Scottish Country Dancing Dictionary

The Langdon Knot

Scottish Country Dance Instruction

THE LANGDON KNOT (S8x32) 3C (4C set) Tim Wilson 2006 Measures of Pleasure

1- 8 1s set, turn RH; lead down below 3s and cast up to 2nd place (2s step up 7-8)
9-16 2s+1s+3s dance Dolphin figure:
 9-12 Men set as Ladies Advance, pull back RSh and Ladies followed by partners dance towards Ladies' side and slightly down set, all pull back LSh
 13-16 Men followed by partners dance towards Men's side and slightly down, Men pull back RSh and turn partner RH. All remain in centre facing up
17-24 2s+1s+3s promenade, Bars 23-24: 2s cast to 2nd place as 1s lead up to 1st place. 123
25-32 1s+2s dance ½ R&L (with polite turns); 1s+2s turn partner 1½ RH. 213

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


The Langdon Knot 32 bar strathspey for 3 couples in a 4-couple set by Tim Wilson, 2006

1-8 1st couple set, turn with right hands once round to face down, lead down below 3rd couple and cast up to second place on own side. 2nd couple step up on bars 7-8.
9-16 2nd, 1st, and 3rd couples dance a "Dolphin" Figure of Eight across the dance:
 Men set as women dance across and slightly down to the men's side on bar 9 and pull back right shoulders to face own side at the end of bar 10, women dance across to the ladies' side and slightly down (followed closely by partners) and all pull back left shoulders to face the men's side at the end of bar 12, men dance across to the men's side and slightly down (followed closely by partners) and men pull back right shoulders to face partners at the end of bar 14, all turn partners with right hands to finish in the center facing up.
17-24 2nd, 1st and 3rd couples promenade, on bars 23-24, 2nd couple cast off into second place and 1st couple lead up to first place. 3rd couple dance for all 8 bars.
25-32 1st and 2nd couples dance rights and lefts halfway (with polite turns), and turn partners with both hands one and a half times to own side.

Repeat, having passed a couple.

(Dance crib compiled by the deviser, Tim Wilson, 2006 - copyright 2006 by Tim Wilson. All rights reserved)

The Langdon Knot, figures 1 and 2

Keith Rose's Crib Diagrams


Dance Instruction Videos

The Langdon Knot - Scottish Country Dancing Instruction Video

Dance Information

This strathspey, The Langdon Knot, by Tim Wilson of San Francisco is in honour of longtime teacher Susie Langdon Kass, whose father invented a new knot to tie shoes with. She taught the knot to many people.
The dolphin figure of eight in this dance represents the knot.
For Susie Langdon Kass on the occasion of her significant birthday. Susie's husband Sid commissioned the tune by Muriel Johnstone.

Susie was my first teacher (as she was for many dancers in the Bay area) and is a tireless and enthusiastic promoter of Scottish Country Dancing.

She is well known for teaching "The Langdon Knot" to any (and all) who have yet to learn this very secure way of tying shoelaces.

The figure in bars 9-16 reminds me of tying a knot and is evocative of the central figure in John McAlpin one of Susie's favorite dances.

A Ramsay herself, another of Susie's favorites is Lady Lucy Ramsay which is the source for the last 8 bars.

Music: "Susie Langdon Kass" ©Scotscores 2006 (Muriel Johnstone).

(Dance information by Tim Wilson, 2006 - copyright 2006 by Tim Wilson. All rights reserved)


Here is the original crib for The Langdon Knot by Tim Wilson, published in Dance Collections created by members of the San Francisco Branch, also available as a .pdf The Langdon Knot (Portable Document Format).

Back to the top of this Scottish Country Dancing Instructions 'The Langdon Knot' page