SCOTTISH COUNTRY DANCES - STRATHSPEYS

On these pages I have listed a number of Scottish Country Dances. If you have any more you would like entered, please send them to Meredith and I will add them to this page.



List of Dances



Mrs. Stewart's Strathspey  
The Garry Strathspey 
Butterscotch and Honey 
The Silver Tassie  
The Argyll Ludging  
Gang the Same Gate  
Alison Rose 

The Inch of Perth  
Donald Bane 
Lammermuir Hills  
Kinfauns Castle 
Simon Brodie 
Ca' the Ewes Tae the Knowes  
The Plantation Reel 

Butterscotch and Honey - 32 Bar strathspey



Bar


1-4 1C set and turn half way by the right hand


5-8 1C dance half a reel of three across the dance with the 2C


9-12 1C dance half a reel of three across the dance with the 3C


13-16 1C dance half a reel of three across the dance with the 4C


17-24 1C followed by 4C , 3C & 2C cast off on opposite sides, dance to the top of the set and pass in front of partner and down
to the bottom of the set on own side


25-32 All set and turn both hands, 2C with 3C and 4C with 1C, four hands round to the left only



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The Argyll Ludging - 32 Bar strathspey



Bar


1-8 1C & 2C, joining nearer hands on the side set to partners; dance four hands round to the left once. 1M & 2M and 1L & 2L, turn once round with both hands to finish in the middle of the dance back to back with partner facing out. 3C step up on bars 7-8 to positions in the side line between first and second places


9-16 1M, 2M, 3M dance left hands across, 1L, 2L, 3L dance right hands across. On meeting partners, 1C followed by 2C and 3C join hands in promenade hold and dance up to the top. 1C cast off on the men's side and turn with left hand to finish with 1M in second place and 1L in third place. 2C cast off on the women's side and turn right hand to finish with 2L in second place and 2M in third place. 3C dance up to the top and turn right hand to finish in the middle of the dance facing down with 3L on her partner's right



17-24 3L & 1M, 3M & 2L and 1L & 2M, set to each other and turn once with both hands, opening out to form a circle and dance six hands to the left to finish with 1C side by side on the women's side, 2C side by side on the men's side and 3C in original places


25-28 1C & 2C dance half ladies' chain. 1C now in second place on opposite sides


29-32 2C, 1C, 3C turn partners with both hands, 1C turning one and a half times to finish on own sides



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Gang the Same Gate - 32 Bar strathspey



Bar


1-8 1C cross RH cast off two, cross RH cast up one

9-16 1C set advancing, turn 1st corner both hands, dance half diagonal reel of four with 2nd corners (1L finishing between 3C position, facing up. 1M between 2C position facing down)

17-24 1C set advancing , turn 2nd corner both hands, dance half diagonal reel of four with 1st corners (all end up on wrong sides)

25-32 Set and link for three



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Alison Rose - 32 Bar strathspey



Bar

1-8 1C lead down the middle into 4th place. All set. Circle to the left for 2 steps to finish men at the top, ladies at the bottom.

9-16 Men dance LH across at the top of the set whilst ladies dance RH across at the bottom of the set. Interchanging wheels with partners to finish with the ladies dancing RH across at the top of the set and men dancing LH across at the bottom.

17-24 1C follows by 4C, 3C, 2C lead round to the right and up the middle of the dance. All turn RH halfway into allemande hold.

25-32 All allemande to finish 2C, 3C, 4C, 1C


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The Inch of Perth - 32 Bar Strathspey - Book 11, No.4


Bar


1-8 First and 2nd couples dance right hands across and left hands back.

9-12 First couple lead down to 3rd place; 2nd and 3rd couples step up on 11 and 12.

13-16 Third and 1st couples circle once round to the left.

17-20 First couple set and cast up one place to corners.

21-24 Set to corners, and

25-32 Reels on the sides, right shoulders to 2nd corners, crossing over at the end.

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Donald Bane - 32 Bar Strathspey - Boook 17, No. 12I


Bar


1-8 First couple dance mirror reels on own side of dance, man passing right shoulder, woman passing left to begin.

9-12 First and 2nd couples right hands across for three bars. On bar 4, 1st couple casts one place WHILE 2nd couple leads up.

13-16 First and 3rd couples left hands across.

17-24 Second, 1st, and 3rd couples dance six hands round to the left and back, 1st couple ends facing first corners.

25-32 Hello-goodbye setting, ending in 2nd place.

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Mrs. Stewart's Strathspey - 48 Bar Strathspey - Book 13 No. 3


Bar


1-8 First and 2nd couples set to and turn partners with both hands; circle once round.

9-16 First couple lead down the middle and up (2nd couple step up) finishing with 1st woman between 2nd couple facing 2nd man, and 1st man between 3rd couple facing 3rd woman.

17-24 Right shoulder reels of three across the dance, finishing facing 1st corners.

25-32 Corner, partner, corner, partner. On last turn, 1st couple finish at top, as 2nd couple dance down for

33-40 First and 2nd couples allemande.

41-48 Six hands round and back.

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Lammermuir Hills - 32 Bar Strathspey - Roy Goldring


Bar


1-8 Poussette right round.

