For The Love In My Life
Scottish Country Dance Instruction
For The Love In My Life 4x32 Strathspey, 4 couple longwise set, Neville Pope1-8 1st couple cast off 1 place, dance down between 3rd couple, cast up around 3rd couple and turn RH 1ΒΌ times to finish facing 1st corners. (2nd couple step up on bars 1-2.)
9-16 First couple set to corners and partner, setting to each other on bar 15 and advancing on bar 16, finishing between 3rd couple as 3rd and 4th couples step up on bars 15-16.
17-24 While supporting couples (2, 3, 4) dance 6 hands round to original places (bars 17-22) and set on the sides (bars 23-24), first couple set to each other using Glasgow Highlander* setting (bars 17-20) and then turn LH to finish between the 4th couple, facing own side (bars 2124).
*The dancing couple may use any other setting steps for bars 17-20 as long as there is room inside the circle. Highland Scottische has too much movement, but half a rocking step (as in the Highland Fling) or similar may be suitable. The setting steps need not be the same for each person.
25-32 First couple flow straight into a reel of 4 with 4th couple, man giving right shoulder to man and women also passing right shoulders. At the end of the reel, as 1st couple pass left shoulder they dance down to 4th place, with the lady passing in front of her partner. (1st man will need to stretch out for the last two steps.)
(Dance crib compiled by the deviser, Neville Pope, June 2001)
Dance Information
I devised this dance in recognition of the love and support from family and friends, both knowing and unknowing that helped me through a particularly bad period of depression and the following years, especially for my wife, Jill, and our friends, Andrew and Mechthild.1-8 We leave home and parents to set out on our own on life's journey. We meet and pass others along the way and if we are lucky meet the person who becomes our life partner.
9-16 In partnership, we continue to move through life, mixing with others for business and pleasure, but always working primarily with our partner.
17-23 In times of need we can find strong support in our circle of friends and family. In good times they may inspire us to greater achievements (or more flamboyant setting steps!)
24-32 The fortunate among us find special friends with whom our lives interweave closely.
Recommended Music: Any good 4x32 Strathspey suitable for strong/highland setting steps.
Recommended Recording: Track 13 (Strathspey) from Scottish Dance Country by Bobby Brown: Mrs MacKenzie of Applecross - Lady Davidson of Cantray - Miss Trotter - Killiechassie.
(Dance information copyright, reproduced here with the kind permission of the deviser, Neville Pope, 2010)
Published in Sturt Desert Pea Book 2010, copyright, reproduced here with the kind permission of the deviser, Neville Pope, 2024.
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