The Bervie Braes

Scottish Country Dance Instruction

1- 8 All set, Ladies dance clockwise in front of partners and behind next Man to meet opposite Man, all set
9-12 1s and 3s ½ turn own partners RH, lead out (1s to 2nd place, 2s to 4th place) while 2s and 4s retire to corners and advance towards partner
13-16 2M+4L ½ turn RH and lead out to 2nd place while 2L+4M ½ turn RH and lead out to 4th place while 1s and 3s retire to corners and set
17-20 4L+2M also 2L+4M dance (Ladies leading) ½ Alternating Tandem reel of 3 across with 1s/3s (RSh to 1M/3M)
21-24 2s+4s dance ¾ LH across in centre and Ladies followed by partners dance out (2s to 1st place, 4s to 3rd place) while 1s and 3s remain in corners
25-28 2s and 4s dance (Ladies leading) dance ½ Alternating Tandem reel of 3 across (LSh to 1M/3M) and 1s end in 4th place, 3s in 2nd place
29-32 2s+4s dance ¾ RH across and Men followed by partners dance out (2s to 1st place and 4s to 3rd place)
33-40 All circle 8H round and back

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

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Dance Information

The Bervie Braes was also a celebration of an award of an RSCDS Scroll of Honour to Noreen that same year and represents the ornate illuminations of a scroll, the figures being reminiscent of fireball swinging, a Hogmanay tradition in Stonehaven.

The deviser calls the formation bars 9-16 The Market Square, a variation on a figure from the dance Bonnie Brux.

The Bervie Braes are the clifftop meadows on the southern edge of Stonehaven Harbour on the east coast of Scotland.

Bervie Braes View, Stonehaven, Scotland, c. 1890-1900

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