Gowans' Fair

Scottish Country Dance Instruction

GOWAN'S FAIR (J8x32) 3C (4C set) Gaye Collin Dance Book 5

1- 8 1L+2L+3L advance (2 steps) and set; 1L followed by 2L+3L dances up and casts to 3rd place own side. 3L 2L 1L
9-16 Men repeat but with 3M followed by 2M+1M dancing down and casting up own side. 321
17-24 1s cross RH, cast up (2s step down); 1s dance ½ Fig of 8 up round 3s
25-32 3s+s+2s dance ½ mirror reels of 3 on sides (1s in/dow, 2s out/up); 1s dance up to top and cast to 2nd place own side. 213

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

Gowans' Fair J8x32 32-bar Jig for 3Cs in a 4C set by Damon And Gaye Collin

1-8 Top 3W, taking hands on the sides, advance for two steps and set (their partners set back). 1W, followed by 2+3W, dance up for one travelling step then following 1W cast off to third position. Order now 3, 2, 1.
9-16 Top 3M repeat bars 1-8, only this time 3M starts the casting from the bottom.
17-24 1C, now in 3rd place, cross RH and cast UP one place.
(2C move down on 19+20). 1C dance a half figure of 8 up round 3C, to finish facing in and down.
25-32 3+1+2Cs dance a HALF mirror reel on the side 1C in and down to start, 3+2Cs curve in to finish (4bars). 1C finish the reel solo by dancing up through the centre and casting to 2nd place. The order is now 2,1,3.

Repeat again from second place.

(Dance crib compiled by the devisers, Damon and Gaye Collin, August 2012)

Dance Notes

Bars 30-32 Second Time Through 1st Couple cast off to the bottom, while the bottom couple step up on 31-32 so everyone is ready to start the dance again in their new positions.

(Dance notes compiled by the devisers, Damon and Gaye Collin, August 2012)

Dance Information

This dance was requested by members of the Waikanae SCD club, to give to one of their oldest dancers to celebrate her 90th birthday. Rita Brennan the lady in question has danced and taught at the Waikanae club, after leaving the Hutt Valley with her husband Colin to retire to sunny Waikanae.

The name was researched by Jacki King, the president of the Waikanae club. Gowan is the name of a meadow daisy - and Rita's full name is Marguerite, which also means daisy.

Damon and I were delighted to be asked to devise this dance for Rita our long-time friend. Dance devised in August 2012.

Recommended tune: "Miss Allie Anderson" from the CD Delaware Valley by Keith Smith and Muriel Johnstone.

(Dance information by the devisers, Damon and Gaye Collin, August 2012)

Gowan - Meadow Daisy

Image copyright Dennis Jarvis from Halifax, Canada, Creative Commons Licence 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Back to the top of this Scottish Country Dancing Instructions 'Gowans' Fair' page