Ceilidh Dance instructions Content on this site is licensed under a Creative Commons License . Ceilidh Dance instructions This is a collection of ceilidh dances I know, saying how to dance them and what music they need. This is by no means exhaustive yet, but I welcome suggestions, comments and further tips. Just drop me a mail at ian@scottishdance.net . I explain some of the terminology below . At the moment I have the following dances: The Packhorse Rant Musicians Notes for musicians wanting guidance on what to play. I have tried to give an indication of suitable tunes along with each dance, together with number of bars and number of repetitions where this matters. In general, the dancers continue until the band take pity, but if not specified, a good length for the 16-bar dances is probably 4-6 times 32 bars (i.e.

8-12 times through the dance); for 32-bar dances like The Dashing White Sergeant, Pride of Erin, Circassian Circle, Lucky Seven it would be 6-8 times through; for set dances like Strip the Willow, continue until the original couple is back to the top (should be roughly 8x32 for a 4-couple set). There is a tradition at ceilidhs of repeating each dance; if you do this, err on the side of fewer repetitions in each set, so maybe 8 times through the 16-bar dances (4x32), 6 times through the 32-bar dances, etc. A good source for suitable tunes is Taigh na Teud's Scottish Ceilidh Collections - these are available from Amazon , Scotland's Music and good Scottish music stores around the country. The Britannia Twostep Formation: in threes around the room facing anti-clockwise, man between two ladies. Music: 6/8 pipe march. Description 1: Nearer hands joined, touch the left heel then the left toe to the floor, bouncing on the right foot with each touch. 2: All skip to the left for one step.

3-4: Repeat 1-2 with the opposite feet. 5-8: Skip forward for two steps, then backwards for two steps. 9-10: Set on the spot facing forwards. 11-12: Still setting, the man raises his arms and the ladies turn underneath. 13-16: Skip forward for two steps, then backwards for two steps. Repeat ad lib. The Canadian or Highland Barn Dance Formation: couples around the room facing anti-clockwise, ladies on the right. Music: 2/4 or 4/4 pipe march (not 6/8) or scottische. Bars: Starting with the outside foot, walk forward for three steps and hop (or kick). 3-4: Walk backwards for three steps and hop. 5-6: Skip sideways away from your partner (men towards the centre of the room, ladies towards the edge) for two steps and clap. 7-8: Return to partner and join in ballroom (waltz) hold. 9-12: In ballroom hold, skip sideways to the man's left, lady's right for two steps then back again.

13-16: Use four step-hops to polka anti-clockwise round the room. Repeat ad lib. Formation: Large circle round the room, ladies on the right of their partner. Music: 32 bar Reels. Hands joined in a circle, all advance for four steps, retire for four steps. 5-8: Drop hands, ladies advance and retire. 13-16: Men advance, turn round and walk out to the next lady CW (the one who was on their left; the one who is now to the right of their partner as they view). 17-24: All spin with new partners 25-32: Hands crossed in front (right to right and left to left), ladies on the outside, promenade ACW around the room. Repeat ad lib. The Cumberland Square Eight Formation: four couples arranged around a square, lady on the right of the man. Couple with their backs to the music are couple number 1, couple on their left number 2, couple opposite number 3 and couple on the right number 4 (ie numbering clockwise).

Music: This is normally danced to tunes in common time (32 bar and the dance is 64 bars long) but can be and is sometimes done to jigs (6/8 tempo). Bars: Description 1-8: End couples (1 and 3) take ballroom (waltz) hold and dance across the set, men passing back to back, then dance back again, ladies passing back to back. 9-16: Side couples (2 and 4) repeat. 17-24: End couples dance right hands across in a star (wheel), then left hands back again. 25-32: Side couples (2 and 4) repeat. 33-40: End couples dance the basket: make a small circle in the middle, men joining hands behind ladies' backs, ladies' arms on top of men's. In this formation, circle round to the left. With sufficient speed, the ladies' feet can lift off the floor (there's a good video of it on YouTube ). Remember to leave time to land and get back to place! 41-48: Side couples (2 and 4) repeat (getting the hang of this?).

49-56: All join hands and circle round to the left and back. 57-64: Take promenade hold with partner (right hand in right, left in left, both in front of you) and dance anticlockwise once round the set. Repeat ad lib. Note: sometimes the circle is to the left only; in this case it is for the full eight bars. Note: sometimes the caller misses out the promenade to allow 24 bars for the basket - this allows time for landing and changing over... The Dashing White Sergeant Formation: three facing three around the room, man between two ladies or lady between two men. Music: The Dashing White Sergeant - 32 bar reels, starting and ending with "The Dashing White Sergeant". Bars: Description 1-8: Join up in a circle of 6 and circle round to the left for 8 steps (4 bars) and back to the right. 9-12: The person in the middle turns to the person on their right and sets to them, then turns them once round right hand (variation - both hands). The other partner stands still. 13-16: Repeat with the other partner.

17-24: Using elbow grip, turn 1st partner, then 2nd partner, then 1st partner, then 2nd partner. (Variation - dance a reel of three, giving left shoulder to 1st partner to start). 25-28: In the lines of three, advance towards each other (two skip steps) and retire. 29-32: Both lines dance forwards, one line raising their hands in an arch and the other line dancing underneath, and dance on to meet the next set of three coming in the other direction. Repeat with new three. The Eightsome Reel Formation: four couples arranged around a square, lady on the right of the man. Couple with their backs to the music are couple number 1, couple on their left number 2, couple opposite number 3 and couple on the right number 4 (ie numbering clockwise). Music: Lively reels, played 40 bars for the first time through, plus 8 lots of 48-bar repetitions (phrased 24+24), plus a final 40 bars.