9-16 First woman and 2nd man change places with right hands, and cast around to the right into original places. First and 2nd couples right hands across.

17-24 First man and 2nd woman repeat with left hands, casting to the left. Left hands across.

25-32 Knot.

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Ca' the Ewes Tae the Knowes - 32 Bar Strathspey - Book 16, No. 8


Bar


Ca' the Ewes Tae the Knowes


Strathspey, 32 bars Book 16, No. 8

1-8 First couple cast off, dance behind own lines, then cast back to place.

9-16 First couple turn with right hands and cast off on own sides, flowing into a half figure of eight round 2nd couple, finishing at the top with woman dancing in front of her partner into allemande.

17-24 First and 2nd couples allemande.

25-32 Rights and lefts.

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Simon Brodie - 32 Bar Strathspey


Bar


1-4 First man and 2nd woman set advancing and turn with two hands.

5-8 First woman and 2nd man repeat bars 1-4.

9-12 First couple lead down, cross below 3rd couple, cast up to 2nd place on partner's side (2nd couple up on bars 11 and 12).

13-16 Rights and lefts, one bar per hand, finishing facing 1st corners.

17-24 Set to and turn corners, ending in middle facing women's side, woman nearer the top.

25-27 Dance out women's side, splitting to dance around nearer woman, meeting in middle of dance.

28 Turn once round with both hands to end facing men's side.

29-31 Repeat bars 25-27 on men's side.

32 Turn with left hands to own side.

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Kinfauns Castle - Strathspey 5x32 Haynes



Bar

1- 8 2C,4C pass partners LS to dance diagonal reels of 4 with 1st corners

9-16 2C,4C dance round partners, passing LS, to dance diagonal reels of 4 with 2nd corners

17-24 2M,4M dance in and up while 2L,4L dance in and down to start figures of 8 on their own sidelines around the standing couples

25-28 The four couples at the top (1C,2C and 3C,4C) dance half a poussette to change places

29-32 The four couples at the bottom (1C,4C and 3C,5C) dance half a poussette to change places


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The Dundee Whaler - Strathspey 4x32 Ormskirk



Bar

1- 8 2C,4C dance half a Petronella to finish in their partner's place

9-16 1C,2C and 3C,4C dance a ladies' chain

17-24 1C,3C dance half a Petronella to finish in their partner's place

25-26 1L,2M change places diagonally LH

27-28 1M,2L and 1L,3L change places diagonally RH

29-30 1M,3M and 1L,4M change places diagonally LH

31-32 1M,4L change places diagonally RH

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The Garry Strathspey - Strathspey 4x32 Cosh



Bar

1- 8 'Ends' (1C,2C and 3C,4C) dance half rights and lefts. 'Middles' (1C,4C) dance half rights and lefts

9-12 'Ends' (2C,4C and 1C,3C) circle 4 hands round to the left half way. 'Middles' (2C,3C) circle 4 hands round to the right half way - finish in order 4,3,2,1 on the wrong sides

13-16 1C lead to the top as 4C,3C,2C step down

17-20 1C face 4C, 3C face 2C, all set Highland Scottische

21-24 All dance half a grand chain - start by giving RH to facing person, finish when all are on own sides

25-32 2C,3C,4C,1C dance reels of 4 on their own sides

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The Silver Tassie - Strathspey 8x32 RSCDS



Bar


1- 8 1C,2C,3C cross RH and set on the sides giving nearer hands. 1C,2C,3C cross RH and set on the sides

9-16 1C,3C each dance a figure of 8 round the standing 2C - 1C down diagonally and 3C cast up to start

17-24 1C followed by 2C,3C lead down. 1C followed by 2C,3C lead back up - 1C finish at the top with near hands joined, facing 2C who are in the middle in 2nd place facing up with near hands joined

25-32 1C,2C dance a 'Rondel' to change places - 1C dance down under an arch made by 2C as they dance up. Ladies cross in front of partners and round to join near hands on the men's side while men dance round to the ladies' side. Cross to own sides (ladies under men's arch). 1C dance up, passing in front of 2C and join near hands at the top facing down while 2C dance down and round to join near hands in the middle in 2nd place facing up. 1C dance down under the arch made by 2C as they dance up


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The Plantation Reel - 32 Bar strathspey



Bar


1-8 1C cross RH, dance out and down behind 2C, in and around 4C to finish in 2nd place on the wrong side whilst 3C cross RH, dance out and down behind 4C as they step up, in around 5C to finish in fourth place on the wrong side.

9-16 2C, 1C and 4C, 3C dance half rights and lefts. 1C, 2C and 3C, 4C dance two petronella turns moving 2 places anti clockwise round a square, finishing in the order 2, 1, 4, 3 with 1C & 3C on the wrong sides

17-24 2C, 1M and 1L, 4C, 3M and 3L, 5C dance a RH wheel 2C, 1L and 1M, 4C, 3L and 3M, 5C dance a LH wheel

25-32 1C cross RH and dance out and down one place whilst 3C cross RH and dance out and down one place. All (2C,4C,1C,5C,3C) turn RH.

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For other dance formations, check out these links: