Category Archives: Practicing dancing

New dancers 7

Steps, Formations and Progressions

Our tutor Rod Downey provides a list of steps, formations and progressions covered in Johnsonville Beginners’ Classes

Click the short video links below to have a look if you’d like a reminder.

Steps

Terms / Formations

Dancing Rights and Lefts in the dance Argyll’s Fancy at the Johnsonville Tartan Night in April 2019

Progressions

  • Once to the bottom (a 4 couple progression) Here is a dance with this progression.
  • 2 couple progression in a 4 couple set. Here is a dance with this progression.
  • 3 couple progression in a 4 couple set. Here is a dance with this progression, and the numbers on the dancers.

Click here to listen to the music or practise some steps

Rod Downey
March 2021

For all dancers: Ladies’ Chain

Our tutor Rod Downey gives us some tips on the Ladies’ Chain

Key things are:

  • The ladies face on the diagonal, change right hand on the first bar and then curve to their right in a boomerang shape
  • Remember to look out for the man who should by this time be in the place the other lady started from
  • You must attack the first and fifth beat of the formation so phrasing is the key.

You can find more information in:

Dancing the Ladies’ Chain in Mrs Stewart’s Jig at the Tribute to Peter Elmes in 2018

Historical note

In the beginning of the 20th century, Ladies Chain was done as a completely symmetric figure. Thus, assuming that first couple are in 2nd place on opposite sides, at the end of bar 2, 2nd lady would be in 1st man’s original place and 1st lady would be in 2nd ladies original place. This meant that the ladies had a very long track, passing on bar 1 and having to dance all the way to the opposite sidelines on bar 2.

Sometime about 30 or so years ago, the RSCDS decided this would all happen on the diagonal between 1st lady and 2nd lady’s places. So at the end of bar 2 there would be a diagonal line from 1st lady’s original place of 1st man, 1st lady, 2nd lady, 2nd man. The problem with this formulation is keeping the ‘chain’ character.

In the most recent edition of the RSCDS manual (May 2013), the compromise is somewhere between the two. You may find that some teachers will stick to one of the earlier formulations.

There are some very old dances such as Loch Leven Castle with video, which was clearly written for the original formulation and are infinitely easier done using the old formulation. Even very good dancers like those in the demonstration video have to maul the figure to make it fit using the modern formulation.

Another example where the original formulation is better is in Skara Brae from The Orkney Connection, which has a ‘mixed chain’.

Rod Downey
30 July 2020

More experienced dancers 6

Our tutor Rod Downey gives some tips on dancing the corners in Reel of the Royal Scots and diagonal half rights and lefts

Turning corners in The Reel of the Scots
Diagonal Half Rights and Lefts
More complex variations

Turning corners in The Reel of the Royal Scots

The Reel of the Royal Scots with video is a favourite dance of Kristin’s, and one we often do at club to bagpipe music.

I was always taught the first couple initiates the turns from the sidelines, so at the end of the first 8 bars, the first couple will be just passing through second place on own side, heading for their first corners.

The video is not bad, but you can see the first lady may be a wee bit anxious about getting home, so she is already in the center at the end of eight bars (rather than on the sideline), while her partner isn’t! All steps are not equal length in Scottish country dancing. If you attack your steps you can initiate the turn from the sidelines and still get home in time. Don’t be a one-speed dancer.

The first couple turn their corners for 4 bars but only hold on for 2, so that the corners have two bars dancing the remainder of the turn by themselves. 1C is turn right, pass right, turn right, pass right. So, attack is needed to get home for the first couple.

This is a relatively modern dance (late 20th Century) by Roy Goldring who was a prolific deviser especially of `social’ dances. The keys to this dance are:

  • you must think geographically: `Where am I going next?’
  • Corners and first couple don’t hold on too long (as the active couple will be misdirected)
  • Don’t make the turns too small (as the active couple will be misdirected). So don’t pull yourself too close to the other person in a 4 bar turn as you need to be free for the next place.

Diagonal Half Rights and Lefts

Diagonal Half Rights and Lefts is a modern figure. It is usually done as in my diagram below.

  • beginning with the first couple in second place on own side
  • and typically with 2nd couple on opposite sides in 3rd place
  • and 3rd couple on opposite sides in 1st place (but this is not compulsory) (fig).

The key for a supporting couple, is that if you start coming up keep coming up, and if you start going down keep going down.