So that's 464 bars: 40 + 8x48 + 40. "The Deil Amang the Tailors" is commonly used for the first and last 40 bars; other tunes often used include "Soldier's Joy", "Mrs MacLeod of Raasay", "The Fairy Dance", "The Mason's Apron". Bars: Chorus: 1-8: All join hands in a circle and circle round to the left for 8 steps (four bars) and back. 9-12: Ladies join right hands in the middle, and hold partners around waist, and all dance right hands across in a star (wheel). 13-16: Swing round (couples still holding around the waist) so the men join left hands, and dance back with a left hand star. 17-20: Face partners and set twice. 21-24: Spin partners (turn RH). 25-40: Giving right hands to partner to start, dance a grand chain around the set (keep going in the same direction and give right hand, then left hand, then right hand, ... until you get back to place).

If you get back early, spin until the end of the phrase. Figure - repeat 8 times 1-8: 1st lady goes into the centre of the set and sets while the others circle round to the left and back. 9-16: 1st lady sets to partner, turns him, sets to opposite man and turns him. 17-24: 1st lady turns partner, opposite man, partner, opposite man (variation - dance a reel of three with partner and opposite man, giving left shoulder to partner to start). 25-32: 33-48: Repeat bars 9-24 with side men. Repeat Figure with 2nd lady, 3rd lady, 4th lady, 1st man, 2nd man, 3rd man, 4th man in the centre. Chorus: Repeat the 40 bars of the start of the dance. The Flying Scotsman There are several versions of this, but one common one is: Formation: Longwise sets of 4 couples, men on the right and ladies on the left as viewed from the band. Couples number from nearest the band.

Music: 32-bar Reels, either 4x32 or 8x32 - Freeland Barbour wrote "Duncan's Return" for it, but I don't think it's official. Bars: Description 1-8 1st lady, followed by 2nd and 3rd ladies, dances across the top of the set, behind 1st man, in front of 2nd man, behind 3rd man and across the bottom and back to place. 9-16 1st 3 men repeat around the ladies. 17-24 1st couple join both hands and side-slip (gallop) down the room for 8 slip-steps (4 bars), then back up again TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SET (4th place). 25-32 All join hands on the sides and sideslip down the room and back up again. Finish in the order 2, 3, 4, 1, ready to start again. The Gay Gordons Formation: couples around the room facing anti-clockwise, ladies on the right. Music: 2/4 or 4/4 march. E.g.

"Scotland the Brave", "The Gay Gordons". Bars: Description 1-2: Right hands joined over lady's shoulder (man's arm behind her back) and left hands joined in front, walk forward for four steps, starting on the right foot. 3-4: Still moving in the same direction, and without letting go, pivot on the spot (so left hand is behind lady and right hand is in front) and take four steps backwards. 5-8: Repeat in the opposite direction. 9-12: Drop left hands, raise right hands above lady's head. Lady pivots on the spot. (The man may set). 13-16: Joining hands in ballroom hold, polka round the room. Repeat ad lib. For scottish country dancers, the grip in the first eight bars is allemande hold. Highland Schottische Formation: couples in a circle around the room, ladies on the outside, men on the inside, joined in ballroom hold with partners. Music: Schottische.

Description 1-2 Men with left foot, ladies with right, point toe in 2nd, bring foot up in front of shin (3rd aerial), point in 2nd and bring foot up behind calf (3rd rear aerial). Bounce on supporting foot on each of these four beats. 3-4 Step onto that foot, close other foot behind, step onto the original working foot again, and close original supporting foot behind calf. 5-8 Repeat 1-4 with other leg. 9-10 Repeat 3-4 (ie step, close, step, hop). 11-12 Repeat 7-8 (ie 9-10 in other direction). 13-16 Polka as in Canadian barn dance - step, hop, step, hop - rotating clockwise and following line of dance anticlockwise around the room. Repeat ad lib.

There follow chapter, verse, chorus and encore on the "Schottische" (for whom it may concern !) from Charles Gore: The Highland Schottische was introduced in 1855 and was known by the name of "the Balmoral Schottische" (Robbie Shepherd, who knows all there is to know - and quite a lot besides - about Scottish Dancing) Scott Skinner published a "Balmoral Schottische" in his Elgin Collection (1884); on the same page of this collection is a tune of his called "Glenlivet" which describes as Strathspey or Highland Schottische. [From a Dictionary of Music]; "Schottische (English !), Schottisch (German "Scottish", a misnomer since there is no evidence of Scottish origin); the German Polka, a round dance of the mid-19th cent. Some books confuse it with the Ecossaise, which is a country dance and thus very different. Both are in simple duple time.

[From Caoimhin Mac Aoidh, "Between the Jigs and the Reels"]: The Berlin Polkey was a popular dance in Donegal maybe in the late 19th c. and up to 1930 or so. The Highland is special to Donegal; though universally so called "it appears to have originated from the Schottische, a dance of German origin". "The Highland as commonly performed throughout Donegal today is a couple dance (ie. a girl and a boy)", dancing first side by side, then face to face. The term "Highland Schottische" appears to have arisen to differentiate it from a "German Scottische". "A Barn Dance in Donegal has the unusual title of the "german". [Are you still with me ?] There is no precise equivalent in Gaelic. Highland Scottisches seem to have been danced (traditionally) to tunes like "Orange and Blue", "Lad wi' the Plaidie", "Cathkin Braes" and "John MacAlpine" (aka: Oft in thStilly Night). They all look like strathspeys to me! Charlie Formation: Large circle round the room, ladies on the right of their partner.

Music: 32 bar Reels or Jigs. Bars: Hands joined in a circle, circle round to the left (8 bars/16 steps). 9-16: Advance into the centre and retire twice. 17-24: Dance a grand chain around the circle, starting giving right hand to partner, left hand to the next person, right to the next, and so on, continuing in the same direction around the circle and counting aloud until you reach "seven". When you reach seven, do not pass, but stop with that person. Men are travelling anti-clockwise, ladies clockwise. 25-32: Spin that new partner, finishing back in the large circle, lady on the right, ready to start again. Repeat ad lib. Once the dancers have the hang of the dance, the caller often varies the number of hands, 8, 9, 10, etc. The Military Twostep Formation: couples around the room facing anti-clockwise, ladies on the right. Music: 6/8 pipe march.

