3 Couple Repeat In 4 Couple Set
The 3 couple repeat in 4 couple, Longwise set is the most common Scottish Country Dance format; the Full set has four Couples and each Repeat of the dance requires an Active set of three Couples (see the following diagram).In the diagrams, the numbered Places of the Dancers in the Full set, i.e., the Places in which they Started the dance, are shown in Times New Roman font in the upper left part of the Dancer's symbol; their numbered Places in the Active set, i.e., the Places in which they Started the current Repeat, are shown in Helvetica font in the lower right part.
On the first time through (the first Repeat), the 1st, 2nd and 3rd couples dance While the 4th couple Stand in Places as shown in the following diagram.
3 Couple Repeat In 4 Couple Set - 1st Repeat
At the end of the first Repeat, the Progression leaves the 1st couple in 2nd Place of the Full set. They Repeat the dance with the 3rd and 4th couples of the Full set (performing, respectively, as did the 2nd and 3rd couples in the first Repeat) While the former 2nd couple, at the Top of the Full set, Stand in Places.
At the end of the second Repeat, the 1st couple would naturally reach 3rd Place of the Full set; instead, they Drop Down to 4th Place of the Full set, using whatever movement is natural and will not impede the 4th couple (who will have to move Up quickly into 3rd Place of the Full set if they have to Start immediately at the beginning of the third Repeat). The Couples are now in the order 2s3s4s1s; the dance continues with each Couple becoming the 1st couple of the Active set and dancing twice through (two Repeats), in turn, Dropping to 4th Place of the Full set at the end of the second Repeat. The following diagram shows the Dancers at the beginning of the fourth Repeat.
3 Couple Repeat In 4 Couple Set - 4th Repeat
Conventionally, the dance Finishes with all the Couples back where they Started. However, it is more elegant, and has become common practice, for the 4th couple of the Full set not to Drop to 4th Place at the end of their second Repeat as 1st couple of the Active set; instead they remain in 3rd Place of the Full set for the chord at the end of the dance.
While this is the most common format, it can confuse the Beginner who needs to be careful to remember which 3 Couples are dancing the current Repeat and which Couple is not. S/he should not be tempted to join in the dancing when s/he is supposed to be Standing still (in 4th Place of the Full set for the odd-numbered Repeats or 1st Place for the even), awaiting the next Repeat when s/he will be involved; more importantly, while dancing a Repeat, s/he should not attempt to include the Couple who are Standing awaiting their turn in the next Repeat.
It may be helpful to remember the order in which the Original Couples of the Full set find themselves at the Start of each of the eight Repeats of the complete dance. The Standing Couple is shown in italic; the Active set for each Repeat has the 1st couple shown in bold face and the Supporting couples (the 2nd and 3rd couples of the Active set) in roman face:
1s2s3s 4s
2s 1s3s4s
2s3s4s 1s
3s 2s4s1s
3s4s1s 2s
4s 3s1s2s
4s1s2s 3s
1s 4s2s3s
Another way of viewing this Progression is the sequence in which each Dancer performs each Place of the 8 Repeats. For the Original 1st couple this is:
11 43 32 20
where 4 means Standing in 4th Place and 0 means Standing at the Top, in each case While the other three Couples are dancing as the Active set. The Original 4th couple follow the same sequence Starting two Repeats down the list, i.e.,
43 32 20 11
and similarly for the other two Couples.
This rather complicated format does have a counterbalancing benefit for the Beginner and is helpful to the Dancer unfamiliar with the particular dance. By Starting in 4th Place, s/he can Stand and watch the 3rd Lady/Man perform in the first Repeat and briefly memorize this ready to perform that same sequence of Figures in the second and third Repeats. The Figures for the next two Repeats (dancing as 2nd couple of the Active set) are usually very similar to those for the 3rd couple of the Active set with Up and Down reversed. Next, s/he Stands at the Top and can watch the same Lady/Man perform as the 1st couple of the Active set and can again briefly memorize this ready to perform that same sequence of Figures in the last two Repeats.
As an encore in dances of this format, usually only one Repeat per Couple is danced ("Once and to the Bottom"). On completing their Repeat, the 1st couple of the Active set must Drop especially quickly to 4th Place, using a movement which will not impede the two Couples who need to move Up to Start the new Repeat. Again, it has become common practice for 4th couple not to Drop to 4th Place but instead to stay in 2nd Place at the end of the last Repeat of the encore.
At a Ball, and in order to avoid having keen Dancers sitting out, the MC may allow a fifth Couple in one or more Sets; after completing their two Repeats as 1st couple of the Active set, the Original 1st, 2nd and 3rd couples Drop to 5th Place. Unless the MC advises otherwise, the 4th and 5th couples should dance as 1st couple of the Active set once only, 4th couple Dropping to 5th Place at the end of the 7th Repeat. This does mean that 2nd couple of the Full set are penalized by being able to perform in only four Repeats whereas the others perform in five. In a dance where the Drop to 5th Place is particularly difficult (see Flow between repeats), at the end of the 7th Repeat the Dancing couple can conveniently stay in 2nd Place of the Full set from which they dance as 2nd couple of the final Repeat; however, as John Marshall of Cheltenham Scottish Society points out, this does mean that 2nd couple of the Full set are penalized even more by being able to perform in only three of the eight Repeats.
Alternatively, the MC may invite three Couples to dance as a "3 Couple Set"; on completing their Repeat, the 1st couple of the Active set must move especially quickly Down to 3rd Place and the 3rd couple of the Active set must move quickly Up to 2nd Place ready to Start the new Repeat. The actual movement by the 1st couple should be chosen to fit with the movements on bar 1 of the next Repeat when the 2nd and 3rd couples become the new 1st and 2nd couples.
In the above standard form of Progression, the Couples Finish their odd-numbered Repeats (and the last) in the order 2 1 3 of the Active set; for the other Repeats, after taking account of the Drop to 4th Place, the Finishing order in the Active set is 2 3 1. In an exceptionally rare alternative form of Progression, as in A Trip to Tobermory (Allen), these are 3 1 2 and 3 2 1, respectively. This alternative Progression has no particular merit and may even not appear different to the unobservant since the Dancing couples perform successively from 1st and 2nd Places of the Full set, albeit in a slightly different sequence; it suffers from the same problem over the Drop to 4th Place, as is exemplified in this dance which has 3rd couple of the new Repeat active on bar 1.
With this Progression, the order in which the Original couples of the Full set find themselves at the Start of each of the eight Repeats of the complete dance is as follows. Again, the Standing couple is shown in italic; the Active set for each Repeat has the 1st couple shown in bold face and the Supporting couples (the 2nd and 3rd couples of the Active set) in roman face:
1s2s3s 4s
3s 1s2s4s
3s4s2s 1s
2s 3s4s1s
2s1s4s 3s
4s 2s1s3s
4s3s1s 2s
1s 4s3s2s
Here are examples of those Scottish Country Dances for which we have instructions on this site and in which the term, 3 couple repeat in 4 couple set, either appears explicitly or is implied; note that for a common term these will be a small selection; for a rare term, these may be all that exist:
Alex Doig's Jig
Best Set In The Hall
Charlotte Square
Devil's Point
Findlater Castle
Gaelforce Wind
Hobson's Choice
Inverneill House
John Of Bon Accord
MacLeod's Tables (Haynes)
Old Man Of Storr
Roslin Castle
Snake Pass
Links To Pages Related To 'Longwise Sets'
Types Of SetsBack to the top of this Scottish Country Dancing '3 Couple Repeat In 4 Couple Set' page