From: "Ian Brockbank" To: "Strathspey" Subject: Dance: In Scottish Spirit Date: Thu, 6 Nov 2003 12:58:06 -0000 A new dance, for your delectation. I hope the lack of figures doesn't cause too much problem - I will get it up on my site soon and you'll get the figures then. In Scottish Spirit Dance for 4 couples in a 4 couple longwise set 4x48 bar Reel 1-2 Joining hands on the sides, all set. 3-4 1st couple casts off while 4th couple casts up while 2nd and 3rd couples step up or down respectively. 5-8 1st and 4th couples dance left hands across once round. 9-16 2nd, 1st, 4th and 3rd couples dance reels of four on the sides. 4th and 1st couples cut the reel short before the final left shoulder pass to join left hands in the centre and right hands with the couples on the corner. See figure 1. 17-24 All dance a counter-rotating spoke: 17 Pas de basque right, balancing in line. 18 Pas de basque left, all advancing half a place (4th and 1st couples anticlockwise and 2nd and 3rd couples clockwise) to meet the next dancer, forming a large cross up and down/across the set. See figure 2. 19-24 Repeat three more times, (set and move, set and move, set and move), forming the cross alternately on the diagonal and up and down/across. The dancers should now be in the order 3, 1, 4, 2, with 3rd and 2nd couples on the opposite side of the set, and 1st and 4th couples back to back in the centre facing 3s and 2s respectively. 25-32 1st and 4th couples pass the person they are facing by the right shoulder to start a figure of eight around that person and the next person clockwise. See figure 3. 33-36 1st and 4th couples dance left hands across once round, finishing on the opposite side lines (dancers are still in the order 3, 1, 4, 2). 37-38 Joining hands on the side, all set. 39-40 All four couples, giving right hands cross over to return to own side. 41-48 All dance eight hands round to the left and back. Repeat from new positions. Edinburgh Branch's annual show of dancing in the Edinburgh Festival Fringe changed producer and venue in 2002, moving to Edinburgh Academy in Henderson Row, Edinburgh, with Peter Edwards as producer. One of Peter's key new concepts was to have the show "in the round" with the audience on all sides, and the new venue is well suited to this, having the stage in the centre with the audience all the way round, and also having a balcony. When the rehearsals for the 2003 show were starting, I was thinking about the previous year and the potential offered by the venue, and this dance took shape. This dance is dedicated to the dancers and musicians who have performed in the show, and to those whose support has kept everything running smoothly. Tune: Itchy Fingers (R. Mathieson) Devised by Ian Brockbank © August 2003 Cheers, Ian Brockbank Applications Software Engineer e: ian.brockbank:wolfsonmicro.com / apps:wolfsonmicro.com scd: ian:scottishdance.net t: +44 131 272 7076 f: +44 131 272 7001