Description 1-2: Lady with hand on man's shoulder, man with arm around waist, touch heel then toe of outer foot to ground twice, bouncing on the inner foot with each touch. 3-4: Walk forward for three steps then turn towards each other to face in the opposite direction. 5-8: Repeat in the opposite direction. 9-10: Facing partner and joining both hands, bounce on both feet, then kick the right foot across the body (to the left), followed by the left foot across the body (to the right). 11-12: The man raises his left hand and the lady turns underneath (dropping the other hand). 13-16: The Pride of Erin Waltz Formation: couples around the room facing anti-clockwise, ladies on the right. Music: 32 bar waltzes. Description 1-4: Nearer hands joined, swing the inner leg (and joined hands) forward and back, then walk forwards. 5-8: Repeat in the opposite direction. 9-10: Facing partner, both hands joined, and heading clockwise, cross trailing leg over leading leg (ie right over left for ladies, left over right for men), then point with leading leg.

11-12: Repeat in opposite direction. 13-16: Take four steps anti-clockwise, pulling leading shoulder back to face alternately away from and towards your partner with each step. 17-24: Joining both hands, swing together (slightly to the right of partner) and away, then change places, turning the lady under the man's left arm while doing so. Repeat. 25-28: In ballroom hold, take two steps anti-clockwise, then two clockwise. 29-32: Repeat ad lib. The Sausage Machine Formation: Longwise sets of 4 couples, men on the right and ladies on the left as viewed from the band. Couples number from nearest the band. Music: 32-bar 4/4 reels or 6/8 jigs. Bars: Description 1-8: 1st couple cast behind their lines to below 4th couple, turn once round by the right hand, and cast back up behind their lines to original place.

9-16: 1st couple with 2nd couple, and 3rd couple with 4th couple dance right hands across in a wheel (star) and back with the left. 17-24: All join hands in a circle. 1C dance down under an arch made by 4C, then cast back up to the top, making an arch over the other dancers. Other dancers follow as appropriate. Keep hands joined throughout this movement! 25-32: 1st couple cast behind the lines to the bottom of the set (below 4th couple) and turn by the right hand to the end of the phrase Repeat with a new top couple. The St. Bernard's Waltz Formation: couples around the room in ballroom hold heading anti-clockwise, ladies on the outside. Music: waltzes. Description 1-4: In ballroom hold, take three steps sideways towards the lady's right, man's left, then stamp both feet. 5-6: Take two steps sideways in the opposite direction. 7-8: Take two steps towards the centre of the room (lady heading forwards with right foot then left foot, man backwards with left foot then right).

9-10: Take two steps back out (same feet). 11-12: Lady turns about on the spot under the joined hands. 13-16: Waltz onwards round the room. Repeat ad lib. Strip the Willow Formation: Longwise sets of 4 couples, men on the right and ladies on the left as viewed from the band. Couples number from nearest the band. Music: 6/8 or 9/8 double jigs. E.g. "The Irish Washerwoman", "The Curlew", "The Jig of Slurs" for 6/8 and "Drops of Brandy" for 9/8. Bars: 1st lady turns 2M LH, partner RH, 3M LH, partner RH, 4M LH. 21-24 Spin with partner RH to the end of the phrase. 25-36 1st man turns 4L LH, partner RH, 3L LH, partner RH, 2L LH. 37-40 Spin with partner RH to the end of the phrase.

41-52 1st lady works down men, while 1st man works down ladies, turning 2C LH, partner RH, 3C LH, partner RH, 4C LH. 53-56 Spin with partner RH to the end of the phrase. Repeat ad lib. Orcadian (or Shetland) Strip the Willow Formation: Couples in a long line down the room, men on the right and ladies on the left as viewed from the band. Couples number from nearest the band. Music: 6/8 or 9/8 double jigs. E.g. "The Irish Washerwoman", "The Curlew", "The Jig of Slurs" for 6/8 and "Drops of Brandy" for 9/8. Bars: 1st couple spin RH. 9-... 1st couple work down the opposite line (ie of the people of the opposite sex) turning side person LH, partner RH, next side person LH, ... When 1st couple reach the bottom, they spin to the end of the phrase, then join the side lines. A new couple starts every 16 bars.

The Swedish Masquerade Formation: couples around the room in heading anti-clockwise, nearer hands joined, ladies on the outside. Music: That tune... With nearer hands joined, walk slowly along the line of dance 9-16 With nearer hands joined, walk slowly against the line of dance back to starting point Waltz 17-20 With nearer hands joined, facing along line of dance, balance away from partner and back towards partner twice. 21-24 Waltz along line of dance. 25-32 Polka 33-36 With nearer hands joined, facing along line of dance, balance away from partner and back towards partner twice. 37-40 Polka along line of dance. 41-48 Repeat bars 33-40. The Veleta Formation: couples around the room facing each other, both hands joined, ladies on the outside, men with backs to centre. Music: waltzes. Description 1-2 Step to the side along line of dance (man with left foot, lady with right) and swing other leg across. Step back and swing other leg across. 3-4 Step, close, step to the side along line of dance.

5-8 Repeat in the opposite direction. 9-12 Step, close, step to the side along line of dance and then back again. 13-16 Take ballroom hold and waltz along the line of dance. The Virginia Reel This seems actually to be a family of similar dances - probably word-of-mouth having lead to variations. One variety is: Formation: Longwise sets of 4 couples, men on the right and ladies on the left as viewed from the band. Couples number from nearest the band. Music: "Hoedown" reels, e.g. "Turkey in the Straw". Bars: All advance and retire, then turn partners RH. 9-16 All advance and retire, then turn partners LH. 17-24 All advance and retire, then turn partners BH. 25-32 All advance and retire, then dance back to back with partners (do-si-do). 33-40 1st couple join both hands and side slip down the middle and back.

