Cate's Conundrum
Scottish Country Dance Instruction
CATE'S CONUNDRUM (S3x32) 3C set Alex Gray Tweeddale Collection 4 20131- 8 1s+2s dance Diamond Poussette
9-16 1s+2s dance ½ RH across, set facing in diagonally; 1s+2s pull back RSh and dance out to opposite sides, 1s turn RH to face 1st corners while 2s cross RH. 2(1)3
17-20 Corner Pass and Twirl with 1st corners
1s pass corners RSh, dance round corner place. 1s end facing 2nd corner while 1st corners dance in, ½ turn RH, face and pulling back RSh dance out to opposite corner place
21-24 1s repeat Corner Pass and Twirl with 2nd corners. 1s pass RSh to 2nd place own side facing out. (3)1(2)
25-32 3s+1s+2s dance RSh reels of 3 on sides (1s pass 3rd corner RSh to start). 3s+2s end reel crossing RH with partner. 312
(MINICRIB. Dance crib compiled by Charles Upton, Deeside Caledonian Society, and his successors)
Keith Rose's Crib Diagrams
Dance Instruction Videos
Cate's Conundrum - Scottish Country Dancing Instruction VideoDance Information
The inspiration for this dance, Cate's Conundrum, was the age-old conundrum, what to give Cate (Alex Gray's wife) on their wedding anniversary in New Zealand.This strathspey was devised by Alex Gray on 27th December 2005 in New Zealand after singing Upside Down Christmas by Shirley Erena Murray, hence 2nd and 3rd couples crossing on bars 31-32.
Carol our Christmas, an upside down Christmas:
snow is not falling and trees are not bare.
Carol the summer and welcome the Christ Child,
warm in our sunshine and sweetness of air.
A "conundrum" is a term that denotes a perplexing or challenging problem, often characterized by its intricate and puzzling nature, especially one using a play on words in the answer.
This word is used to describe situations or questions that may defy easy resolution or comprehension. Its usage spans various contexts, including literature, philosophy, and general discourse.
Upside Down Christmas Song - Information Video
Upside Down Christmas
Victorian Christmas Card From The 1890's
From New Zealand's Former Post And Telegraph/Telecom Museum Holdings Collection
Image copyright (cropped) Archives New Zealand from New Zealand Creative Commons Licence 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
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