An English Rose

Scottish Country Dance Instruction

1- 4 First lady dances around her partner's right shoulder taking partner's right hand at the end of bar 3 and with first man beginning dancing on bar 4 on the left foot, first couple dance into the center of top place, finishing with right hand in right facing.
5- 8 While the first man dances four bars of pas de basque, the first lady uses pas de basque to turn twice under the man's raised right arm. Finish with both hands held.
9-12 First couple slips down the middle for 4 bars.
13-16 Using left hand first man crosses first lady between the second and third men, whilst he dances between second and third ladies, both finishing in partner's place at the top of the set.
17-24 First second and third couples dances mirror reels on the side, first couple dancing in to begin.
25-28 First woman and second man turn 1½ times right hand to change places, first man and second woman likewise turn 1½ times with the left hand.
29-32 First woman and third man turn 1½ times with left hand and similarly first man and third woman right hand. First couple finish with both hands joined in the centre of third place.
33-34 First couple set twice, woman begins on left foot. (That is both begin on the TOP foot.)
35-36 First couple slip up the middle.
37-38 First couple set twice beginning on the BOTTOM foot, so this time the man begins on the left foot.
39-40 First couple slip down the middle, finishing still in the middle in third place facing.
41-42 First couple dance around each other by the left (as if it were a left hand turn but with no hands) half way, and all clap 3 times on bar 42.
43-44 Same as 41-42 but right shoulder.
45-48 First couple use a propelled pivot turn 1½ or 2½ times to finish in third place.

Repeat from new positions.

(Dance crib compiled by the deviser Rod Downey, Johnsonville SCD Club Tutor)

Dance Information

The figures represent the story of the marriage of Anthea and Peter Cowley, with 1-16 the initial meeting, 17-32 a time apart, and 33-48 the final commitment and marriage.

Recommended tunes: A set that works very well is "The Drummer", "Loch Leven Castle" (both traditional) and "Glenlivet" (J Scott Skinner) all played AABBAA, and with the A part of "The Drummer" played for the last 16 bars, in place of the A part of "Glenlivet".

An almost suitable recording can be found on the CD "Accordion Favourites" by Jimmy Shand, CD 6636, Delta Music. Unfortunately, it has 32 extra bars. I suggest that you use them as follows:

1- 8 All three couples dance as the first couple did for the main dance.
9-16 All three couples slip down the middle and back.
17-24 All three couples dances as the first couple does in 41-48.
25-32 Six hands round and back.

(Dance information from The Tuatara Collection Of Scottish Country Dances, reproduced here with the kind permission of the deviser, Rod Downey.)

The description has a cultural reference to the national flower of England, the rose, and to its long tradition within English symbolism.

An English Rose - The National Flower Of England

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