41-48 1st couple, followed by 2nd, 3rd and 4th couples cast off to the bottom; 1st couple make an arch and the other three couples dance up to new positions. Finish 2,3,4,1, ready to start again. One variation has bars 33-40 expanded - slip down to the bottom (4 bars) and strip the willow back up again (12 bars), followed by the cast and arch figure on bars 49-56. Another has two advance and retires to start, followed by the three turns and do-si-do all together in 16 bars (9-24). Another is advance and retire, turn RH, turn LH, back-to-back, followed by 33-48. There is also a 64-bar version which I can't remember at the moment. The basic shape seems to be: Start with advancing/turning/do-si-do with partners (in various amounts) 1s solo (various different versions) 1s lead cast to the bottom, make an arch and everyone else dances up under the arch to progress (2341).

Comment from Sylvia Miskoe, band leader in Concord, NH USA: In the US when you have a live band and are doing it the American way, you play a jig for the first part where dancers are doing things with their partners. Usually 32 bars worth. Then when the strip begins the music changes to a reel like Rakes of Mallow of Mrs McLeod. When the march/cast off/up the center starts the music changes to a march like Yankee doodle, Hail Hail the Gang's All Here, or even Ode to Joy. The musicians have to pay close attention to the caller and the dancers because often the strip can take more than 32 bars and the march can be short. Terminology Up/Down In a longwise set, the couple nearest the band is numbered 1, and the other couples are numbered 2, 3, 4 (and 5, ... if appropriate) working down the line. "Up" is towards the band, and "down" is away from the band. Ballroom hold has the man facing the lady, lady's right hand in man's left, man's right hand on lady's waist, and lady's left hand on man's right shoulder.

Line of dance (LoD): the direction a normal waltz (polka or whatever) moves around the floor (anti-clockwise around the room). Anti-line of dance (Anti-LoD): the opposite to LoD. Setting The basic idea of a setting step is to spend two bars admiring your partner (or someone else) while shifting the weight from foot to foot. To be more precise (something alien to the ceilidh dance ethos, but hey!) the step is the pas de basque: Bar 1: step onto the right foot beat with the left foot in third position (a "T" formation with your feet, left heel in right instep), bringing the right foot off the ground step back onto the right foot pause (if you're feeling ambitious, go for the jetté at this point) Bar 2: Repeat with opposite feet. Note the phrasing with 4 beats in the bar, even though you only do things on three of them. Best practised to a reel (4/4 - "egg and mustard") rather than a jig (6/8 - jiggety jiggety).

cast off or "cast to 2nd place" A cast takes you behind the standing person/people (or where they would be if they were standing) - "off" takes you "down" the set (away from the band, towards the higher numbers), up takes you "up" the set. Unless otherwise stated, you only move one place down or up. eg: /--1M 1L--\ | | \->2M 2L<-/ 3M 3L 4M 4L Cast off one place (also in this instance cast off to second place) - note if 2nd couple are still there they will get run over. Reel of 3 Reel of 4 Think of a reel of three with an extra person and an extra loop. Four dancers in a line, middle dancers facing out, outer dancers facing in. / / Out1 Mid1 Mid2 Out2 / / Bar 1: Out1 & Mid1, and Mid2 & Out2 Pass RS. Bar 2: Out1 and Out2 pass LS while Mid1 and Mid2 turn around to face in. Bar 3: Mid1 & Out2, and Out1 & Mid2 Pass RS.

Bar 4: Mid1 and Mid2 pass LS while Out1 and Out2 turn around to face in. Bars 5-8: Repeat (heading in opposite direction) back to place. ian@scottishdance.net Edinburgh, Scotland This website uses Google Analytics, a web analytics service provided by Google, Inc. (�Google�). Google Analytics uses �cookies�, which are text files placed on your computer, to help the website analyze how users use the site. The information generated by the cookie about your use of the website (including your IP address) will be transmitted to and stored by Google on servers in the United States . Google will use this information for the purpose of evaluating your use of the website, compiling reports on website activity for website operators and providing other services relating to website activity and internet usage. Google may also transfer this information to third parties where required to do so by law, or where such third parties process the information on Google's behalf. Google will not associate your IP address with any other data held by Google. You may refuse the use of cookies by selecting the appropriate settings on your browser, however please note that if you do this you may not be able to use the full functionality of this website.

By using this website, you consent to the processing of data about you by Google in the manner and for the purposes set out above. Dashing | Define Dashing at Dictionary.com dashing elegant and gallant in appearance and manner: a dashing young cavalry officer. 3. 1800-05; dash 1 + -ing 2 Related forms to strike or smash violently, especially so as to break to pieces: He dashed the plate into smithereens against the wall. 2. to throw or thrust violently or suddenly: to dash one stone against another. 3. to splash, often violently; bespatter (with water, mud, etc.): He recovered consciousness when they dashed water in his face. 4. to apply roughly, as by splashing: to dash paint here and there on the wall. 5. to mix or adulterate by adding another substance: to dash wine with water. 6. to ruin or frustrate (hopes, plans, etc.): The rain dashed our hopes for a picnic. 7. The failure dashed his spirits. 8. His rejection dashed and humiliated him. verb (used without object) The waves dashed against the cliff. 10.

to move with violence; rush: The horses dashed out of the burning stable. noun a small quantity of anything thrown into or mixed with something else: a dash of salt. a hasty or sudden movement; a rush or sudden onset: They all made a dash for the door. 13. the mark or sign (—) used to note an abrupt break or pause in a sentence or hesitation in an utterance, to begin and end a parenthetic word, phrase, or clause, to indicate the omission of letters or words, to divide a line, to substitute for certain uses of the colon, and to separate any of various elements of a sentence or series of sentences, as a question from its answer. 14. the throwing or splashing of liquid against something: the dash of the waves against the dock. 15. the sound of such splashing: The dash of the waves on the beach could be heard from afar. 16. spirited action; élan; vigor in action or style: The dancer performed with spirit and dash. 17. a sudden quick movement; dart 8. a small admixture: coffee with a dash of cream 9. a violent stroke or blow 10.

the sound of splashing or smashing: the dash of the waves 11. panache; style: he rides with dash 12. cut a dash, See cut (sense 33) 13. the punctuation mark —, used singly in place of a colon, esp to indicate a sudden change of subject or grammatical anacoluthon, or in pairs to enclose a parenthetical remark 14. the symbol (–) used, in combination with the symbol dot (·), in the written representation of Morse and other telegraphic codes Compare dah 15. (athletics) another word (esp US and Canadian) for sprint 16. The Hoggies Description 1-2: Lady with hand on man's shoulder, man with arm around waist, touch heel then toe of outer foot to ground twice, bouncing on the inner foot with each touch. 3-4: Walk forward for three steps then turn towards each other to face in the opposite direction. 5-8: Repeat in the opposite direction.