If you are beginning as I describe for the typical instance, then:

  • 2nd man will move from 3rd lady’s place up through 2nd man’s and up to 1st man’s place
  • 3rd woman in 1stman’s place at the top, first goes down to 2nd lady’s place and thence down to 3rd lady’s place

The key for the first couple is that they stay on their own halves. Typically, the lady goes up and the man down on bar 1 to their 1st corner positions, then to second place on opposite sides then double back down for the man and up for the lady. The lady remains in the ‘top half’ of the set, the man in the ‘bottom half’.

I like to think of the first couple’s tracks as a bowtie. My diagram shows the bar by bar breakdown. Of course, you have two bars per hand, and alternate right and left hands. No courtesy turns except on the last left hand.

I believe the figure originated with James B. Cosh in a famous dance called The Irish Rover with video in a book called 22 Scottish Country Dances (and 2 more).

For bars 1-4, the first couple, 2nd man and 3rd lady are the only people involved. It is really important that the second people to be involved in the half rights and lefts (3rd man and 2nd lady) be ready. If they know when and where they are going, then all is good in the group. The Irish Rover is a very fragile dance, and if anything goes wrong, it is extremely hard to recover.

By the way, The Irish Rover is a traditional and quite funny song. Listen to a song by Seamus Kennedy or watch a video of The Pogues and the Dubliners. The club has an archaic recording by Seamus Hallissey on a 45 record, which I played on the St Patrick’s night, when we danced many Irish-related dances including The Irish Rover.

Bruce’s Men with video, has the formation in Strathspey time, and is an example where the start place is non-standard.

More complex variations

More complex variations of the formation occur in lots of places. The Dance of Diamonds with video has diagonal half rights and lefts where those not involved in the half rights and lefts (2L and 3M on bars 1-4, and 3L and 2M on 5-8, if they began in typical positions above) dance around the outside so the formation is non-progressive.  The video shows clearly that the formation is tricky.

An aspirational dance with diagonal half rights and lefts is The Border Wizard which has diagonal half rights and lefts in a 7 couple dance, and the 3 simultaneous diagonal half rights and lefts interlock (start going up, keep going up, etc.). I know of no video of this dance. I wrote The Celtic Rover which is a 5 couple version of the Irish Rover, and people find it tricky. No video alas.

Rod Downey
4 June 2020

New dancers 6

Our tutor Rod Downey gives some tips on who your corners are and turning corners

Who are your corners?
Turning corners
Turning corners in Reel of the Royal Scots

Who are your corners?

Remember if you are first couple standing in second place, your first corner is the person on your right on the opposite side, and second corner is the one on the left, also on the opposite side.

See my diagram below:

For first lady:

  • your first corner is 2nd man who is in first man’s original place
  • your second corner is 3rd man in his home place

For first man:

  • your first corner is 3rd lady in her home place
  • your second corner is 2nd lady who is in first lady’s original place

These are important people. In traditional dances you often do something with the first corner then with the second.

Turning corners

In Delvine Side with video these are 2-bar, two-hand turns. Count: turn on 1, letting go on 2 (1C release L hand), pass on 3 & 4, turn on 5, letting go on 6, pass on 7 & 8. (i.e. Turn for 2, pass R for 2, turn for 2, pass R for 2.) Delvine Side is a very old dance and we could imagine ladies in 18th Century formal attire, flowing through such a dance.

What is the key to these turns? Yes, it is phrasing. They must be big wide turns (don’t pull!) and you must let go (left hand of dancing couple) early in the turns, else you are misdirected.

Note that, after the first turn, the active couple are more or less in line with the people they turned:

  • first man will be between the 3rd couple facing up
  • first lady will be between the 2nd couple facing down

After the second turn, first couple will be on the sidelines, as they still have 2 whole bars to get to the next place. 

See my diagrams showing positions at the end of each bar below.

Turning corners in Reel of the Royal Scots

Similar turns are in The Reel of the Royal Scots with video, a favourite dance of Kristin’s, and one we often do at club to bagpipe music.

These turns are a little different, with the corners turning for 4 bars while the dancing couple turn for only 2 bars.

The video is not bad, but you can see the first lady may be a wee bit anxious about getting home, so she is already in the center at the end of eight bars (rather than on the sideline), while her partner isn’t! All steps are not equal length in Scottish Country Dancing. If you attack your steps you can initiate the turn from the sidelines and still get home in time. Don’t be a one-speed dancer.

