Scottish Country Dancing Dictionary

The Birthday Present (Ayland)

Scottish Country Dance Instruction

The Birthday Present
Sue Ayland
Strathspey 4 x 32 bars 4 Couple Repeat 4 Couple Set Longwise Set

  1-8   Taking promenade hold with Ls on Mn's left, 1s 3s face down and to the right to start reels of 3 across, 1s with 2s, 3s with 4s, finishing 1s between 2s, 3s between 4s, 1s 3s facing down and releasing hold;

  9-12 1M2M 3M4M turn by the right WHILE 1L2L 3L4L turn by the left, 1s 3s finishing as at bar 8;

13-16 3s followed by 1s dance down and cast up around 4s on own sides, finishing 3s2s1s4s, 3s 1s facing in and down, 2s 4s out and up;

17-24 mirror reels of 4 on the sides;

25-28 taking hands on the sides, all set and cross;

29-32 all chase clockwise halfway around the set to finish 4s1s2s3s on own sides.

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


Dance Notes

    -12 2s 4s finish in original places.

17-24 In the reverse reels of 4 (also known as left shoulder reels of 4) on the Ls' side, the dancers pass by the left at the ends; take hands with partner appropriately to improve the covering in the mirror reels.


Dance Information

Also see the dance The Birthday Present (Fletcher) by John Fletcher.

This strathspey, The Birthday Present, was dedicated to Eileen Williams to celebrate her 80th birthday in 2015. Bars 1-12 are intended to represent the bow on the parcel.

Birthday Present
Birthday Present


Image copyright Monika Wahi (Own work), Creative Commons Licence 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

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