The Last Of The Lairds
Scottish Country Dance Instruction
THE LAST OF THE LAIRDS (J8x32) 3C (4C set) Hugh A Thurston RSCDS Book 221- 8 1s cross down (each couple cross down as they reach top place) to dance reflection reels of 3 on sides
9-16 1s cross down (each couple cross down as they reach top place) to dance reflection reels of 3 on sides
17-24 1s set and cross RH then cast 1 place, cross down between 3s and cast up to 2nd place on own sides
25-32 1s lead up between 2s and cast down 1 place, 2s+1s+3s turn RH
(MINICRIB. Dance crib compiled by Charles Upton, Deeside Caledonian Society, and his successors)
Keith Rose's Crib Diagrams
Dance Instruction Videos
The Last Of The Lairds - Scottish Country Dancing Instruction VideoDance Information
Laird is commonly used to mean an owner of land or estate in Scotland. It is not the same as a "Lord" (or "Lady") although the title is heritable. In the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries laird was a term for a highland clan chief.In Hugh Thurston's original instructions, printed in his "Sixteen Scottish Country Dances 1945-1967", only the first couple are dancing in the last four bars. When the dance was published in RSCDS Book 22, this was amended by the RSCDS Publications Committee to the version above.
Huge Foss, cryptanalyst at Bletchley Park during World War II and Scottish dance deviser, is reported to have referred to Last Of The Lairds as "Maxwell's Rant cubed" (as all three couples dance the cross-over reels that only the first couple perform in Maxwell's Rant).
The Last Of The Lairds Crib - Before Minicrib
Image copyright Scottish Country Dancing Dictionary.
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