9-10: Facing partner and joining both hands, bounce on both feet, then kick the right foot across the body (to the left), followed by the left foot across the body (to the right). 11-12: The man raises his left hand and the lady turns underneath (dropping the other hand). 13-16: 1-8: All join hands in a circle and circle round to the left for 8 steps (four bars) and back. 9-12: Ladies join right hands in the middle, and hold partners around waist, and all dance right hands across in a star (wheel). 13-16: Swing round (couples still holding around the waist) so the men join left hands, and dance back with a left hand star. 17-20: Face partners and set twice. 21-24: Spin partners (turn RH). 25-40: Giving right hands to partner to start, dance a grand chain around the set (keep going in the same direction and give right hand, then left hand, then right hand, ... until you get back to place). If you get back early, spin until the end of the phrase.

Figure - repeat 8 times 1-8: 1st lady goes into the centre of the set and sets while the others circle round to the left and back. 9-16: 1st lady sets to partner, turns him, sets to opposite man and turns him. 17-24: 1st lady turns partner, opposite man, partner, opposite man (variation - dance a reel of three with partner and opposite man, giving left shoulder to partner to start). 25-32: 33-48: Repeat bars 9-24 with side men. Repeat Figure with 2nd lady, 3rd lady, 4th lady, 1st man, 2nd man, 3rd man, 4th man in the centre. mudcat.org: Folklore: Dashing White Sargeant - dance origins? Date: 28 Apr 04 - 11:22 AM We used to sing it in primary school: Now the fiddler's ready let us all begin To step it out and step it in To the merry music of the violin We'll dance the hours away.

(repeat) I can't remember the first couple of lines of the chorus, only that they included people's names, it finished up .........and Calum and Flora and Moll Dance, dance, dance dance Dance away the hours together Dance till dawn be in the sky What care you and what care I? Our hearts are beating, spirits high We'll dance, dance, dance. Date: 28 Apr 04 - 04:22 PM Er ....... its the dance I was thinking of. on eceilidh they refer to earlier dates and the dance tune ealier than that though the Playford connection is in question. Dates are reckoned to be older than 1826. Someone made reference to it being Scottish. As for spellings, I have seen it several ways and will now consult the OED. Sir R de C was a column in the Spectator in the 1700's, any ideas on the DANCE? I know it predates that new-fangled invention - the Waltze - because the waltze was considered licentious and Sir R de C the proper form of dancing. So what years did Straus the elder reign?

Date: 29 Apr 04 - 05:00 PM according to -- The Sir Roger de Coverly (or Finishing dance) is a true English Folk dance and was one of the prettiest of them all, It was probably named in 1650 after "Grandfather DeCoverly" and was published in Playford's "The Dancing Master" in 1690. The Sir Roger De Coverly was founded on the old Contre Danses (Country Dances) and was the forerunner to the Virginia Reel. It was first introduced to the French Ballets in 1745 and is said to have been revived at her Majesty's bal costumï¿½ in 1844. Once it became popular as an old Ballroom dance (1800's), it was used to finish the evening's dances (last dance). It was very proper to finish the night with a simple dance everyone could and would do, The De Coverly fit the bill. In America it was known as the Virginia Reel. there you go - I've danced Playford and never thought I would!

3 Ways to Do a Ceilidh Dance - wikiHow Join up in a circle. The following dance should be done to the song "The Dashing White Sergeant." 3 Circle around to the left for 8 steps and back to the right (first eight bars of the song). 4 Have the middle person (see the first step) face the person on his or her right (bars 9 to 16). The middle person should turn the other person around once with his or her right hand. Repeat this with the person on the left. In both cases, the non-participating partner remains still. 5 Have the middle person turn each partner using an elbow grip (bars 17 to 24). This should be done twice to each partner. 6 Skip sideways for 2 steps and clap (bars 5 to 6). Men should skip toward the middle of the room. Women should skip toward the edge of the room. 5 Join your partner in a ballroom hold (bars 7 to 8).

A ballroom hold occurs when the lady's right hand joins with the man's left hand, the man's left hand rests on the lady's shoulder blade, and the lady's left hand rests on the man's tricep. The lady should be slightly offset from the man. 6 Skip sideways to the man's left for 2 steps (bars 9 to 12). Remain in the ballroom hold. Skip back to the man's right in the same fashion 7 Move counter-clockwise around the room (bars 13 to 16). Use 4-step hops. Repeat all steps ad lib. Method Form groups of couples around the room facing counter-clockwise. Ladies should be on the right. Each lady should have her hand on the man's shoulder. Each man should have his arm around the lady's waist. 2 Touch your heel and then toe of the outer foot to the ground twice (bars 1 to 2). Bounce on the inner foot each time. 3 Walk forward for 3 steps and turn towards each other (bars 3 to 4). Repeat this in the opposite direction during bars 5-9.

