The Diamond Jubilee

Scottish Country Dance Instruction

1- 8 1s and 4s turn 1½ times RH and cast 1 place, 1M and 4M also 1L and 4L turn LH on sides to end 1s facing up and 4s down. 2(1)(4)3
9-16 All dance reels of 4 on sides (Bar 16 1s and 4s do not pass LSh but turn right about into centre BtoB facing corner just passed) 2(4)(1)3
17-24 4s and 1s set to corners and change places RH, set and change back LH
25-32 4s+1s dance RH across while 2s and 3s set and cross RH, all set and cross RH back to places. 2413

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

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

Keith Rose's Crib Diagrams

The Diamond Jubilee - Full Size And Key To Symbols

Dance Instruction Videos

Dance Information

This jig, The Diamond Jubilee, was written to celebrate The Royal Scottish Dance Society Diamond Jubilee in 1983 when RSCDS Dances Book 31 was published.

But what's this? I look again and see that The Diamond Jubilee dance first appeared in RSCDS Book 31, and that was published way back in 1984. Also appended to the dance name in some quarters was reference to the 60-year stretch from 1923 to 1983. So... to which royal personage could that time span refer? It certainly wasn't the Queen or her father King George VI. He came to the throne long after 1923 and died in 1952. While there's no shortage in Europe of royal families (in waiting!), we don't keep track of them with the same adulation with which some follow the activities of the Windsors.

Does 1923 perhaps ring some other form of bell as the start of something big? Well, of course, we knew all the time, didn't we? It was in 1923 that two forthright Scottish ladies, Jean Milligan and Ysobel Stewart of Fasnacloich, decided to found the Scottish Country Dance Society, the reasons for which have been adequately documented in these pages in the past. The Royal addition to this Society's name came later in the fifties with the strong support of the aforementioned Queen Elizabeth II who, in her day, was quite an accomplished Scottish country dancer. Needless to say, we all continue to be the beneficiaries of that important day in 1923.

Back to the dance! The Diamond Jubilee was devised by one Robert Campbell of the Oakville Scottish Country Dancers. That's Ontario's Oakville, folks, just down the QEW (The Queen Elizabeth Way) from Toronto. Robert likely would have been quite well known to a number of RSCDS Toronto dancers, especially the veterans.

It is my opinion about The Diamond Jubilee that this jig has a lovely flow and is well recommended as a selection for the April Monthly Dance.

(Footnote - Linda Ashe Argent of Hawkestone recently taught the Toronto Workshop. She's been awarded the prestigious Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for her outstanding contributions to the Special Olympics Movement. As Linda is fond of saying: It's all about legacy folks!)

The Barry Pipes Canon 058- April, 2013.

(Dance information from set and link, RSCDS Toronto Newsletter - What's In A Name? The Barry Pipes Canon 2005-2018, reproduced here with kind permission. Copyright Barry Pipes. All rights reserved)

Wedding anniversary symbols are often used for other anniversaries. These include the anniversary of an event, or founding of an institution, such as a Scottish country dance club.

The wedding anniversary associated with the material 'Diamond' is the 60th.

Here is a list of the materials associated with traditional anniversary gifts for the various years.

The Diamond Jubilee Crib - Before Minicrib

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