Often these instructions are so brief that they don't describe the
dance as completely as in the original instructions. Also,
some of the dances are often taught in various ways or have original
instructions which are not clear. Clicking on the asterisk (*) which
marks the unclear places will link to these notes, in which I expand
on the instructions or present
my ideas on how the dance is best done. - Ron Fuchs
Barlee Bree, Bars 21-40
Some dancers suggest that couples 2, 3, and 4, move up one position
during or after turning the 1st couple, but it is difficult to
do this in a satisfactory way. It seems best for the side couples
to return to their own positions after the 2-bar turns with the
1st couple. It is much harder for the 1st man than the 1st woman
to do the turns on the side, so he needs to be helped by the women.
The 1st couple forms an arch about 6 inches below the 4th couple.
The couples dancing through the arch keep nearer hands joined until
bar 39, and all 4 couples return to their own sides on bar 40.
Monymusk, Bars 11-12
While all dancers are setting, the 3rd woman assists the 1st man
as he moves to 2nd place on the women's side.
That is, while setting to the right, she continues holding the 1st
man's right hand with her left
hand as he turns to face her while moving diagonally forward and to
his right. She lets his hand go near the end of
the bar as she starts turning to the left on the tuck.
On bar 12, continuing to turn while moving to her place, she takes
his left hand with her right hand, and guides him into 2nd place on
the women's side as he continues turning right without moving much.
At the end of
bar 12, the 3rd woman, 1st man, and 2nd woman are facing the men's
side with nearer hands joined.
The 2nd man and 1st woman dance these two bars in a similar way.
Ferla Mor, Bars 17-24
The 3rd man and 2nd woman continue dancing the reel for 8 bars.
The 1st couple finishes the reel in the center of the set
in 6 bars, when the 1st woman turns back to her left before the
left hand turn with the 1st man.
Ferla Mor, Bars 25-28 and 29-32
The corners dance for the full four bars while turning the 1st couple.
The Dundee Whaler, Bars 25-32
According to Bob Donald, a friend of the deviser Roy Clowes, the
diagonal crossing of the dancers
represents the tacking of the whaling ship. He writes
that the dancers should slide into place after crossing (no polite
turns). This can be done most easily by giving hands only briefly
while crossing, to avoid being pulled into a polite turn.
Certainly the 1st couple should slide into place, but many
dancers crossing diagonally up the set feel better doing polite
turns. A logical interpretation of this would be that only the
1st couple represents the whaling ship, and the other couples
represent the water swirling about after the ship has passed.
Dance Instructions