The first couple turn their corners for 4 bars but only hold on for 2, so that the corners have two bars dancing the remainder of the turn by themselves. 1C is turn right, pass right, turn right, pass right. So, attack is needed to get home for the first couple.

This is a relatively modern dance (late 20th Century) by Roy Goldring who was a prolific deviser especially of ‘social’ dances. The keys to this dance are:

  • you must think geographically: `Where am I going next?’
  • Corners and first couple don’t hold on too long (as the active couple will be misdirected)
  • Don’t make the turns too small (as the active couple will be misdirected). So don’t pull yourself too close to the other person in a 4 bar turn as you need to be free for the next place.

Rod Downey
4 June 2020

For all dancers: Phrasing reels of four

Our tutor Rod Downey gives some tips about phrasing a reel of four

Personally, I find reels of four easier than reels of three, since they are – almost always – in a straight line (unless interlocking in a square set), and right shoulder. So, no weird entries. Moreover, they are almost always 8 bars.

The difficulty, as usual, is in the phrasing. Especially in quick-time, people tend to be a bit tardy in the middle of the reel. The following is the way I think the reels should be phrased, and it definitely works. Again, it involves varying step length.

The reels begin with persons 1 facing 2, and 3 facing 4, longwise or diagonal or across.

Download the diagram and description from the RSCDS manual below.

Remember in the right shoulder version, you pass ‘right on the sides and left in the middle’. By this I mean that:

  • 1 passes 2 right shoulder
  • then 1 and 4 pass left shoulder, whilst 2 and 3 are looping to face in at the ends

The key is that at the end of bar 2 (assuming longwise for convenience) the order will be 2, 4, 1, 3, more or less. That is 4 and 1 will have passed in the middle at the end of bar two.

Download my diagram showing the positions for each dancer after bar 1 and then bar 2 below.

The process then continues, and after the next two bars 2 and 3 will have passed. That means by the end of bar four, everyone is swapped from the beginning position. See my diagram, end of bar 4.

Note that 4M and 1W slip into place (no loops), unless told otherwise. For example, in Miss Milligan’s Strathspey (video here) the instructions say to loop. Miss Milligan was one of the founders of the RSCDS and I am sure this would have her turning in her grave, as she didn’t approve of reels not done in the specified way.

Watch the little video of Johnsonville members doing a reel of four with accurate timing. Often this does not matter, but it is critical in some fast dances, and especially for a half reel of four.

Elena, Moira, Maureen and Désirée preparing to dance the reel of four in the video

You must be completely around at the end of 4 bars.  I vividly remember a very fine teacher Ruth Jappy, from Toronto, stressing this. Most importantly, this passing technique make the reels easier, so long as everyone does this phrasing, otherwise covering is impossible.

A classic dance with a  reel of four is Mrs Milne of Kinnef with video. This is an excellently phrased version, though it is easier in a Strathspey.

Loralee Hyde with video has half reels on 4 on the side. Note this is also a fugue, one of the first I wrote, and has mirror rondels. Nowadays, as a deviser, I would be unlikely to include a half reel of four which did not have the two dancers in the middle flowing into something else, as then it does not matter how badly the half reels are phrased.

Sometimes devisers can’t solve the problem elegantly and I broke that rule in the demonstration dance, The Labyrinth, which I don’t think I will do at club. In this dance the reel of four finished taking hands in a line, and is a real test.

Farewell to Crumlin is a classic advanced-class dance with lots of nasty transitions. In this video, even with very good dancers, the fact that the couples don’t get to halfway in the reels of four on the side, don’t pass on bar 2, means they are late.  They are ‘shoulder to shoulder’ rather than completely passed. That phrasing makes the reels even, but definitely causes problems at the end.

Rod Downey
27 May 2020

Videos illustrating phrasing and reels

We now have videos to illustrate phrasing and reels our tutor Rod Downey has talked about for practicing dancing at home

Thanks to our volunteer dancers Elena Lark, Maureen Sullivan, Moira Broughton and Désirée Patterson

Phrasing Games – for all

This video includes some basic phrasing games you can do by yourself or with a family member.

The important thing is to be in the right place at the right time, and you do that by adjusting your step length. Remember to count, and to keep an eye on your partner in the game (if you are lucky enough to have one).