4 Face your partner, join both hands, and dance (bars 9 to 10). Bounce on both feet. Kick your right foot across your body. Kick your left foot across your body. 5 Have the man raise his left hand and turn the lady underneath it (bars 11 to 12). 6 Do 4-step hops around the room as a couple (bars 13 to 16). 7 Scotland's Ceilidh Band - Popular Ceilidh Dances Popular Ceilidh Dances The variety and origins of ceilidh dances are too numerous to mention in this brief resume of traditional Scottish dancing. However, we've managed to dig out the most famous and well-known ceilidh dances, marches, reels and jigs for your enjoyment. We've also included a couple of humourous ceilidh dances that'll bring a smile to the faces of your guests. Our ceilidh band provide all of these dances, and much, much more. The Dashing White Sergeant Formation: three facing three around the room, man between two ladies or lady between two men. Music: The Dashing White Sergeant - 32 bar reels, starting and ending with "The Dashing White Sergeant".

Bars: Description 1-8: Join up in a circle of 6 and circle round to the left for 8 steps (4 bars) and back to the right. 9-12: The person in the middle turns to the partner on the right and both set to each other, then both turn round once with right hand, (or both hands). The other partner stands still. 13-16: Repeat with the other partner. 17-24: Using elbow grip, turn 1st partner, then 2nd partner, then 1st partner, then 2nd partner. (Variation - dance a reel of three, giving left shoulder to 1st partner to start). 25-28: Holding hands in lines of three advance towards opposite line, (two skip steps), and retire. 29-32: Both lines dance forward, one line raising their hands in an arch and the other line dancing underneath, and dance on to meet the next set of three coming in the other direction. Repeat dance from the begining with new set of three. Formation: couples around the room facing anti-clockwise, ladies on the right.

Music: 2/4 or 4/4 pipe march (not 6/8) or schottische. Bars: Starting with the outside foot, walk forward for three steps and hop (or kick). 3-4: Walk backwards for three steps and hop. 5-6: Skip sideways away from your partner (men towards the centre of the room, ladies towards the edge) for two steps and clap. 7-8: Return to partner and join in ballroom (waltz) hold. 9-12: In ballroom hold, skip sideways to the man's left, lady's right for two steps then back again. 13-16: Use four step-hops to polka anti-clockwise round the room. Repeat dance from the begining. Formation: couples around the room facing anti-clockwise, ladies on the right. Music: 2/4 or 4/4 march. E.g. "Scotland the Brave", "The Gay Gordons". Bars: Description 1-2: Right hands joined over lady's shoulder (man's arm behind her back) and left hands joined in front, walk forward for four steps, starting on the right foot.

3-4: Still moving in the same direction, and without letting go, pivot on the spot (so left hand is behind lady and right hand is in front) and take four steps backwards. 5-8: Repeat in the opposite direction. 9-12: Drop left hands, raise right hands above lady's head. Lady pivots on the spot. (The man may set). 13-16: Joining hands in ballroom hold, polka round the room. Repeat ad lib till end of ceilidh dance. Highland Schottische Formation: couples in a circle around the room, ladies on the outside, men on the inside, joined in ballroom hold with partners. Music: Schottische. Description 1-2 Men with left foot, ladies with right, point toe in 2nd, bring foot up in front of shin (3rd aerial), point in 2nd and bring foot up behind calf (3rd rear aerial). Bounce on supporting foot on each of these four beats. 3-4 Step onto that foot, close other foot behind, step onto the original working foot again, and close original supporting foot behind calf. 5-8 Repeat 1-4 with other leg.

9-10 Repeat 3-4 (ie step, close, step, hop). 11-12 Repeat 7-8 (ie 9-10 in other direction). 13-16 Polka as in Canadian barn dance - step, hop, step, hop - rotating clockwise and following line of dance anticlockwise around the room. Repeat ad lib till end of ceilidh dance. Formation: couples around the room in ballroom hold heading anti-clockwise, ladies on the outside. Music: waltzes. Description 1-4: In ballroom hold, take three steps sideways towards the lady's right, man's left, then stamp both feet. 5-6: Take two steps sideways in the opposite direction. 7-8: Take two steps towards the centre of the room (lady heading forwards with right foot then left foot, man backwards with left foot then right). 9-10: Take two steps back out (same feet). 11-12: Lady turns on the spot with her right hand joined to her partner's hand. 13-16: Waltz around the room in ballroom hold. Repeat ad lib till end of dance.

Strip the Willow Formation: Longwise sets of 4 couples, men on the right and ladies on the left. Couples number from nearest the band. Music: 6/8 or 9/8 double jigs. E.g. "The Irish Washerwoman", "The Curlew", "The Jig of Slurs" for 6/8 and "Drops of Brandy" for 9/8. 1st lady turns 2M LH, partner RH, 3M LH, partner RH, 4M LH. 21-24 Spin with partner RH to the end of the phrase. 25-36 1st man turns 4L LH, partner RH, 3L LH, partner RH, 2L LH. 37-40 Spin with partner RH to the end of the phrase. 41-52 1st lady works down men, while 1st man works down ladies, turning 2C LH, partner RH, 3C LH, partner RH, 4C LH. 53-56 Spin with partner RH to the end of the phrase.

(They are now at the end of set.) Repeat with 2nd couple, then 3rd couple, 4th couple .... and repeat ad lib till music ends. The Virginia Reel This seems actually to be a family of similar dances - probably word-of-mouth having lead to variations. One variety is: Formation: Longwise sets of 4 couples, men on the right and ladies on the left as viewed from the band. Couples number from nearest the band. Music: "Hoedown" reels, e.g. "Turkey in the Straw". Bars: For one man and two women - in sets of five people 1-4 All three set, then second woman dances up to first man's place while first man and first woman turn by the left one and a half times to end with first man in first woman's place and first woman in second woman's place. 5-8 All three set, then first woman dances up to first man's place while second woman and first man turn by the left one and a half times to end with second woman in first woman's place and first man in second woman's place.

9-12 All three set, then first man dances up to first man's place while first woman and second woman turn by the left one and a half times to end with first woman in first woman's place and second woman in second woman's place. 13-16 All three set, then second woman dances up to first man's place while first man and first woman turn by the left one and a half times to end with first man in first woman's place and first woman in second woman's place. 17-24 First man and second woman dance down the middle and up, casting to second place, first man finishing behind first woman. 25-32 First and second woman turn one and a half by the left. Notes 2nd man steps up on odd-numbered iterations of the dance and down on even-numbered iterations. As in normal Scottish dances, once a woman has danced the dance twice through, she needs to step to the bottom to allow the lower-most woman into the dance. In this dance, the man dances equally with the women and, indeed, there is no concept of "partner" - he is partnered with both women and dances with both of them.

