An Scottish Country dance I wrote, "The Savage Cavy"

[Panache]

To my fellow dancing X Markers I wanted to share a dance I wrote.

It happens that a friend and one of my fellow dancers in The Red Thistle Dancers is a guinea pig aficionado. We were discussing how young cavies (another term for guinea pigs) will do "popcorn" jumps where the little creatures jump in the air and spin 180 degrees about. I joked with her about the need to write a dance about this. It happened a few weeks later we had a beginner set that came to grief when instead of dancing the traditional "Rights and Lefts" danced the opposite. It was joked to me by yet another Red Thistle Dancers that I needed to write a dance with this unique figure. I decided to come up with a whimsical little dance that emulated the antics of these fun little creatures and dedicated i to my friend Deborah. It is odd that the 2nd couple is the active couple (and 1st couple still need to step to the bottom after their second time through) and that the last (whimsical figure) is all about the other two couples, but it is something a little different and this what the San Jose class where I dance Monday nights is all about.


Here is a photo of me presenting the dance to my friend Deborah



If anyone gives it a try I'd love to here what you think.

Cheers

Jamie ith:



The Savage Cavy

A 40 Bar reel for 3 couples in a 4 couple set
Written by Jamie Tanner in honor of Deborah Savage who is a wonderful
friend, dancer, and guinea pig* aficionado extraordinaire 






Bars 1-4 1st, 2nd, and 3rd couples advance for two steps and retire for two steps

Bars 5-8 2nd couple dance a gypsy turn, pulling back right shoulders to face own side (remaining in the middle of the set back to back)

Meanwhile

1st and 3rd couples dance two places clockwise to finish in the following order

3M...........1M
.......2W
.......2M
3W..........1W


Bars 9-16 All three couples dance inverted triangles to finish in same places

Bars 17-22 All three couples dance a 6 bar reel on the sides 2nd couples give right shoulders (2nd man up, 2nd lady down.) 2nd couple finishing in 2nd place on
their own sides

Bars 23-24 1st turns halfway by the right hand and remain in the middle of the set, 2nd couple do a full turn by the right hand and remain in the middle of the set, 3rd couples cross with the right hand to own sides

3W
......... 2W 1W
......... 2M 1M
3M

Bars 25-32 1st and 2nd couples poussette

Bars 33-40 3rd and 1st couples danceLefts and Rights(3rd and 1st men and 3rd and 1st women change places with left hands on the sides, right hands across, left handson the sides, and right hands across)

3W 1W 2W
3M 1M 2M

Dance repeats with 4th couple.

[ASinclair]

Our Greensboro Scottish Country Dance Society is on summer break, but when we start class again in September I'll see if our teacher will let us give this a go. It looks fun.

[Tarheel]

I have not been into dance in tooooo long a time, but I can read and imagine how fun this reel would be to perform. Please get someone to film the techniques when you have them honed. There is a local dance group that might be interested in trying "The Savage Cavy". I'm sure once they saw, heard and felt the beat and movements a "craze" would sweep folks off their chairs and onto the dance floor.

[ASinclair]

What music should this be danced to?

[Panache]

What music should this be danced to?

Allen,

In all honesty I didn't have a particular tune in mind. Any 40 bar reel will do. A spritely one would be in keeping with the spirit of the dance, but not too frantic/fast please
e.

Cheers

Jamie

[Grizzled Ian]

Good work Jamie! I look forward to trying 'The Savage Cavy' with my U3A class when they're ready - probably not til next year, though, they've only been going since 5 May.
I had the pleasure of meeting Tim W in Brisbane a few weeks ago, and Steph M sent me a photo of her with you in what looks to be the same room as in your OP - I met her in Bundanoon in April during her Australian visit.

[Panache]

Tim and Stephanie are both lovely people. We are fortunate to have such a thriving community of Scottish Country Dancers here in the Bay Area. Stephanie got a kick out of taking photos with both of us. SCD is such a wonderful bond worldwide!

Good work Jamie! I look forward to trying 'The Savage Cavy' with my U3A class when they're ready - probably not til next year, though, they've only been going since 5 May.
I had the pleasure of meeting Tim W in Brisbane a few weeks ago, and Steph M sent me a photo of her with you in what looks to be the same room as in your OP - I met her in Bundanoon in April during her Australian visit.