Some of the exercises are with a co-operative partner, some are with a hostile partner. All of this will:

  • Make you think about your own phrasing, and
  • Make you think about how your phrasing affects others

You can refer back to Rod’s diagrams for the phrasing game warm-up, and basic phrasing game, also his explanation of how it all works.

Basic reels of three on the side – for all

This video shows standard right shoulder reels, with a focus on phrasing. You will see how important it is for the third person in the reel to dance co-operatively.

The reels begin in a straight line, with the people facing each other at the top of the reel passing right shoulders. The third person (at the end of the line) moves to their right and needs to take small steps to allow the first person to pass through the centre unobstructed.

Click here for diagrams for basic reels of three, and here for Rod’s explanation of reels.

Strange entry reels – for the more experienced

Cross-over reels including the unusual ones in Cadgers in the Canongate and strange-entry reels in dances we quite often do at club.

Click on dance names below to watch videos for the particular reel in each of those dances.

Reels of four – for all

Reels of four are – almost always – in a straight line (unless interlocking in a square set), and right shoulder. So, no weird entries. Moreover, they are almost always 8 bars.

The difficulty, as usual, is in the phrasing. Especially in quick-time, people tend to be a bit tardy in the middle of the reel.

Click here for Rod’s explanation of phrasing for reels of four and here for his diagram for a reel of four.

Watch the little video of Johnsonville members doing a reel of four with accurate timing.

More about practicing dancing at home

Click here to see more from Rod Downey about practicing dancing at home

More experienced dancers 5

Our tutor Rod Downey explains strange entry reels

Standard reel on the side
The Montgomeries’ Rant
Sugar Candie
The Gentleman
Summary

One of the big problems people have with reels is that they don’t always begin in a straight line. This often results in people thinking they are giving the ‘other’ shoulder than what the reels are. Everyone has done it and has been confused.

Traditional dances usually (particularly at the end) involve first couple giving RS to second corner or LS to first corner. It’s easy enough to work out which shoulder you should give in a standard reel where everyone starts in a straight line. However, when the entry is non-standard, it’s not so easy to work out.

Standard reel on the side – right shoulder to second corner

For example, think about the situation where we have first lady on the men’s side between her corners, so she is in second man’s position, between 2M who is in 1M’s place, and 3M in his own place. Similarly 1M is between his corners on the ladies’ side.

See strange entry reels p1 below.

Now if I said dance right shoulder reels of three on the side giving right shoulder to second corners (so 1M RS to 2L who is in in 1L place, and 1L gives RS to 3M at the bottom diagram), this would be straightforward.

We have two straight lines of people, the 1M is going up and the 1L down so 1L is giving RS to 3M, and 2M is moving to his right. Typically these reels would be 6 bar reels with the corners home at the end of bar 6, and first couple crossing home on bars 7 and 8.

But these reels can often begin with 1C back to back in the middle, instead of on the sidelines. This is the case in a number of dances we do quite often at club, which I plan to work on when we can dance again.

This is your chance to learn all about the strange entry reels in:

  • The Montgomeries’ Rant (right shoulder to second corner)
  • Sugar Candie (left shoulder to first corner)
  • The Gentleman (half reel across)

The Montgomeries’ Rant – right shoulder to second corner

Look at the last 8 bars of General Stuart’s Reel with video or The Montgomeries’ Rant with video.

Watch a video of the entry into The Montgomeries’ Rant reels danced by members of our club

These reels are the same as the standard reels on the side, but have strange entry, and the 2M and 3W really need to have their wits about them. Without the first couple standing in front of them to start the reel, there are no cues as to whether it is a left or right shoulder reel.

The active couples are dancing through the ends of the set, Man up, Lady down, but 3L and 2M must move to their right and pass the other corner left shoulder, which is counter-intuitive. See diagram – strange entry reels p1

Strictly speaking 3M and 2L should curve slightly to their left before giving this left shoulder in to the other corner, but this often confuses the second corners. (1C are the ‘middle’ couple of the reels.) The second corners must imagine that the 1C are in the middle.

Dancing Montgomerie’s Rant at the Wellington Region Hogmanay in 2016

Sugar Candie – left shoulder to first corner

Sugar Candie with video is a classic example of a strange entry reel giving left shoulder to first corner. People often find these reels quite difficult.

