The Ferry To The Islands
Scottish Country Dance Instruction
The Ferry To The Islands A thirty-two bar Strathspey for two couples in a longwise set. It is suggested that sets of three couples be used for this dance. Devised by John W Mitchell, Published in Whetherly Book 9.1- 4 First couple set advancing towards the setting second couple, crossing down to finish first lady facing second man and first man facing second lady. First and second couples turn with the right hand, finishing with first couple back to back between second couple.
5- 8 First and second couples dance a half reel of four, on bars 7 & 8 first couple turn with the left hand to finish first lady facing second lady and first man facing second man.
9-12 First and second couples dance a half reel of four, on bars 11 & 12 first man (in second lady's place) and first lady (in first man's place) set.
13-14 First couple change places giving right hand in passing.
15-16 First and second couples dance right hands across in a wheel half way. Both couples are now on the opposite side, first lady and second man at the top.
17-20 First and second couples dance half rights and lefts.
21-24 First and second men giving right hand cross between second and first ladies, second man casts up to the top whilst first man casts down, then they cross back to own side of the set.
25-32 First and second couples dance four hands round in a circle to the left and back to the right.
Repeat from second place. Recommended tune: The Ferry to the Islands
(Dance crib reproduced from The Whetherly Book Of Scottish Country Dances, revised and republished by Alison Mitchell)
Keith Rose's Crib Diagram
Published in The Whetherly Book Of Scottish Country Dances Number 9, by John W Mitchell, revised and republished by Alison Mitchell. Instructions reproduced under the Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International Licence (CC BY-ND 4.0).
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