Let's write an Xmarks dance

[londonpiper]

Just a quick update to let you all know that we danced Andrewson's XS reel tonight and great fun it is too though not, I think it's fair to say, one for complete beginners as it's fast and furious and you have to keep your wits about you. Hesitate and you're lost! Hope Jamies try out goes well.

[Panache]

Our class was very large and very busy last night.

We didn't have an opportunity to try it.

Sorry, maybe we will get a report from Kiltman?

Cheers

Jamie

[londonpiper]

Our class was very large and very busy last night.

We didn't have an opportunity to try it.

Sorry, maybe we will get a report from Kiltman?

Cheers

Jamie

Not to worry Jamie. It occurs to me that, given Christmas, Hogmanay and Burn's night all looming in the near future, I could have chosen a quieter time of year to start this thread.

[McMurdo]

My class is over until after the holidays, of course there are many other events in the new future. I will see about bringing it to my class in the new year.

[Andrewson]

Just a quick update to let you all know that we danced Andrewson's XS reel tonight ...

As always when a new dance is danced for the first time it becomes obvious where greater clarity in the instructions is needed and where changes have to be made. So here, for the record, is the tried and tested version of The XS Reel:

The XS Reel
A 32 bar reel for 3C in a 4C set
Music: Any good 32 bar Reel; suggest Track 9 on RSCDS Book 41 The Blackwater Reel (David Cunningham and his Scottish Dance Band)

Bars 1-4
1st couple set and cast off one place to face 1st corners
Bars 5-16
Dance to corners and set, 1st couple end facing 1st corners in 3rd corner position
5- 6 1s change places with 1st corners passing RSh & 1st corners pass RSh with a ¼ turn to right in centre to face 2nd corners (as 2nd corners set),
7- 8 Original 1st corners change places with 2nd corners passing RSh & 2nd corners pass RSh with a ¼ turn to right to face 1s in 3rd corner (position) as 1C set
9-10 Original 2nd corners change places with 1s passing RSh & 1s pass RSh with a ¼ turn to right to face 2nd corner (position) as orig 1st corners set
11-16 Repeat this Fig once more until 1C end in centre facing 3rd corner positions with 3s & 2s in 1st & 3rd places opposite sides

Bars 17-24
1M picks up 3L in normal promenade hold (1M with 3L on his RHS) and dances a figure of eight round 3M and 2L giving RS to 3M to begin and ending by returning 3L to her original position, while 1L picks up 2M in a promenade hold in which 1L has 2M on her RHS and dances a figure of eight round the same two standing couples (1M&3L pass 1L&2M LS in the middle) returning 2M to his original position
Bars 25-28
1C dance ½ reel of 4 with 3M & 2L giving RS, 1M to 3M, 1L to 2L, to begin and ending in 2nd place
Bars 29-32
All turn partner to end 2,1,3 on own sides

Repeat having passed a couple.

I am very grateful to Martin in Grenoble for his suggestions on bars 17-32. It saved me great embarrassment at the debut where we did, as londonpiper has kindly said, have great fun (and only a little confusion) with it. I only regret that I missed doing the dance because I was calling it.

[The F-H.C.A.G.]

It has taken me over 2 years of classes to not break out in a cold sweat at the mention of reels! I expect the above dance is much easier to do than read though, as most are.

I would very much like to see a very simple, ultra-beginner type dance that we could do at our Burns' supper next month. Unfortunately, very simple, ultra-beginner dances do not include Double Triangles! Nor are they Strathspeys, nor do they include reels, or even setting step for that matter.

So, there's the challenge. Any takers?

Be well,

[starbkjrus]

It has taken me over 2 years of classes to not break out in a cold sweat at the mention of reels! I expect the above dance is much easier to do than read though, as most are.

I would very much like to see a very simple, ultra-beginner type dance that we could do at our Burns' supper next month. Unfortunately, very simple, ultra-beginner dances do not include Double Triangles! Nor are they Strathspeys, nor do they include reels, or even setting step for that matter.

So, there's the challenge. Any takers?

Be well,

Scottish Country Tango?

[davedove]

Scottish Country Tango?

I'm sitting here trying to imagine a tango played on bagpipes. It might be fun, but it just doesn't seem right somehow. I would be willing to try it though.

I can't say too much though. I have found that many country (as in & western) music is done to a cha cha or rumba rhythm.

More power to everyone. I much prefer the partner dances as opposed to the group dances. I like keeping my arms around the lady for the whole dance.

[cessna152towser]

Considering the number of local variations of dances which already exist here in Scotland I think there would be considerable resistance at my SCD class to any experimentation with yet another new dance. However if any of your experiments are adopted by any of your classes or by the forum as an official xmarks dance then I'd be delighted to have a copy to pass on to the dance teacher and we could maybe give it a go.

[Andrewson]

It has taken me over 2 years of classes to not break out in a cold sweat at the mention of reels! I expect the above dance is much easier to do than read though, as most are.

I would very much like to see a very simple, ultra-beginner type dance that we could do at our Burns' supper next month. Unfortunately, very simple, ultra-beginner dances do not include Double Triangles! Nor are they Strathspeys, nor do they include reels, or even setting step for that matter.

So, there's the challenge. Any takers?

Be well,

A dance I'd use at a ceilidh where there are people who have not danced before is The Flying Scotsman. Here's the MINICRIB for it:

THE FLYING SCOTSMAN 1 (J8x32) 3C (4C Set) H Thurston 16 SCDs
1- 8 1L followed by 2L+3L cross, cast behind 1M, in front of 2M, behind 3M, cross & dance up to places
9-16 1M followed by 2M+3M repeat around Ladies
17-24 1s slip step down the middle & up to 2nd place
25-32 2s+1s+3s slip step down & back

If, for complete beginners, you want to avoid the complications of repeating from 2nd place then in 17-24 ask the 1s to slip step down and back to 4th place and form an arch. The others then cast off down the sides and lead up through the arch ready to start again.

Meets all your criteria and is usually thought to be good fun I recently taught it to class of 9 and 10 year olds and they really enjoyed all the train movements (it is named for a famous express train that used to run from London to Edinburgh). We had a ball with it.