Deer Spokes
Scottish Country Dance Instruction
Deer Spokes (S5x32) 32 bar strathspey for five couples in a longwise set, Devised By Murrough Landon, 2023.1-4 1st and 3rd couples half turn with both hands and open out to face down. They then dance down two places as 2nd and 4th couples step up.
5-8 1st and 3rd couples cast up to 2nd and 4th places on opposite sides, then turn their partner with the left hand, retaining hands and joining right hands with their 1st corner.
9-10 1st and 3rd couples and their 1st corners all set to the right changing to join left hands.
The corners may try to fleetingly touch right hands in the centre, but this is optional. Then all half turn with the left hand so the corners are back in place. 1st and 3rd couples end in the centre again and join right hands with their 2nd corners. Meanwhile 2nd woman and 5th man set facing in diagonally.
11-12 1st and 3rd couples repeat the pattern of bars 9-10 with their 2nd corners to end facing their 3rd corners on the diagonal.
Meanwhile 2nd man and 5th woman set facing diagonally
13-16 1st and 3rd couples dance half a diagonal reel of four, starting right shoulder to their 3rd corners. On the last bar they turn their partner three quarters with the left hand to face their 2nd corner position.
17-20 1st and 3rd couples dance another half reel of four on the 2nd corner diagonal. On the last bar they briefly touch left hands and join right hands with their 3rd corners.
21-24 1st and 3rd couples repeat the pattern of bars 9-12 with 3rd and 4th corner positions and end facing their 1st corner positions on the diagonal. As before, the corners in 1st and 5th places set facing in diagonally when not involved in the spoke figure.
25-28 1st and 3rd couples dance half a diagonal reel starting right shoulder to their 1st corner position and end crossing left hands to face out in 2nd and 4th places on their own side. 4th couple end facing in.
The order at this point is 5,1,4,3,2.
29-32 1st, 4th and 3rd couples dance half a reel of three on the sides. 4th couple start giving left shoulder to the person on their left (1st man and 3rd woman). 1st and 3rd couples loop into place at the end.
The final order is 5,3,4,1,2.
(Dance crib compiled by the deviser, Murrough Landon, CC BY-SA October 2023 (revised July 2024)
Keith Rose's Crib Diagram
Dance Instruction Videos
Deer Spokes - Scottish Country Dancing Instruction VideoDance Information
This dance contains a figure similar to (half of) the quicktime Spoke but here in a strathspey adaptation inspired by the signature figure from "Deer" Friends by Bob Anderson.Recommended music: Suggested tune: Mr F. Garden Junior of Troup's Strathspey (Robert Mackintosh); suitable recording 5x32 Strathspeys (Green Ginger: Miss Ogilvie's Fancy).
(Dance information by the deviser, Murrough Landon, CC BY-SA July October 2023 (revised July 2024))
Published in Deer Spokes, reproduced here with the kind permission of the deviser, Murrough Landon, CC BY-SA.
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