Scottish Country Dancing Dictionary

Alister MacLeay

Scottish Country Dance Instruction

ALISTER MACLEAY (S4x32) 4C set Susan M Johnston BHS 9 for 2015
2 chords - on 2nd chord 3s and 4s cross to opposite sides

1- 8 All circle 8H ½ way round to Left. All set and cross RH
9-16 Repeat Bars 1-8 finishing in Allemande hold, 1s+2s face up, 3s+4s face down
17-24 Interlocking Allemandes: Bars 19-20 1s and 4s pass on sides then complete Allemandes to finish 2(4)1(3)
25-32 4s+1s dance RH across. 4s and 1s dance ½ Figs 8 (4s up round 2s, 1s down round 3s) 24(1)(3)

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


Alister MacLeay
Susan M Johnston Berks/Hants/Surrey Border Branch, 9 for 2015
Strathspey 4 x 32 bars 4 Couple Repeat 4 Couple Set Longwise Set

3s 4s cross on second chord.

  1-4   All 8 hands round to the left halfway;

  5-8   all set and cross by the right;

  9-16 all repeat bars 1-8, finishing on the centre line in allemande hold, 1s 2s facing up, 3s 4s down;

17-24 1s2s 3s4s interlocking allemandes, 2s dancing allemande for 2 couples, 3s inverted allemande for 2 couples, throughout:

17-19 1s dance bars 1-3 of allemande for 2 couples, 4s of inverted allemande for 2 couples;

20-21 1s 4s dance bars 4-5 of their allemande, extending the travel on the side to pass by the left;

22-24 4s (in 2nd place), 1s (in 3rd), complete their allemande, all finishing 2s4s1s3s, 4s 3s on opposite sides;

25-28 4s1s right hands across;

29-32 4s cross up, 1s down into half figures of 8 across, finishing 2s4s1s3s, 1s 3s on opposite sides.

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


Dance Information

This strathspey was devised by Sue Johnston, Scottish country dancer, in memory of the late Alister MacLeay, who was brought up in Kinlochleven although his family originated from the Isle of Lewis. He became a Captain in the Seaforth Highlanders and served in Normandy and the Low Countries in World War II. He moved to southern England in the 1950s. As a keen and accomplished dancer, he joined the Tadley Scottish Country Dancers, becoming Chairman and, later, Honorary Life President of the club. He passed away in 2003.

The dance was devised in 1997 to celebrate Alister's 80th birthday, hence the 8s and 0s in the formations. It is usually danced to The Hills of Lorne to reflect the area in which he grew up.

(Dance information by the deviser Sue Johnston)


A local legend dating from the late 19th century claims that there were treacle mines located in the village, and until well into the 20th century the locals were referred to as "Tadley Treacle Miners". Tadley holds an annual "Treacle Fair" in honour of this legend in early June.

In another North Hampshire legend it was believed that Tadley houses had no doors, hence the remonstration, "Do you come from Tadley?", to anyone who failed to close the door on entering.

The Tadley Scottish Country Dancers currently (2017) dance at the establishment's (now AWE) Recreational Society.

(Dance information by Reuben Freemantle)


Tadley is a town and civil parish in the English county of Hampshire.

During the 1950s and 1960s, the Atomic Weapons Research Establishment (AWRE), now known as AWE, became the area's largest employer and a large number of houses were built during this period to accommodate AWRE workers.

Tadley - Information Video

Public footpath running through Tadley
Tadley Buttercup Meadow With Public Footpath


Published in https://www.minicrib.org.uk/Publications/BHS 9 for 2015.pdf
This page contains both original content, which is copyrighted, and excerpts from Wikipedia and other sources using the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Text from this original Tadley article on Wikipedia.
Image copyright Andrew Smith under this Creative Commons Licence 2.0.

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