Best Dolphin In The Pod

Scottish Country Dance Instruction

1-2 All set.
3-4 1C casts down one place, 4C casts up one place, 2C step up, 3C down one place.
5-8 1C turn RH finishing with 1C facing 2M, with nearer hands joined, and similarly 4C finishing with 4C with nearer hands joined facing 3L. Hence 1C and 4C will be back to back in the centre, 1C and 4C should be reasonably close to their partners.
9-12 (Set to corners and cast away in tandem).
 9-10 1C set to 2M and 4C to 3L.
 11-12 1C cast, 1M following 1L who pulls back RS to finish in 4L position with nearer hands joined, 1L will be on 1M's left. 4C similarly cast, 4L following 4M to 1M position, 4L will be on 4M's right, with nearer hands joined. Meanwhile, 2M curves in pulling back RS to finish facing 4C, and now occupying position hitherto occupied by 1C, and similarly 3L is facing 1C occupying position hitherto occupied by 4C.
13-14 4C, 2M, 4L and 1C all set.
15-16 As 2M casts into 4L position, 3L casts into 1M position, 1C dance in pulling back RS (1L leading) and 4C dance in (4M leading), pulling back RS, so that they are in a diagonal line 1C facing 3M, and 4C facing 2L. The movement for the active couples resembles petronella in tandem, but using skip change.
17-18 2L, 4C, 1C, 3M set.
19-20 4C cast to 4M position (4M leading), 1C to 1L position (1L leading) to finish facing on the diagonal with nearer hands joined, 2L curve in pulling back RS to face 1C, and 3M similarly face 4C, in the diagonal line.
21-22 1C, 2L, 3M, 4C all set.
23-24 2L casts to 4M position and 3M to 1L position. 1L followed by 1M pull back RS and cast one position down the ladies' side to face 2M, and 4M followed by 4L similarly up the men's side to face 3L.
25-32 1C with 3M and 2M dance a (double) lead change reel of 3 on the sidelines giving LS to 2M to begin and changing leader at each end, and similarly 4C giving LS to 3L. At the end 1L with 1M close behind should be heading down ready to cut a RS reel across with 2C at the foot, and similarly 4M with 4L close behind ready to cut a RS reel across with 3L and 3M at the top.
33-36 1C with 2C in 4th position, 4C with 3C in top position ½ RS reel across in tandem but this time with only one lead change. 1C finish the reel with 1M leading and heading through 3M's place towards 3L place, and similarly 4C through 2L's place with 4L leading.
37-40 4C and 1C dance 4 hands across LH, finishing on sidelines, in order 3, 1, 4, 2.

Repeat from new position.

(Dance crib compiled by the deviser Rod Downey, Johnsonville SCD Club Tutor)

Dance Notes

(Dance notes compiled by the deviser Rod Downey, Johnsonville SCD Club Tutor)

Dance Information

Given to Robert Vale. Catherine McCutcheon taught the dance "Home and Away" at Tawa Club. Robert noted it has some lead change reels and the (standard) set to corners and cast away, the so-called "Best Set in the Hall" figure.

Robert observed that it could be called "best dolphin in the pod". On hearing this, it set me wondering what I would think a dance of that title would look like. Hence this offering. (Strictly speaking, since lead change reels were invented by Barry Priddey, it should have been best falcon in the flock, but, alas, dolphins seem to rule the roost.)

Robert is an essential part of the Johnsonville club committee, being secretary and helping with setting up, closing down and writing a weekly column. If the Johnsonville Club resembles a pod of dolphins, then Robert is indeed, one of the best in the pod.

Recommended music is "Barley Cakes" which is the lead tune for "Barley Bree" and any good recording of this dance would suffice. I used one by Bobby Crowe. The jig should be played as a slow 6/8 pipe march.

(Dance information from The Golden Bear Collection Of Scottish Country Dances, reproduced here with the kind permission of the deviser, Rod Downey)

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