Dalkeith's Strathspey

Scottish Country Dance Instruction

DALKEITH'S STRATHSPEY (S8x32) 3C (4C set) RSCDS Book 9

1- 8 1s (with nearer hands joined) set to 2L and circle 3H round to the left, set to 2M and circle 3H round to the left
9-16 1s lead down the middle and back (2s step up 11-12), 1M pass Lady across to end with 1s BtoB between 2s facing opposite sides
17-24 1s+2s dance RSh reel of 4 across, 1s pass LSh to end in middle facing 1st corner
25-32 1s turn 1st corner RH, partner LH, 2nd corner RH and cross LH to own sides. 213

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

Dalkeith's Strathspey
Anon RSCDS Book 9
Strathspey 8 x 32 bars 3 Couple Repeat 4 Couple Set Longwise Set

1-2 1s take nearer hands and set to 2L;

3-4 1s2L 3 hands round to the left;

5-6 1s retain nearer hands and set to 2M;

7-8 1s2M 3 hands round to the left;

9-12 1s lead down;

13-16 taking left hands, 1s lead up, crossing to finish back to back between 2s;

17-24 2M1L1M2L reel of 4 across, 1s finishing facing first corners;

25-32 1s turn corner, partner, corner, partner, finishing in 2nd place on own sides.

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

Keith Rose's Crib Diagrams

Dalkeith's Strathspey Keith Rose's Diagram

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Dance Information

Now doesn't the name Dalkeith have a good Scottish ring to it? Could it be a clan? A sept (a large and powerful family within a clan) of the Clan Keith perhaps? But nothing I can ﬁnd gives support to that premise. If not that, what else could it be?

Ah, yes! There is a medium-sized town by that name just a bit southeast of Edinburgh. Dalkeith is in fact the administrative centre for the Midlothian council area, with a population of around 12,000 (c.2010). In past years, it would have been called a county town. Even so, that sounds pretty humdrum to have such a nice strathspey named after it.

Hey, wait a minute! Just outside the town lies a 300-year-old palace. It was built on the site of a castle that dates back to the 13th century. The property has been in the hands of the Duke of Buccleuch's family (pronounced "BuckLoo") for the past 350 years or so.

This is a rather important peerage. The current duke happens to be, so it is claimed, the largest private landowner in the United Kingdom. Of far greater importance to Set & Link readers, perhaps, the Duke of Buccleuch is the hereditary chief of Clan Scott.

The Barry Pipes Canon 031- February, 2010.

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