Scottish Country Dancing Dictionary

Jenny Come Down To Jock

Scottish Country Dance Instruction

JENNY COME DOWN TO JOCK (J8x24) 2C (4C set) RSCDS Book 3

1- 8 1s+2s advance and retire and circle 4H round ½ way to left
9-16 1M turns 2L RH back to places, 1L turns 2M repeat
17-24 1s+2s dance Poussette. 2 1

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


Keith Rose's Crib Diagrams


Dance Information

After 2001, The Royal Scottish Country Dance Society called this dance "Jenny Come Down To Jock". Before 2001, The RSCDS called this dance "Hey! Jenny Come Down To Jock" (e.g. Book 3 published by The Royal Scottish Country Dance Society in 1926). The dance itself remains unchanged, and the tune is given throughout as "Hey! Jenny Come Down To Jock".

Along with the tune, "Jenny, Come Down To Jock" is also part of the name of the anonymous Hey Jenny, Come Down To Jock - Song which Robert Chambers says, "dates not later than the regency of Moray, as it is inserted in the Bannatyne Manuscript in 1568".

Jockie he came here to woo,
Wi' tartan plaid, and bonnet blue,
And Jenny pat on her best array,
When she heard that Jocky had come that way.
Jenny she gaed up the stair;
For Jenny was blate afore unco folk;
And aye sae loud as her mither did rare,
"Hey, Jenny, come down to Jock."

Hey! Jenny, Come Down To Jock Song
Hey! Jenny, Come Down To Jock Song


Dance information licensed under this Creative Commons Licence 3.0.
Text from this original The Book of Scottish Song - Hey, Jenny article on Wikipedia.
Image copyright (cropped) https://digital.nls.uk/special-collections-of-printed-music/archive/91343753 under this Creative Commons Licence 4.0.

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