The Veleta Formation: couples around the room facing each other, both hands joined, ladies on the outside, men with backs to centre. Music: waltzes. "We enjoyed ourselves from the moment we arrived - till the last waltz" The band were great and the caller did a magnificent job of including everyone" - J. Smith, Dalry "I didn't know what to expect as it had been years since I had been to a ceilidh, let alone booked one! However, from the moment I contacted Scotland's Ceilidh Band, I received nothing but helpfulness and reassurance. My daughter's wedding will be remembered for years to come". - A. Harkness, Edinburgh "We needed to raise money for charity at short notice and didn't know where to start. On the recommendation of one of our members we contacted Scotland's Ceilidh Band, and both the fundraising advice and the event itself surpassed all our expectations - we raised over £1000 on the night." - D. Jeffreys, Glasgow "Our wedding wouldn't have been the same without Scotland's Ceilidh Band - you'll be remembered for years" - M.

Bowes, Glasgow "You're ability to get an audience on the floor and dancing the stops was amazing - half of our audience were from England and didn't know what a ceilidh was until they met you!" - S. Purvis - Portsmouth • 1 Sleeve Notes for Swan for the Money by The Old Swan Band Ian Anderson, writing in fRoots magazine, described The Old Swan Band as ï¿½a well oiled machineï¿½, qualifying it with the additional comment ï¿½in more ways than oneï¿½. True, the band was born in a Cheltenham pub called The Old Swan (for a time an Irish theme pub and now just The Swan) and the band members are often to be found adding their considerable musical weight to English tune sessions in pub back rooms, but ï¿½well oiledï¿½ must refer to the bandï¿½s ability to reach deep into the often hidden vein of English dance repertoire and pull out a gem of a tune which will be delivered to the world in distinctive style. This style is typified by driving fiddles and harmonica, fat brass, persistent and inventive percussion, all glued together with rhythmic and sweet piano.

Whether applied to a newly researched tune or to an old favourite, the Old Swan sound is unmistakable. Description Mrs Oï¿½Dwyerï¿½s/Packie Russell's (Trad arr. OSB/Trad arr. OSB) Ellen O'Dwyer was a concertina player, whose tune is also known as Slugs and Snails. After all these years it probably doesn't much resemble how she originally played it any more! Packie was one of the famous Russell family of Doolin, Co. Clare. Both Mrs O'Dwyer and the Russells were recorded in Co. Clare in 1974 by John Tams and Neil Wayne - a fantastic piece of work. The Queenï¿½s Jig/The Basque (Trad arr. OSB/Trad arr. OSB) The Queenï¿½s Jig comes from the 11th edition of Playfordï¿½s English Dancing Master (1701). The breakdown ï¿½Sweeping the Townï¿½ is said to be an American derivation.

The Basque Jig was found by Gloucestershire musician Dave Haines who got it from a Bombarde and binou band in Brittany, whose EP he brought back with him. Walter Bulwerï¿½s No. 2 & 1 (Trad arr. OSB/Trad arr. OSB) Walter Bulwer was born in 1889 in the village of Shipdham in Norfolk. His father died before he reached his teens,so, with his elder brother Chamberlain, he was brought up by his mother, living in her father's house. He played music from an early age, was musically literate and played for many social functions on fiddle, viola, banjo, mandolin, clarinet and trombone. His wife Daisy played banjo and piano and when musicologist Reg Hall started meeting them in 1959, they were past doing gigs but enjoyed evenings at home playing popular songs of the 1920s and 30s, and also the old hornpipes and polkas, plus some Walter used to make up as he went along! Staffordshire Hornpipe/Mad Moll of the Cheshire Hunts (Trad arr.OSB/Trad arr.

OSB) Staffordshire Hornpipe and was collected by Cecil Sharp from James Locke of Newport Shropshire. Mad Moll of the Cheshire Hunts was also collected by Sharp from John Locke, and is not to be confused with another tune from James Locke, Mad Moll of the Cheshire Hounds which is an odd version of Flowers of Edinburgh. John and James were members of the famous Locke family who travelled extensively in the area of the Welsh/English border. One of their regular haunts was Gorsley Common on the Gloucestershire/Herefordshire border - a rough and lawless area dreaded by wayfarers. The Lockes must have been well known to the Baldwin family who lived here when Charlie Baldwin was born (see Gloucester Hornpipe). Dashing White Sergeant/Brighton Camp (Bishop/ arr. OSB /Trad arr. OSB) The tune which is used for the formal Scottish dance The Dashing White Sergeant was originally a song intended for an opera by English musical composer Sir Henry Rowley Bishop (1786 -1855) who was most famous as the composer of Home Sweet Home.

The archetypal English tune Brighton Camp (otherwise known as The Girl I Left Behind Me) could well have Irish provenance, the earliest known version of the melody being printed in about 1810 in Dublin publisher Hime's Pocket Book for the German Flute or Violin. Louis Antoine Jullien, the French composer and orchestra leader toured England extensively with his sets of Quadrilles and Polkas. A real showman, famed for his magnificent waistcoats and for conducting classical music with a diamond-encrusted baton, he produced several sets of Quadrilles based on national airs and those based on Irish airs includes this tune as one of the main themes. The words associated with the tune are dated by historian Lewis Winstock at 1758, but was the tune the same? The juryï¿½s still out. When leaving camp it was said that the British Army would often play this tune, because of the association with the words.Both of these tunes demonstrate how difficult it is to apply national labels to tunes. The Woodcutters Jig/The Swedish Dance (Headford / Trad arr.

