September

Tuesday, September 30, 2025, Noel Chávez taught the class and started with a talk-through-only dance, then introduced a dance where only the ladies were told what to do and told to use no words to help their partners get through the dance. Later she taught a dance where only the men got the details. Carrie taught a dance from the proposed Fall Dance program. We danced a couple of other fun dances and ended with a classic dance or a variation of the classic dance.

Dances done:

1. The Machine Without Horses 32J3

2. The Brudenell Jig 32J2 (ladies only)

3. The Saint John River 32S4 (Set)

4. Miss Falconer’s Fancy 32S2 (men only)

5. Shinkansen 32R3

6. Millbrae Station 32S2

7. Widdershins 32R3

8. Mairi’s Wedding *or* Mairi’s Scandalous Illicit Affair 40R3

Saturday, September 27, 2025, we had an Introduction to Scottish Country Dancing Workshop. It was great fun and we had a good number of people: new dancers, dancers who’d danced with us before and wanted to try it again, and regulars (including several who joined us after last year’s new dancer classes) who came out to help partner new dancers. We did a selection of fun/easy jigs and reels (both circle dances and longwise dances) and did a couple of ‘demo’ dances to show some of what else is available.

Dances done:

1. The Cumberland Jig 32J4 (Set) 8X

2. Circassian (Big) Circle 32R Circle

3. Charlestown Chaser 32J4 (Set)

4. Arbroath 700 32R4 (Set) 8X

5. Burns Night 32J2 (demo dance done 3X)

6. The Fairy Ring 32J Circle

7. Virginia Reel 40R4 (Set)

8. Triple Happiness 32S3 (Set) (demo dance)

9. Circle of Cheer 32R Circle

10. Jig to the Music 32J3 (Set)

11. The Deil Amang the Tailors 32R3 (variant in the first and last 8 bars)

Tuesday, September 23, 2025, we did a Unit 2 dance, two dances potentially from the Fall Dance, a dance from Book 54, the two demo dances planned for the Introduction to SCD dance this coming Saturday, and a couple of other fun dances. We reviewed diagonal rights and lefts, the bourrel, the knot, corners pass and turn, and tandem reels. We also did a talk-through-only dance.

Dances done:

1. Busy Ann 32J2

2. Dancing in Perthshire 32S4 (Square)

3. Shiftin’ Bobbins 32R3

4. Burns Night 32J2

5. Triple Happiness 32S3 (Set)

6. Scott Meikle 32R4 (Set)

7. The Ruby Celebration Strathspey 32S3 (Set)

8. Miss Hadden’s Reel 32J3

Tuesday, September 16, 2025, we introduced set and rotate for 2 couples and danced a couple of dances with that figure in both strathspey and jig time. We did a dance from Book 54 and a dance from the Unit 2 dances (taught by Aileen), plus a classic strathspey. Other figures we covered were set and rotate for 3 couples, bourrel for 3 couples, set and link for 3 couples, and set to and turn corners into closing reels. We also tried a talk-through-only dance althought we did walk it for one couple.

Dances done:

1. Holland Park 32J3

2. Cath 32S3 (Set)

3. A Capital Jig 32J3

4. Drifters 32S3 (Set) (new Sue dance)

5. Dancing Forth 32R3

6. Duke of Perth 32R3

7. Gang the Same Gate 32S3

Tuesday, September 9, 2025, we introduced the bourrel for 2 couples and danced 2 dances with the bourrel. We also danced 2 dances from the Unit 2 dances (Carrie and Aileen teaching), a couple of fun dances, and a talk-through-only dance.

Dances done:

1. Granville Market 32J3

2. General Stuart’s Reel 32R3

3. David’s Strathspey 32S3 (Set)

4. Connect-the-Cut 32J2 (new Sue dance)

5. Marian Cook’s Strathspey 32S3

6. The Starry Eyed Lassie 32J3

7. The New River Reel 32R3

Tuesday, September 2, 2025, we spent time reviewing the strathspey poussette and danced a couple of dances with that figure. We also tried 3 dances from Book 54, and included dances with Inveran reels, set and link for 3 couples, diagonal rights and lefts, and set to and turn corners into closing reels. Both Carrie and Aileen taught one of the Book 54 dances.

Dances done:

1. King George 32J2 (new Sue dance)

2. Miss Lucy Clark 32R3

3. Dr Wagstaff’s Strathspey 32S3

4. The Yorkshire Rose 32J3

5. A Bytown Lass 32S3

6. Merry Mayhem 32R3

7. Trip to Gatlingburg 32J3

8. The Minister on the Loch 32S3 (Set)

9. Mrs MacLeod 32R3