Set And Rotate

The Figure, Set and rotate interchanges the Positions of two adjacent Couples in a Longwise set and so can be used as a Progression. In the 2005 edition of "The Manual of Scottish Country Dancing", the RSCDS describes it for Quick tempo dances, only; however, many devisers have included it in Strathspeys.

Set and rotate requires 8 bars; when danced by the first two Couples:

Bar 1
All Take hands On the sides, Set (right foot step) Facing Partners and release the Hold;

Bar 2
all Set (left foot step), Turning on the spot (a whole Turn for 1st Man and 2nd Lady, three quarters for 1st Lady and 2nd Man) to Finish Facing clockwise around the rectangle formed by their Places;

Bars 3-4
all Chase clockwise one Place around the rectangle formed by their Places, Finishing Facing Partners;

Bars 5-6
all Cross up and down on the sides, Finishing Facing clockwise;

Bars 7-8
all Chase clockwise one Place around the rectangle formed by their Places, Finishing 2nd Couple in 1st Place, 1st Couple in 2nd Place.

In the Quick tempo form, accurate Timing requires that the Cross up and down and the Chase in bars 5-8 should be combined into a Figure much more like Turn Partner ¾ with 1st Lady and 2nd Man almost Dancing On the spot and Finishing in the Places in which they started the Turn While their Partners Travel two Places around the rectangle.

In the Strathspey form, the sideways movement on bar 1 must be made very small and the Dancers should release their Hold and begin to Pull right shoulder back in the second half of the bar so that Turning on the spot in bar 2 is easier; indeed, 1st Man and 2nd Lady do not need to Turn on the spot in bar 2 since they are already Facing in the correct Direction ready for bar 3. Bars 5-8 do not need to be combined into a Turning Figure in the Strathspey form.

When it is used in the last 8 bars of the format, 3 Couple repeat in 4 couple set, and when 3rd Couple will be involved on bar 1 of the next Repeat, it is necessary, for the 1st Couple only, to modify the Figure on the 2nd, 4th and 6th Repeats as shown in the Dance Notes for Which Way Is Up?.

For example, here are some Scottish Country Dances in which the term, Set And Rotate, is used in either the Minicrib or the Maxicrib Dance instructions or both -
Calm Before The Storm
Cannadine Strathspey
Capital Jig
Charles Upton's Obsession
Crystal Quaich
Four Minute Reel
Grumpy Gentleman
Jackdaw
Kamo Carousel
Lesley Nixon's Reel
Prince Edward Island
Thorncliff
Westminster Reel

Complex Figures

Allemande
The Bourrel
Courage Reels
En Rond
Espagnole
Inveran Reels
Kilt Pin Reel
The Knot
La Baratte
Pass And Turn
Poussette Movements
Promenade
Rondel
Sash Pin Reel
Schiehallion Reels
Set And Link
Set And Rotate
The Spoke
The Spurtle
The Swirl
The Targe
The Tourbillon
The Tournee

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