OSB) The Woodcutterï¿½s Jig was written by our own Flos Headford and named after one of his favourite hostelries in Whiteshill, on the hills near Stroud. The Swedish Dance was collected by Cecil Sharp on August 2nd, 1909 from Thomas Swallow of Lower Guiting, Gloucestershire and is a truncated version of the English jig When Daylight Shines. It was traditionally danced at harvest suppers in Guiting and was collected there for the second time in 1935, by H Hurlforth Albino, from Charles Denley, whose family had strong connections with the old Guiting morris dancers. The dance itself was a version of Three Meet: dances were labelled "Swedish" if the couples were in groups of three with alternate men and ladies. Gloucester Hornpipe/Polly Put The Kettle On (Trad arr. OSB/Trad arr. OSB) Were collected in 1910 by Cecil Sharp from 88 year old Charles Baldwin (father of Stephen Baldwin) who spent his final years in the Alms Houses in Newent in the Forest of Dean.

He was formerly the fiddler for the morris side at Cliffords Mesne, which faded in the 1860s. The Gloucester Hornpipe belongs to a family of tunes related to Nelsonï¿½s Hornpipe and appears all over England as The Bridge of Lodi, Down Back oï¿½Shoddy, Saxonï¿½s and Huntsmanï¿½s Hornpipes and more. Polly Put the Kettle on bears only a slight resemblance to the nursery rhyme or old-time fiddle versions and seems to be a one off sighting. Sharp described it as a "diamonte" or corner dance, and wasn't sure in which order the B & C musics should be played. We like it like this. The Sloe/The Sweet Briar/Double Figure 8 (All Trad arr. OSB) The Sloe and the Sweet Briar were collected at Stow-on-the-Wold workhouse in 1907 by Cecil Sharp from John Mason who came from nearby Icomb. Mason was a fiddler who played for Sherborne Morris, and probably others, but who also had a number of country dance tunes such as these in his repertoire.

The Sloe also occurs in the Aston-on-Carrant Ms as The Slave, and appears to have originally come from an opera by Sir Henry Rowley Bishop in 1816 (see Dashing White Sergeant for more on Bishop). A play called The Slave was also presented at nearby Cheltenham for an extensive run in the 1820's. This contained a Morris dance, and it is possible that this was a means by which a selection of Bishop's popular tunes reached the Cotswolds. Double Figure 8 was collected from William Strick of Hannington, Wiltshire by Cecil Sharp The Vine Tree/Gentiane Mazurka (Trad arr. OSB/Trad arr. OSB) The Vine Tree was written by our own Paul Burgess in celebration of many a good session in a Randwick (near Stroud) pub of the same name - they don't let us play there now!

The Gentiane Mazurka is so named as it came from Gentiane, a band founded in France in the early seventies by renowned French folk musicians Jean Blanchard, Bernard Blanc, Emmanuelle Parrenin, Gerard Lavigne and Denis Gasser, to produce a record of traditional music from the Auvergne, Earl of Mansfield/Bobby Shaftoe (McEwan/Trad arr. OSB) This pipe march was composed by J. McEwan. Itï¿½s originally a three part tune but our version doesnï¿½t include part two. Bobby Shaftoe was a real personï¿½Robert Shafto (1732-1797), who was MP for County Durham from 1760 to 1768. He was a man of fashion who married two heiresses in turn and was known for his charm and elegance. This version is different to that used for the well known song, being one of the dance tunes once used for The Abbots Bromley Horn Dance (according to Violet Alford in 1933) and also the Sleights (Yorkshire) Sword Dance. In & Out the Windows/Down the Road (Trad arr.

OSB/Trad arr. OSB)(Check) The second part of In and Out the Windows is well known to many as the tune to a playground game of the same name. Go round and round the village, x3 As we have done before. Up and down the staircase, x3 As we have done before. Go in and out the window, x3 As we have done before. The whole tune has been used for a number of songs including ï¿½We Kept Eating Parkinï¿½ popularised by Lancashireï¿½s Five Penny Piece but we always knew it as William Brown, from the song with the chorus "Keep that wheel a-turning (x3) And do a little more each day". Our version of music hall giant Gus Elenï¿½s Down the Road uses only the chorus section of the song as the verse doesnï¿½t willingly adapt to the dance floor. It comes to us via the old players of East Anglia. Les Jigs - The Matelot/Michael Turners's Jig/Captain Lanoe's Quick March (All Trad arr.

OSB) The Matelot is reputed to be derived from the French, or Dutch tune, Matelotte , and related to Washington's March and several others but the likeness is slight to say the least. Michael Turnerï¿½s Jig - is an otherwise unidentified jig played by the eponymous Sussex fiddle player and written in his manuscript book. Similarly from a Sussex manuscript, William Aylemore's Captain Lanoeï¿½s Quick March has reached the zenith of modern cultural recognition by being used in an episode of Spongebob Squarepants! The Rose/J B Milne (Trad arr. OSB/Fitchet) The Rose is to be found on the Topic record Melodeon Greats and comes from a 78 of Scottish melodeon player James Brown, an acknowledged championship winner on the Scottish dance scene in the early 20thC and an influence on Jimmy Shand. Shand employed the writer of the second tune, Dundee fiddler Angus Fitchet in his band. John Bannerman Milne (1902 -1968) was a Scottish cinema chain proprietor who supported Fitchet at the beginning of his showbiz career.

Fitchet was taught fiddle by his father and started playing for dances at an early age and, after his period with Shand, successfully led his own band for many years. Grand Chain/Grommet (Trad arr. OSB/Freya) La Grande Chaï¿½ne is a Quebequoise reel which has made its way into the English session via the Northumbrian Pipers repertoire. There has been some confusion over the original name as an alleged mishearing resulted in chaine being replaced by chien and a consequent renaming of the tune as The Big Dog! A Grand Chain is a dance movement also known as ï¿½grand-right-and-leftï¿½ in the United States. Grommet was written by our own Jo Freya. Track Notes

Question: The phrase "The Dashing White Sergeant" refers to ...?
Answer: Dance