Watch a video of the entry into the Sugar Candie reels danced by members of our club

Here 2L in first lady’s place moves to her left, and similarly 3M moves to his left and will pass the other corner right shoulder. Again, you have to imagine that the reels are in a straight line with the active couple between their corners and facing first corners.

See diagram – strange entry reels p2 below.

Sugar Candie is a very nice dance with lovely music. Here is a video with some familiar faces and music, and you’ll see a lot of hilarity as dancers become confused about whether it’s a left or right shoulder reel, and lose track of their phrasing.

Remember the goal is to arrive only just in time on the ‘6,2,3’ before you cross or arriving home to your corner position at the end of ‘6,2,3’.

Dancing Sugar Candie at the Johnsonville 50 Golden Years Celebration in 2016

The Gentleman – half reel across

Another example of unusual entry reels comes from The Gentleman with video where there are half reels of three across the set on bars 21-24. 1M gives RS to 3L (who is in 3M’s place), and 1L gives RS to 2M who is in 1L’s place.

Watch a video of the entry into The Gentleman reels danced by members of our club

But the half reels start with 1M beside 3M and 1L beside 2L, so the half reels feel really weird for the first couple as they are doing a ‘hook’ into second place on own side, after beginning from second place on opposite side. See diagram – strange entry reels p1

And the people behaving as the third person in the half reel (the 1L who is in 1M’s place and the 3M who is in 3L’s place) have to imagine that they are behind the active couple. That is, they need to pretend that the half reels begin with 1M between the 3rd couple at the bottom and 1L between 2C who are in first couple’s place at the top.

The principle is always the same, but in this case, it is even trickier as the phrasing is quite hard. 3M and 2L have to ‘hold back’ waiting for the first couple to cross in front of them and then both they and the first couple must slow down. Always try to visualise the reels.

Summary

The summary is that when you are involved in these strange entry reels you must imagine the missing couple as being there, typically, but not always, imagine them as being between the corners. The trouble is almost always that you lack the cues you would typically get from the activity of the other dancers.

from Rod Downey
13 May 2020

New dancers 5

Our tutor Rod Downey gives new dancers some tips about Strathspey travelling step

The music
The step
Airs or pastorals

I have not yet talked about Strathspey travelling step. Strath (=area around a river) Spey (=a river in Scotland) so the origin of the term is the valley of the river Spey.

The music

The music for the style of dancing is 4/4 or sometimes 2/4, and usually has 4 very strong beats per bar. A traditional Strathspey, which I like very much, has to me an extraordinary drive. This is especially true on the first bar which is down when you dance it, usually mirroring the music.

A Mile to Ride, played by Peter Elmes and his band The  Scotsmen from our library of dance music is a traditional Strathspey which shows this drive. The Braes of Breadalbane as played in this old recording by Stan Hamilton and his Flying Scotsmen (a Canadian Band, which I love to use) also shows this very strongly. The first part is driving down.

Here is a lovely demonstration by of this to fiddle music, danced by the German men’s team at the Newcastle festival in 2017. (Strathspeys were originally written for the fiddle.) The demonstration shows the excellent covering in the rights and lefts and the 4 bar turns.

The step

The step is: *Down, close, step,’hop’*; or maybe *Down, close, step, through*

Beat 1

You begin (as always) in first position, and on the first beat the right foot drives forward by bending the standing left leg down. (Heel off the floor; heels being optional for Scottish country dancers whilst you are dancing. The ankles flexing are always the key.)  So ‘Down’ could be ‘Drive’.

Beat 2

The next part is ‘close’. You must keep your feet turned out from the hips, allowing you to close in 3rd position. That is, left foot tucked in behind right foot and both are turned out so that they have 90 degrees between them.

Beat 3

The next part is ‘step’. The right foot is extended from the standing left foot (which is not ‘standing’ as the heels are not touching the ground!). This part is not quite as long as the first step on bar 1, but is longer than most people do. Try not to have a second ‘down’.  (Don’t be a double dipper.)

Beat 4

The last part is ‘hop’ or ‘through’. The left foot is brought through and is just passing the right foot at the end of bar 4.  You will need a little hop here, and the foot is brought through in turned out position with the knee pointing out.

The single most important thing is that your left foot MUST NOT PASS the right foot before the END of 4.  It will be moving forward on beat 1 of the next bar. If you bring it through before that, where will it go? Answer: there is nowhere for it to go so you will be out of timing.

