A Black And White Flag
Scottish Country Dance Instruction
A Black And White Flag (J32x3) 3C, 32 bar Jig for 3 Couples in a 3 Couple Set, Sophie Marchand 2024, Méaudre Reel 20241-8 1s dance in and cast off to 3rd place, while 2s and 3s step up on bars 3+4, 1s dance up to 1st place while 2s and 3s step down (bars 5+6), 1s set
9-16 1s and 2s dance a Progressive Double Figure of Eight:
1s cross RH as 2s set, 1s+2s dance ¾ double Figure of 8 with 1s casting and 2s crossing up to start
17-24 1s and 3s dance a 2 couple Bourrel:
1M and 3L set advancing and ¾ turn 2H pivoting right to end back to back with 3L facing up and 1M down while 1L and 3M chase anticlockwise and end facing partner on a line in the middle of the set
1s and 3s set to partners and turn ¾ RH, finishing 1s in 3rd place
25-32 All 3 couples dance half Chase clockwise (4 bars) to finish on opposite lines, All 3 couples dance 6 Hands Round to the left
(Dance crib compiled by Sophie Marchand, 2024)
Keith Rose's Crib Diagrams
Dance Instruction Videos
A Black And White Flag - Scottish Country Dancing Instruction VideoDance Information
This dance was created to celebrate the Méaudre Reel's journeys to Brittany in July 2022 and August 2024, visiting Port-Louis, and in February 2023, to Vannes.We were given an unforgettable welcome by our Breton friends form Cluaran and Alba Bihan dancers and we have great memories form each visit.
It's worth noting that Brittany officially adopted their black and white flag in 1923.
(Dance information by Sophie Marchand, 2024)
The flag of Brittany, a region in the northwest of France, is called the Gwenn-ha-du, which means white and black, in Breton (French blanc et noir). The flag serves as the official emblem of the Brittany region, symbolizing Breton identity for both residents and those outside the region.
While authorities once viewed the flag as a separatist symbol, perceptions have evolved, and it is now devoid of political connotations. The flag is openly displayed everywhere, including public buildings, alongside other official flags. Widely embraced in Brittany, it adorns town halls and even finds a place on sailing and fishing boats due to the absence of specific legislation governing regional flags in France.
The ermine spots on the flag vary in design, lacking an official description, and although the number is not explicitly defined, flags created since the 1970s typically feature 11 spots in the canton.
The flag, designed by Morvan Marchal in 1923, drew inspiration from the United States flag, symbolizing freedom.
The nine horizontal stripes represent the traditional dioceses of Brittany into which the duchy was divided historically. The five black stripes represent the French or Gallo speaking dioceses of Dol, Nantes, Rennes, Saint-Malo and Saint-Brieuc; the four white stripes represent the Breton-speaking dioceses of Trégor, Léon, Cornouaille and Vannes. The ermine canton recalls the arms of the Duchy of Brittany.
Black And White Flag Of Brittany
Expedition To Brittany With The Méaudre Reel
Port-Louis July 2022
Published in A Black And White Flag, reproduced here with the kind permission of Sophie Marchand, 2024.
Dance information licensed under this Creative Commons Licence 3.0.
Text from this original Flag of Brittany article on Wikipedia.
Upper image copyright Lexicon and GwenofGwened, Creative Commons Licence 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Lower image copyright The Méaudre Reel, Sophie Marchand, all rights reserved, 2022.
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