The Doyenne Of The Day School
Scottish Country Dance Instruction
The Doyenne Of The Day School (S3x32) A 32 bar strathspey for three couples in a longwise set, devised by Murrough Landon, 2025.1- 4 1st couple dance towards each other and then make a long cast into 2nd place. 2nd couple step up on bars 3-4.
5- 8 1st couple each dance half a figure of eight: 1st man up through 2nd couple, 1st woman down through 3rd couple to end in 2nd place on the opposite side.
9-12 2nd and 1st women dance back to back on the 2nd diagonal while 2nd and 1st men (on the 1st diagonal) dance half way clockwise around them to change places.
13-16 Those in 2nd and 3rd places repeat the pattern of bars 9-12:
2nd and 3rd men dance back to back on the 2nd diagonal while 1st and 3rd women (on the 1st diagonal) dance half way clockwise around them to change places.
The order is now 1st man, 3rd woman, 3rd man down the men's side and 2nd woman, 2nd man, 1st woman down the women's side.
17-24 All dance 8 bars of Rights and Lefts for three couples:
All cross over giving right hands.
All change places with their partner giving left hands: 1st couple on the 2nd diagonal, 2nd and 3rd couples on the sides.
All cross over giving right hands.
All change places giving left hands: 2nd man and 3rd woman on the 2nd diagonal, 1st woman and 3rd man, also 2nd woman and 1st man, on the sides.
1st couple retain the last left hand a fraction longer and end back to back with each other, facing their 1st corner on the diagonal. 3rd and 2nd couples are opposite their partner.
25-32 1st couple dance 6 bars of Hello-Goodbye setting and end facing each other on the centre line. Then on bars 31-32 1st couple turn three quarters with both hands to their own side.
The final order is 3,1,2.
(Dance crib compiled by the deviser, Murrough Landon, CC BY-SA October 2025)
Keith Rose's Crib Diagram
Dance Instruction Videos
The Doyenne Of The Day School - Scottish Country Dancing Instruction VideoDance Information
This dance was devised for Margaret Catchick who for many years organised the RSCDS London Branch Day School and several other groups such as Wembley, Berkhamsted and Lucy Clark.Recommended music: Possibly Jack's Humour (Chris Dewhurst)
Published in The Doyenne Of The Day School, reproduced here with the kind permission of the deviser, Murrough Landon, CC BY-SA.
Back to the top of this Scottish Country Dancing Instructions 'The Doyenne Of The Day School' page