s ½-turn 3s on sides (1M LH - 1L RH),
                end 3s facing out & 2s+3s+1s set

 9-16       1s followed by 3s dance up between 2s, cast down 1 place, dance in
                & 1s cast up to 2nd place 3s end in 3rd place

17-24      1s turn 1st corners RH, pass partner RSh, turn 2nd corners RH,
                & cross passing partner RSh to 2nd place own sides

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

"The Reel of the Royal Scots" on YouTube

"The Reel of the Royal Scots" on YouTube (with proper signature tune)

Lesson Plan for Mar 21, 2011

...we have already practiced at least once nine of the 18 ball dances! So that's a good feeling.  We'll definitely keep working on them (aggressively) for the next 8 weeks to allow both dancers and musicians to feel well-prepared for the ball.


...this week is scheduled as a technique class, so instead of getting through tons of dances, we'll be focusing our attention on just two.


In the first half of the evening we'll be working on strathspey.  I know that many dancers struggle with being graceful and flowing with the strathspey steps, so we'll work on footwork and posture a little bit.  Then we'll put in some good work on the Argo Pond Strathspey, Dan's new dance.  We'll practice finer points on all the figures of the dance, as well as the flow from piece to piece.


In the second half of the evening, we'll work on The Australian Ladies, focusing especially on keeping it neat and being "just in time".

ARGO POND  S8x32  3C                                                    Dan Blim

  1- 8    1s & 2s dance set-and-rotate: Both couples set facing partner.

             Pulling right shoulder back (both couples), cast one place

             clockwise around the ring. Facing partner on the side,

             change places RH, and chase clockwise one place to

             progressed place. 1M, with 1W behind him, end facing 2M.

  9-16   1s dance a half-dolphin-reel with 1st corners: as 1s pass 2M,

             they turn individually to put the 1W in the lead.

            1s end facing 3M for a half-dolphin-reel with 2nd corners.

            1s end in 2nd place on opposite sides.

17-24   All three couples dance set-and-link for three, twice.

25-32   All three couples circle six hands around to the left and back.

THE AUSTRALIAN LADIES R8x32  3C       Robert Campbell, Glasgow Assembly
  1-8       1s cross-RH and cast off two places.
              2s and 3s step up bars 3–4. 3s and 1s dance RH-across.

 9-16     1s lead to the top, cross and cast off one place.
             3s step down bars 11–12.
             2s and 1s dance LH-across.

17-32   1s cross-RH and cast right around 1st corner,
             cross right up and down and cast right
            and cast right around second corners,
            cross right and cast right around third corners,
            cross right and cast right to second place

           while 2s and 3s set, cross with partner by the right,
           set, cross with neighbor by the right,
           set and cross with partner by the right,
           and set and cross with neighbor by the right.

[alternate dance description follows]

THE AUSTRALIAN LADIES  R8x32  3C (4C set)  
                                                                         R M Campbell  Glasgow Assembly

1- 8       1s cross, cast down to 3rd place & 3s+1s dance RH across

9-16      1s lead up to top, cross, cast to 2nd place & 2s+1s dance LH across

17-24     2s & 3s set & cross RH
                     as 1s cross RH & cast to right,
              2s+3s set on sides & change places RH
                    as 1s cross up/down centre & cast to right

25-32     3s & 2s set & cross RH
                    as 1s cross RH & cast to right,
              3s+2s set on sides & change places RH
                    as 1s cross in centre & cast to places

Lesson Plan for Mar 14, 2011

The theme for the evening is working on feeling comfortable dancing from just a briefing, as you do at a ball.  We won't be doing anything really tricky, but since we'll be minimizing walking time, we should get lots of dancing in.

LADY CATHERINE BRUCE'S REEL   J8x32   2C (4C set)  Book of Graded SCDs
 1- 8     1s lead down the middle & back to top
 
9-16    1s+2s dance Allemande 

17-24   1s dance full fig of 8 round 2s
25-32   2s+1s circle 4H round & back


FLOWERS OF EDINBURGH    R8x32  3C (4C set)    RSCDS Book 1
  1-8     1W, followed by partner, cast off two places.
            1W dances up behind the men’s side as 1M dances up the middle
             to 1st place on opposite sides. Set.
  9-16   Repeat bars 1-8 with 1M, ending on own sides.
17-24   1s lead down the middle and up.
25-32   1s and 2s couples dance the poussette


THE MACHINE WITHOUT HORSES   J8x32   3C  (4C set)    RSCDS Book 12
1-8       1s set, cast off one place, 2s step up. 1s and 3s dance RH-across.
9-16     1s set, cast up one place, 2s step down. 1s and 2s dance LH-across.
17-24   1s, followed by 2s, dance down through the 3s, cast up,
            dance up to the top. 1s cast off to 2nd place, 2s finish at the top.
25-32   2s and 1s dance rights-and-lefts


RAKES OF GLASGOW  S8x32  3C (4C set)                     RSCDS Book 11 

  1- 8     1s and 2s dance rights-and-lefts 

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

17-24    1s and 2s dance Allemande 

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


THE WILD GEESE   J8x32   3C (4C set)             RSCDS Book 24

  1- 8      1s+3s set advancing to midline to form line of four; 

              with partner on right balance in line,

              turn partners ¾ RH;

             1s cast to 3rd place while 3s lead up to 1st place

 9-16     3s+1s repeat bars 1-8 from new positions with 3s casting

             and 1s leading up. (end 1,2,3)

  (9-16)       3s+1s dance in & balance in line, turn partners ¾ RH;

   3s cast to 3rd place while 1s lead up to 1st place

17-24    1s lead down the middle and back up to 2nd place. 