Below is a diagram of Strathspey travelling step from the side, and you should think of this as being like a dolphin, diving first (beat 1) and then coming up to the surface (beat 2), staying near there (beat 3) and then up for a breath (beat 4).

Below is the description from the RSCDS manual for teachers.

The Lower Hutt Teaching Tools have this step near the bottom of the page of teaching videos. Young tutor Andrea Wells (the one with the white top) has particularly good technique with lovely turn out and strong extension on beat 1.

Moira Stacey’s Class builds the step up. The older gentleman is a wee bit low in the heels (but we all get lower as we get older) but has very good foot positions, and the son lacks a bit of down and extension on beat 1.

If you have trouble with the rhythm, try walking it, which would be right, close, right and then as you move the left leg, it will be even with the right at the end of bar 4. Count it out first… 1,2,3,4.

Airs or pastorals

Strathspeys can also be danced to airs or pastorals, which can be quite beautiful but are harder to dance to as the rhythm is less well-defined, and are not really in the traditional style. A lot of recently devised dances use such tunes.

The Library of Birmingham with video has such a tune. In that video, the ladies dance beautiful Strathspeys with lovely extension on the first beat (as well as dancing The Rose Progression as it should be).

City of Belfast with video is another. In this video of the same dance, note how hard it is to keep the feet turned out, and to stay in time, which you really need to concentrate on. This is often easy when you practice it in a circle, but hard when you are concentrating upon a dance. Compare with the French ladies in the Library of Birmingham video.

Dancing City of Belfast at the Wellington Region Hogmanay in 2016

from Rod Downey
13 May 2020

For All Dancers: The Phrasing Game

Our tutor Rod Downey gives some tips about practicing phrasing.

Phrasing is a very important part of your dancing. It’s all about getting to the right place at exactly the right time – neither too early nor too late, and at the same time working in concert with all the other dancers in your ‘team’.

Here’s a game you can play by yourself at home, and also one you can play with a partner if they can dance or even walk in time to the music.

Watch a video here of basic phrasing games danced by members of our club

The Warm-up Game(s)

Print out the page of diagrams below.

Find yourself some spot in a room where you can dance around in an oval (say 3 metres long). If you have a partner, they start at the opposite end of the oval.

1. The simplest version

  1. Give yourself (or you and your partner) exactly 8 bars to dance around the oval and get home on exactly ‘8,2,3’.
  2. Choose a partner who can count. This time do the same again, but the partner stands at home place, and won’t move out of the way until the beginning of bar 8.

2. Now try the original one using only 6 bars. (No partner needed). Try for 12 bars.

  1. Beginning on bar 1. Did it disturb you that the music did not match your movements? This is called split phrasing.
  2. Try beginning on bar 2 and it will feel even worse.
  3. Try the same thing, but this time begin on bar 3, and it should feel better, as you will be doing the last 6 bars of an 8-bar phrase and then the first 6 of the next.

Split phrasing occurs when a figure is split across more than 1 phrase of music. When you danced the 12-bar phrase beginning on bar 2, the first 6 bars were in the first 8-bar phrase of the music, whereas the second 6 bars were split across bars 7-8 of phrase, and bars 1-4 of phrase 2.

Scottish country dancing rarely has anything beginning on an even bar. There are some exceptions such as stepping in on bar 8 for a poussette, an allemande or a promenade. For example this often occurs on the last bar of College Hornpipe, especially for the second couple. Typically this is done on the left foot. Why?

Dancing College Hornpipe at the Johnsonville October Tartan Night in 2017

Whimsy (download dance instructions below) is a tricky triangular dance. In the fugal part (bars 25-32), 1C begin on bar 25, 2C on bar 26 and 3C on bar 27. I found this very tricky to dance and to teach.

3. Working with your partner

  1. Now try the original loop, but you must dance through the position your partner is in. And they are not allowed to move until the beginning of bar 4.  
  2. What about if they don’t allow you to go through until bar 5? Or at bar 3? Try this in both reel and Strathspey time.
  3. Try this from a close distance, say 2 metres (for 8 bars), so you need tiny steps.
  4. Now try different shapes. Try in a diamond shape with 2 bars for each side. Try with square. Try with partner standing at one of the points on square or diamond while you are dancing, and only moving at the beginning of the bar you should be arriving on.
  5. Go back to original distance, but both you and partner dance the track. Can you stay exactly opposite from them while dancing the loops?

