The Banks Of Aray
Scottish Country Dance Instruction
The Banks Of Aray (S8x32) 32 bar Strathspey for three couples in a four couple longwise set, Eddy West, 1992.1- 2 First couple cross giving right hands and face out.
3- 4 First couple cast off into second place while second couple giving left hands cross up to first place and face out.
5- 6 First couple giving right hands cross up to first place and face out while second couple cast off into second place.
7- 8 First couple cast off into second place and dance in to face first corner while second couple giving right hands cross up to first place (Second Couple dance into top place the simple way, i.e. man pulling back his right shoulder and lady pulling back her left shoulder into place).
9-16 First couple set to and turn corners finishing on the sides facing first corners.
17-22 First couple dance six bar reels of three with corners, left shoulder to first corner to begin.
23-24 First couple three quarter turn with the left hand to finish in the middle facing opposite sides.
25-28 First lady with the second couple, first man with the third couple dance right hands across, finishing on own sides in second place.
29-32 First lady with the third couple, first man with the second couple dance left hands across, again finishing in second place
Repeat having passed a couple.
(Dance crib compiled by the deviser, Eddy West 1992)
Dance Information
This dance was devised for Betty Sharpe, Teacher of Knox SCD club since 1965.The Aray is a small river near Inverary. It was on its banks that Betty was first courted by Dan Sharpe. She has kindly accepted my dedication of this dance to her : my first Scottish Country Dance Teacher.
Suggested music: "Miss Catherine Allan" recorded by Andrew Rankine on Music for 9 SCD 1981.
(Dance information by the deviser, Eddy West)
The River Aray is located in Argyll, Scotland, flowing south from the hills towards Loch Fyne.
Its course runs primarily through forests and forms the picturesque Glen Aray, a valley surrounded by pine trees. The river flows through the grounds of Inveraray Castle, an important landmark in the area, before it empties into the sea at Loch Fyne, near the town of Inveraray.
The name "Inveraray" comes from the river, meaning "Mouth Of The Aray".
The Banks Of River Aray, Near Millers Linn, Inveraray, Scotland
Published in (https://eddywest.nz), The Banks Of Aray, Friends And Family, reproduced here with the kind permission of the deviser, Eddy West.
Image copyright Kenneth Mallard under this Creative Commons Licence 2.0.
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