The Meeting Of The Waters

Scottish Country Dance Instruction

THE MEETING OF THE WATERS (R8x48) 3C (4C set) I Boyd Strathtay Album

1- 8 1s+2s dance reel of 4 across (1M and 2L pass LSh while 1L and 2M cast), 1L ends facing out
9-16 1s dance parallel Figs of 8 round 2s and 3s on own sides (pass 2s RSh to start)
17-24 1L followed by 1M casts round 2L, cross down between 3s, cast up to 2nd place on Men's side and cross to own side as 1M ends Men's side
25-32 1s dance RH across with 3s and LH across with 2s
33-40 2s+1s+3s dance reels of 3 on own sides (1s giving RSh to 3s to start)
41-48 2s+1s+3s circle 6H round and back

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

The Meeting Of The Waters
I Boyd   Strathtay Album
Reel   8 x 48 bars   3 Couple Repeat   4 Couple Set   Lengthwise Set

1-8      1s2s reel of 4 across (starting with 1M2L passing left shoulder, 1L casting and 2M casting up);
9-16    1s, giving right shoulder to 2s, parallel figures of 8 on own sides;
17-24  1L (followed by 1M) cast, dance down between 3s and cast up round 3M to 2nd place;
25-28  1s3s right hands across;
29-32  2s1s left hands across;
33-40  parallel reels of 3 on own sides (1s giving right shoulder to 3s to start);
41-48  2s1s3s 6 hands round and back.

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

Dance Notes

1-8      Move very quickly so that 2s can get back to places.
17-24  Take this slowly.

Dance Information

Iain Boyd told John Gorrie (of Witham and District Caledonian Society) that The Meeting Of The Waters was merely a tune he liked and he devised this dance to fit the tune.

It is thought that the inspiration for the tune comes from a location of that name in County Wicklow, Ireland where the Avonbeg runs into the Avonmore (the "little river" and the "big river") to become the Avoca which flows through the village of Avoca into the Irish Sea at Arklow.

The Avoca area has been immortalised by Thomas Moore in the famous song The Meeting of the Waters. The song is said to have been written under a tree, the stump of which remains by the Meetings.

Avoca is the village where the BBC series Ballykissangel was filmed.

Avonmore Left; Avonbeg Right; Avoca Ahead At The Meeting Of The Waters.

Dance Information licensed under this Creative Commons Licence.
Text from this original Meeting Of The Waters article on Wikipedia.
Text from this original Avoca article on Wikipedia.
Image Copyright Sarah777.

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