It's A Dying Art

Scottish Country Dance Instruction

It's A Dying Art (H8x32) 3C (4C set) Lewis N Derrick 1986

1- 8 The 1st, 2nd and 3rd couples dance mirror image reels of three on own sides (to begin the 1st couple dance in and down, the 2nd couple out and up and the 3rd couple in and up)
9-10 Giving left hands (women) or right hands (men) the 1st and 2nd couples change places on the sides, ending with the 1st couple back to back in the centre in second place, facing their own sides
11-16 The 2nd, 1st and 3rd couples dance six bars of double triangles, ending with the 1st couple facing out on opposite sides
17-20 Giving right shoulders to corners to begin, the 1st couple dance half a diagonal reel of four with their first corners. The 1st couple pass right shoulders in the middle to face second comers
21-24 Giving right shoulders to corners to begin, the 1st couple dance half a diagonal reel of four with their second corners. The 1st couple end in second place on opposite sides
25-26 While the 2nd couple (in third place) cross over giving left hands and retain hold, the 3rd and 1st couples dance right hands across halfway
27-28 While the 1st couple (in first place) cross over giving right hands and retain hold, the 3rd and 2nd couples dance left hands across halfway
29-30 While the 3rd couple (in third place) cross over giving left hands, the 1st and 2nd couples dance right hands across halfway, to end 213 all on own sides
31-32 With hands joined on sidelines all set

Repeat having passed a couple

(Dance crib compiled by the deviser, Lewis N Derrick 2020)

Dance Notes

The 3rd woman, on bars 26-27, and the 2nd woman, on bars 28-29, should dance straight from wheel to wheel with no polite turns.

(Dance notes by the deviser, Lewis N Derrick)

Keith Rose's Crib Diagram

It's A Dying Art - Full Size And Key To Symbols

Dance Information

This hornpipe, It's A Dying Art, was devised for Dave and Nancy Massie.

Suggested tune: Jean's Reel (B. McLeod).

Devised September 1986; first published 1987; republished electronically 2020.

(Dance information reproduced here with the kind permission of the deviser, Lewis N Derrick)

The expression "It's a dying art" is commonly used to describe a skill or practice that is becoming increasingly rare or is at risk of disappearing altogether.

It often refers to traditional crafts, techniques or ways of doing things that were once widespread but are no longer commonly taught, used or valued in modern life. This can include anything from hand-written calligraphy to mending clothes by hand, or even certain forms of etiquette or storytelling.

The word "art" in this context does not necessarily mean fine art, but rather any specialised skill that involves care, knowledge and often creativity. Describing it as "dying" does not mean it has vanished completely, but suggests that fewer people are learning or preserving it. The phrase carries a sense of loss, as if something valuable is slipping away unnoticed or unappreciated.

When someone says "It's a dying art", they may be expressing nostalgia or concern for the future of the skill in question. It can also be a quiet acknowledgement of the effort, patience and dedication that such skills once demanded. The phrase serves as a reminder that not all knowledge or expertise is passed on automatically; some of it fades unless there is a conscious decision to preserve it.

In modern usage, the expression is often applied to both physical crafts and intangible habits, such as the ability to hold a thoughtful conversation, write a letter by hand, or remember detailed directions without relying on technology. It is a simple yet powerful way to highlight how the world is changing and how certain human abilities can quietly fade unless they are actively kept alive.

It's A Dying Art
Ornamental Latin Alphabet From The 16th Century

Published in The McGhie Scottish Country Dance Books, Volume 2, McGhie the Moudie Catcher and Other Scottish Country Dances, reproduced here with the kind permission of the deviser, Lewis N Derrick.
Image from (cropped, created strip) Delamotte, F., vectorized & restored by JovanCormac, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

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