             (2S step up 19–20)
25-32    2s and 1s dance rights-and-lefts.


CATCH THE WIND   R8x32  3C (4C set)  R Butterfield  RSCDS Bk 45
  1- 8       1s set, cast 1 place & dance ½ Fig of 8 round 2s
  9-16      1s set twice with 1L turning to face out on 4th setting step,
                1L followed by partner casts up & dances down the middle
                1L ends to face 3M while 1M faces 2M
17-24       1s RSh reels of 3 across (1M with 2s & 1L with 3s)
25-32      1L, followed by partner, dances down to cast up round 3M
                & crosses to end in 2nd place on own sides, 1s turn RH (4 bars)


SLEEPY MAGGIE   R8x32   3C (4C set) A Bowman       RSCDS Book 11
 1- 8         1s+2s circle 4H round to left, 1s set & cast 1 place (2s up 7-8)
 9-16        1s+3s dance RH across & LH back (1s end facing 1st corners)
17-24       1s set to & turn 1st corners; set & turn 2nd corners
25-32       1s dance reels of 3 on opposite sides giving LSh to 1st corners;
                1s cross by right to own sides

Lesson Plan for Mar 7, 2011

The themes are the two-couple allemande, but not all the dances have it, and 
interesting moves by slight variations of standard figures.

THE KELLOHOLM JIG  J8x32  3C (4C set)                         P Hyssett Leaflet 32

1- 8       1s set, cast 1 place (2s step up), staying on side lines set to 1st corners

             & change places with them RH

9-16     1L+3L also 2M+1M set to each other on sides & change places LH,

            1s turn RH 1½ times to 2nd place on own sides

17-24   1s staying on side lines set to 2nd corners

            & change places with them RH,

            1M+3M also 2L+1L set to each other on sides

            & change places LH

25-32    3s+1s+2s Advance+Retire 2 steps

            & circle 6H round ½ way to left

A settlement adjacent to Kirkconnel in Nithsdale, Dumfries and Galloway, Kelloholm was created in 1921 as a model village to house miners. Expanded after the Second World War, its main industry is now a meat-processing plant. The settlement benefits from a primary school (opened 1925, with a roll now exceeding 200 pupils), community learning centre and Hillview Leisure Centre. The confluence of the Kello Water with the River Nith lies immediately to the northeast. 

THE EARL OF NORTHAMPTON  S8x32  2C (4C set)

                                                                      Virginia Van Scoy, Boston Branch 50

1-8       1s  & 2s dance Set-and-Link, and circle 4H left.
             (In S&L, LH-held: cast up; RH-held: into centre.)

9-16     2s & 1s dance back-to-back (DoSiDos) and turn both hands into

            promenade hold

17-24   2s & 1s dance the first six bars of the Allemande (but replace last two bars

            by RH turn), ending in centre by turning RH once around (ending in centre

            with RH joined).

25-32   1s & 2s dance the Knot.

M-J-P   R8x32   2C (4C Set)                                       J Drewry Stoneywood Coll 1

1- 8       1s+2s dance RH across, 1s cross down RH between 2s and cast to top 


9-16      1s+2s dance LH across, 2s cross up LH and cast to 2nd place 


17-24    1s+2s set twice and turn LH 1½ times ready for… 


25-32    1s+2s dance Allemande

THE COLONEL   J8x40   3C (4C set)                       D Young SCD Leaflet 33

1- 8        1s set, cast 1 place (2s step up), dance Petronella-turns to end

              1L between 2s facing down and 1M between 3s facing up and set 


9-16       1s turn to right and dance RSh reels of 3 across

               Lady with 2s and Man with 3s,
               (six bars to complete)

              1s turn LH ready to reel with other couple 


17-24     1s dance RSh reels of 3 across 1L with 3s and 1M with 2s

              ending with 1M between 2s facing down and 1L between 3s facing up 

              (eight bars to complete)

25-32    1s set-adv to 1st corners, turn RH and end 1L between 2s facing down

              and 1M between 3s facing up,

             1s set-adv to 2nd crnrs and turn LH to end facing 1st corners

        

33-40    1s set to 1st corners, set to 2nd corners to end 2nd place opposite sides,

             1s turn RH 1½ times to own sides

 REEL OF THE ROYAL SCOTS   R8x32    3C (4C set) R Goldring  SCD Leaflet 7

 1- 8        1s ½ turn 2s on sides (1M RH - 1L LH) to face out
                (double-triangle position),

                2s+1s+3s set, 1s ½ turn 3s on sides (1M LH - 1L RH),

                end 3s facing out & 2s+3s+1s set

 9-16       1s followed by 3s dance up between 2s, cast down 1 place, dance in

                & 1s cast up to 2nd place 3s end in 3rd place

17-24 1s turn 1st corners RH, pass partner RSh, turn 2nd corners RH,

                & cross passing partner RSh to 2nd place own sides

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

"The Reel of the Royal Scots" on YouTube
"The Reel of the Royal Scots" on YouTube (with proper signature tune)

TULLOCH GORM   S8x32 3C (4C set)                     W Campbell RSCDS Bk 8

1- 8         1s dance RSh parallel reels of 3 on opposite sides, 
 

               1M crossing behind P to begin,

               at end 1W crosses at top to own place (1,2,3)

9-16        1s dance RSh parallel reels of 3 on own sides 
 (1,2,3)

17-24      1s lead down the middle and up (back to top) 


25-32      1s+2s dance Allemande  (2,1,3)