The Basic Game

Print out the pages of diagrams below for Basic Games (and more)

Arrange two chairs/children/objects in a row about 1metre apart. You stand at one end and your job is to weave around the objects through the positions on the ends, returning home.

Your real (or perhaps ‘reel’) job is to not begin coming back until the end of ‘4,2,3’ (i.e. you count) and not be home before the end of ‘8,2,3’. (See the first diagram.) Then try looping the other way (red track).

The Basic Game, with cooperative partner

Now begin with partner at the other end, they move to their right and you follow the basic pattern. Their job is to be at the other end at the end of ‘4,2,3’ but they must let you through the middle first. Now switch roles and shoulders. Switch roles but don’t change ends.

The Basic Game with hostility

There are two versions of this. 

  1. First you can be hostile to them. See if you can block them from getting to the other end on ‘4,2,3’ and/or ‘8,2,3’, but still get to your places on time.
  2. Second, they do the same to you. They block you but get to their end positions on time.

Variations  

Same thing but this time only take 6 bars for the patterns, so you are at the ends on ‘3,2,3’ and ‘6,2,3’

Do the above, but using Strathspey music.

Next, take the chairs away.

More advanced games

Now try some trickier things. Have some shapes from several chairs, and figure out a number of bars to weave around. Two possible examples are in the diagram.

Use strange shapes and unusual barring. Can you begin on 3 for the basic game? Can you get home in 5 steps, 9 steps, 16 steps? etc. All of this will:

  1. Make you think about your own phrasing, and
  2. Make you think about how your phrasing affects others

Rod Downey
5 May 2020

More experienced dancers 4

Our tutor Rod Downey explains more about crossover reels

Now you have ‘mastered’ crossover reels, both across the set and on the side.

There are other crossover reels we sometimes do, such as those in The Duchess Tree (with video) where the second couple are crossing up through first place and the 1C are  dancing out and down (though here they cast in to the movement). So, a consequence will be that the 3rd couple again must wait quite a lot for the 1C to cut in front.

The principles remain the same. If you are crossing, cross quickly (long steps) and then slow down. The Lady will be in front so she controls the figure. If you are the last couple (the 3’s), you must slow down to accommodate with short steps. Don’t get your timing by doing big loops instead. You need to control your steps. Count, count, count.

Observe this in The Castle of Mey (video here) which has Inveran Reels. These cross at the top and the bottom for the 1C. So they are going quick quick, slow slow, quick quick, slow slow; or long long, short short, long long, short short.

They are tricky to phrase especially in Strathspey time, since the first couple dance somewhat less distance than for usual reels, and don’t really feel like they are doing a reel. They dance kind of a sausage or oval/trapezoidal shape, e.g. for 1L around 2M, 3M, 2W and 1W places.

Stone Boats of Bronte video (no description online) has standard Inveran Reels in it and you’ll note how first lady has some trouble with the phrasing. Uneven phrasing is something you have to really think about.

Surprising Hannah (with video) has an interesting variation on Inveran Reels where the first couple are in second place, 1M casts up and 1L down. They dance the tracks of a trapezium/oval/sausage.

  • 1M dances from 2M place as follows: 2M to 1M, 2L, 3L, back to 2M place
  • 1L dances from 2L place as follows: 2L to 3L, 2M, 1M and back to 2L place

The others dance as for normal reels on the side, as if 1L was giving R shoulder to 3L, and 1M was giving R shoulder to 2M (who is at the top)

Here you would really need to think about your phrasing, especially the supporting couples to accommodate the first couple. Some familiar faces in that video include first lady Hannah Roxburgh for whom Gaye Collin wrote the dance. Note their nicely covered turns and all round poussettes on bars 1-8.

Click here to watch the video of Surprising Hannah

There are reels where everyone crosses from first place such as The Last of the Lairds with video. Lesson in phrasing: 1C arrive home too early on the first three times through, at least (I stopped watching). What should they have done?… Counted!

Use your eyes to figure out how far you have to go…. count!.

The little fugue I wrote for the The Great Teddy Bear Hunt has 1 and 2 crossing but not 3.

For the very experienced, see The Road To The Isles  (see animation video) which has very interesting crossing top and bottom Inveran and progressive reels for all. Can be fun. (Can be chaos also.)

28 April 2020