MacDonald Of Sleat

Scottish Country Dance Instruction

1- 8 All dance reels of 4 on sides
9-16 With hands joined on sides set with Highland steps
17-24 1M+2L, 3M+4L change places passing RSh (no hands), partners repeat
25-32 1M+2L, 3M+4L turn RH 1½ times back to original places, partners repeat to end BtoB facing partners
33-40 1s+2s also 3s+4s dance diagonal reels of 4 ending with 1L, 2M, 3L, 4M dancing in front of 2L, 1M, 4L, 4M respectively
41-48 Picking up Fig:
 1M dances across to 1L, link left arms, set twice and on 2nd setting 1M turns left about to link nearer arms with 1L, 1s dance across to 2M, Men link left arms, set twice and 1s+2M with retaining linked arms turn left about on second setting with Men changing to link nearer arms (3s and 4M dance the similarly at the same time)
49-56 Picking up Fig:
 1s+2M dance across with linked arms to link left arms with 2L, set twice and on 2nd set 2L turns left about to link nearer arms with 2M, all 4 (facing out) now turn left about to face down (Men in middle) and end above 3s+4s who have similarly danced
57-64 All Ladies cast to end behind Men and set, all Men cast to end beside partner to form new lines of 4 (Ladies in middle), all set
65-72 Ladies 4 slip steps to left while Men slip step to right, all set and repeat back to places and set
73-80 Ladies turn to face partner and dance reels of 4 across set
81-88 Set twice to partners and turn 2H back to place
89-96 All petronella turn and set, petronella turn and set to change places with partners
97-104 All set to partners Men with Highland steps
105-112 Ladies set twice and twice facing down while 2M followed by 1M (also 4M followed by 3M) dance up round 2L/1L (or 4L and 3L) and to stand on left of their partners
113-120 1s+2s, 3s+4s Allemande (all facing the bottom with 2s and 4s leading) ending on bar 6 to 'whisper' and retire to partner's place

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

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MacDonald Of Sleat - Full Size And Key To Symbols

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Dance Information

The founder of the MacDonalds of Sleat was Ùisdean, or Hugh, a 6th great-grandson of Somerled, a 12th-century Lord of the Isles. The clan is known in Gaelic as Clann Ùisdein ("children of Ùisdein"), and its chief's Gaelic designation is Mac Ùisdein ("son of Ùisdean"), in reference to the clan's founder. Both the clan and its clan chief are recognised by the Lord Lyon King of Arms, who is the heraldic authority in Scotland.

The MacDonalds of Sleat participated in several feuds with neighbouring clans, most notably the MacLeods of Harris and Dunvegan and the Macleans of Duart. The clan also suffered from infighting in the early 16th century, as the leading members of the clan fought and murdered each other.

The clan seems to have grudgingly supported the Royalist cause in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, and suffered grievously in military defeats against Parliamentarian forces. The clan supported the Jacobite cause in the 1715 rebellion, yet refused to come out for Bonnie Prince Charlie and his father a generation later in 1745.

In the early 18th century, the clan's chief was involved in a plan to sell tenants into slavery in the American Colonies. By the late 18th century, the chiefs had alienated themselves from the common clansfolk, when they seated themselves in northern England and rarely visited the old clan lands. The 18th and 19th centuries witnessed the suffering of the common clansfolk, as many were cleared off their lands at the hands of their absentee landlords. Today members and descendants of the clan live all over the world.

MacDonald Of Sleat Crib - Before Minicrib

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