Date: Sat, 11 Oct 1997 12:40:13 -0400 (EDT) To: strathspey:tm.informatik.uni-frankfurt.DE From: "D. Shaw" Subject: The Strathspey Reel (music: Calliope House) Several months ago, Ree Grisham, Lynn Messing, Martin Sheffield, and I wrote a dance to the Richardson's Calliope House. We loved the music, and were intrigued by the challenge of creating a dance as a geographically-dispersed team. We named it after the list; the "reel" is traditional SCD-speak (Lady Catherine Bruce's Reel; Kendall's Hornpipe). While we were writing this, we listened to Alasdair Fraser's _The North Road_ recording, over and over. Many months ago, Alasdair said he would play it for dancing if we could get a set together. He will be at Stone Mountain next weekend. If there is a set willing to learn it by then, I will contact him and ask if he's still willing to play--perhaps Saturday, on the field. I can dance, so seven people are needed. Ree and David Knight have both worked out arrangements, and played for trial runs. The full-text version, with ASCII diagrams, is available from any of us. Any delay in posting this is entirely my fault, and not that of my fellow devisers. Deborah Shaw ==================================== BRIEF VERSION: Please contact any of us for a full description. The Strathspey Reel is a 64-bar jig for four couples. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ It begins with two chords. On the second chord, third and fourth couples cross over to opposite side. All cross right hand, set, and dance a half reel of four on the opposite side, to end in the center ready for... Two-couple allemandes out both ends, head couples leading. Head couples end the allemandes with a petronella turn, men to face each other from the sidelines and women to face each up and down. All dance hello/goodbye setting for eight bars, ending with a set to a corner. Turn the corner you've just set to, right hand on the men's side of the set, left on women's, then all balance in line in St. Andrew's Cross formation. Head couples turn opposite, left hand on men's side of the set, right hand on women's, to end in place, first and second couples facing out. All join hands and balance in line, ending ready to dance.... Mirror reels in the top three places, then REVERSE mirror reels in the bottom three places. The dance ends with a track figure danced by the head couples from the center of the set. The women change places left hand while the men set; all cast to the nearest end, cross right hand, and cast to the nearest open place on the sides, then repeat the track in the other direction, the women changing places RIGHT hand to begin and crossing left hand with partner before casting to place, ready to begin again. Devised January-June 1997 by: Ree Grisham , Chicago, Illinois, U.S. Lynn Messing , Landenberg, Pennsylvania, U.S. Deborah Shaw , Chapel Hill, North Carolina, U.S. Martin Sheffield , Grenoble, France =============================================================