Mary Branigan's Delight

Scottish Country Dance Instruction

Mary Branigan's Delight 32-bar reel for 3 couples in a 4 couple longwise set George S Emmerson 1984 4 SCD in Memory of Mary Nixon

1- 4 With pas-de-Basque, first and second couples advance towards each other, meeting with both hands (2 bars).
Continue setting, the ladies release right hand and turn by right round partner to finish back to back facing wrong side of dance (2 bars).
5- 8 With skip change of step, dancing couples separate, travelling out to opposite sides and return to own place giving right hands in passing.
9-16 First and second couples give right hands and turn ¾ to form line up the middle of the set - men facing up and ladies facing down (2 bars). Then ½ reel of four (4 bars).
Give right hands to partners and travel to own side of dance with dancing couple now in second place (2 bars).
17-24 First couple ½ Petronella figure, (setting first) ending in opposite places (8 bars).
25-32 First, second, and third couples tum partners (right hand) for four.
Dancing couple turning 1½ times to finish side by side on own sides in middle of set facing up (4 bars).
First couple dance up to top with nearer hands and cast off one place.

Repeat with a new top couple.

(Dance crib compiled by the deviser George Emmerson, London, Ontario, 1984)

Dance Instruction Videos

Mary Branigan's Delight - Scottish Country Dancing Instruction Video

Dance Information

This dance, Mary Branigan's Delight, was devised by George S Emmerson, London, Ontario 1984 and published in Four Scottish Country Dances In Memory Of Mary Nixon, (published by Winnipeg Branch RSCDS, 1994) in Memory of Mary Branigan Nixon.

Mary came to Winnipeg in 1964 as the wife of Archie Nixon, one of our teachers. She came from Hamilton, Ontario, where she and members of her family had settled after emigrating from Edinburgh in the early 1950's.

Mary was very active in Scottish Country Dancing in Hamilton, where she served for some time as head teacher in the Hamilton Branch. She was a founding member of Teachers' Association (Canada).

With this experience, Mary brought a new dimension to dancing in Winnipeg. She was a constant source of knowledge, enthusiasm and vitality to all who came in contact with her and was known widely throughout North America as one of our most accomplished and popular teachers.

It is in tribute to the memory of this gracious lady, who made such a tremendous contribution to Scottish Country Dancing in North America, that these dances were devised.

Whether or not we had the privilege of knowing Mary, and being taught by her, we have all benefitted from the legacy that she left us, and will continue to do so through the spirit of the dance.

Recommended tune: Kings Rant

Suitable double rant on record: Montgomerie's Rant or General Stuart Reel.

(Dance information by Christine M. Couling, RSCDS Winnipeg)

Mary Branigan Nixon

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