Admirable Fred
Scottish Country Dance Instruction
Admirable Fred - 64R4 - in a balanced set (3rd and 4th couples begin on opposite sides) Linda Mae Dennis1-8 1st couple with 2nd couple and 3rd couple with 4th couple dance four hands round to the left and back.
9-16 1st and 4th women set to each other, cast off or up one place, meet between 2nd and 3rd couples and turn with the right hand 1¼ times to finish with 1st woman between 3rd couple and 4th woman between 2nd couple. Meanwhile, 1st and 4th men set to each other twice, dance across through their partners' places and down or up one place respectively, to finish just inside the side lines between 2nd and 3rd couple.
17-20 1st woman, still curving to the right, dance out between 2nd man and 3rd woman and up through her partner's place and cross to own side. Similarly, 4th woman dance out between 2nd woman and 3rd man and down through her partner's place and cross to own side. Meanwhile, 1st and 4th men turn giving right hands 1¼ times.
21-24 1st and 4th men follow their partner's route between 2nd and 3rd couples to finish in original places and set to partners while 1st and 4th women set twice, once to each other and once to partners.
25-32 1st couple with 2nd couple and 3rd couple with 4th couple dance rights and lefts.
33-40 2nd and 3rd couples dance a Ladies' Chain. They do not give the final left hand, but pass left shoulders and dance in to meet their partner in the middle, 2nd couple facing up, 3rd couple facing down. On bar 40, 1st and 4th couples dance in, 1st couple facing up, 4th couple facing down, ready for...
41-48 Allemande, 1st and 2nd couples dancing out and up as usual, 3rd and 4th couples dancing down and to the right, inverted, to finish in the order 2, 1, 4, 3.
49-56 All dance the Grand Chain, end couples cross over to begin.
57-64 All advance and retire (4 bars). Then 2nd and 4th couples dance half rights and lefts while 1st and 3rd couples turn once round giving right hands. They finish in the order 4, 1, 2, 3, with 2nd and 3rd couples on opposite sides.
Repeat with a new top couple.
(Dance crib compiled by the deviser, Linda Mae Dennis, 2004)
Dance Instruction Videos
Admirable Fred - Scottish Country Dancing Instruction VideoDance Information
Admirable Fred was devised by Linda Mae Dennis for Fred van Nus, who worked tirelessly to promote Scottish Country Dancing especially in Clark County, Washington.Fred van Nus was a Scottish country dancer and teacher for 33 years, and the strathspey Emerald Hills Of Home was written for Fred and Marge vvan Nus telling the story of their meeting and their dancing.
Fred was admirable for other reasons too. His obituary (2008) tells us "Fred was a humanitarian, naturalist, conservationist and an environmentalist with a strong belief in community... (He was) Professor of Optometry, University of Waterloo, Ontario and Pacific University, Forest Grove, Oregon, where he established an internship program of service to the Colville and Quinault Indian Reservations. Fred's membership in professional, service and social organisations were numerous and international... No matter where he lived he established connections and bonds of friendship across various communities, cultures and languages making everyone feel like family.
Among his many accomplishments, he worked with the Washington State Legislature to officially pass into law the Washington State Tartan Bill, the first State Tartan west of the Mississippi". (The tartan in question can be viewed at The Scottish Register Of Tartans.) The tartan's colours represent the many aspects of Washington: blue for the lakes, rivers and ocean; white for snow-capped mountains; red for all fruit; yellow for all grain; and black for Mount St. Helens. The green background is used for the state motto: the Evergreen state.
Suggested music: "Pint O' Ale" from The Devil's Quandary with Deby Benton Grosjean and Andy Imbrie (Ridgetop Sound, Aptos, California). There's a ballad that goes with the music.

Mount Shuksan, North Cascades National Park, Washington
Image copyright under this Creative Commons Licence 1.0.
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