Mairi's Wedding

Scottish Country Dance Instruction

MAIRI'S WEDDING (R8x40) 3C (4C set) Cosh 22 SCDs

1- 8 1s turn RH and cast to 2nd place, 1s turn LH to face 1st corners
9-16 1s dance ½ diagonal reel of 4 with 1st corners, 1s dance ½ diagonal reel with 2nd corners
17-24 1s dance ½ diagonal reel with 3rd corner (pstns), ½ diagonal reel with 4th corner (pstns)
25-32 1s dance reel of 3 across (Lady with 2s, Man with 3s - LSh to 1st corner)
33-40 2s+1s+3s circle 6H round and back

(MINICRIB, Dance crib compiled by Charles Upton. Deeside Caledonian Society.)

Mairi's Wedding
James Cosh   22 Scottish Country Dances (and 2 more)
Reel   8 x 40 bars   3 Couple Repeat   4 Couple Set   Lengthwise Set

1-4      1s turn by the right and cast;
5-8      1s turn by the left to face 1st corners;
9-12    1s half diagonal reel of 4 with first corners;
13-16  1s half diagonal reel of 4 with second corners;
17-20  1s half diagonal reel of 4 with first corners (in partner's corner's position);
21-24  1s half diagonal reel of 4 with second corners (in partner's corner's position);
25-32  2s1L 1M3s reels of 3 across, 1s giving left shoulder to first corners to start;
33-40  2s1s3s 6 hands round and back.

(MAXICRIB, Scottish country dancing instructions compiled by Reuben Freemantle.)

Dance Notes

1-2      A quick turn (RSCDS style) or elbow grip.
3-4      2s step up by going diagonally inward and then outward.
5-8      A slow, long arm turn, not elbow grip.
9-24    1s officially pass giving left shoulder between the half reels but right shoulder is more usual.

Mairi's Wedding (3-couple version)
James Cosh   22 Scottish Country Dances (and 2 more)
Reel   3 x 40 bars   3 Couple Repeat   3 Couple Set   Lengthwise Set

1-2      1s turn by the right;
3-4      1s cast;
5-8      1s turn by the left to face 1st corners;
9-12    1s half diagonal reel of 4 with first corners;
13-16  1s half diagonal reel of 4 with second corners;
17-20  1s half diagonal reel of 4 with first corners (in partner's corner's position);
21-24  1s half diagonal reel of 4 with second corners (in partner's corner's position);
25-30  2s1L 1M3s reels of 3 across, 1s giving left shoulder to first corners to start, 2s finishing in 1st place, 3s in 3rd place facing out, 1s on the centre line, 1L above 1M;
30-32  3s cast up to 2nd place WHILE 1s turn by the left to finish facing up, nearer hands joined, in the centre in 3rd place;
33-40  2s3s1s 6 hands round and back.

(MAXICRIB, Scottish country dancing instructions compiled by Reuben Freemantle.)

Dance Notes

1-2      A quick turn (RSCDS style) or elbow grip.
3-4      2s step up by going diagonally inward and then outward.
5-8      A slow, long arm turn, not elbow grip.
9-24    1s officially pass giving left shoulder between the half reels but right shoulder is more usual.
25-32  This is the modification for 3 couples; the reels are completed in 6 bars leaving 2 bars for the progression to interchange 3s and 1s before the hands round and back.
33-40  If this is the final display, keep the hands round going to the left on the last repeat and finish with a "hooch".

Dance Information

Mairi's Wedding (also known as Marie's Wedding, the Lewis Bridal Song, or Mairi Bhan) is a Scottish folk song originally written in Gaelic by Johnny Bannerman for Mary McNiven.

Written using a traditional Scottish tune, it was first played for McNiven in 1935 at the Old Highlanders Institute in Glasgow's Elmbank Street. Hugh S. Roberton translated the Gaelic version into English in 1936.

Dance Information licensed under this Creative Commons Licence.
Text from this original Mairi's Wedding article on Wikipedia.
Additional search terms; Mairis, mhairis, maris.

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