The Masters Of Art
Scottish Country Dance Instruction
The Masters Of Art (S3x32) A 32 bar strathspey for three couples starting in a longwise set - although most of the dance is in a triangular set. Murrough LandonThe dance starts with two chords: on the second chord 2nd couple cross over to start on the opposite side.
1-2 1st and 2nd couples dance the first two bars of the Tourbillon, turning partners with both hands and opening out to the sidelines with 1st couple on the women's side and 2nd couple on the men's side.
3-4 All three couples set on the sidelines.
5-8 All circle two places to the left and turn partners with both hands to end in a triangular set with the men facing in and the women back to back facing out. 1st couple are in the centre in 3rd place, 2nd couple are in 1st womans place and 3rd couple are in 1st man's place.
9-12 All dance half a triangular poussette ending in diametrically opposite places:
1: holding both hands with partners, all take one setting step to the man's right (requiring a foot change for the women) and make a quarter turn.
2: all half turn moving on slightly so the men are facing in again, now with 1st couple in 2nd place on the women's side, 2nd couple in 3rd man's place and 3rd couple in 1st man's place.
3-4: repeat bars 1-2 to diametrically opposite places but end by turning only a quarter so that the men are facing around the circle clockwise and women are facing anticlockwise.
After every two bars, 1st couple are always in the centre of a line across or in 2nd place on the sidelines while 2nd and 3rd couples are always in the corners of the square formed by 1st mans, 3rd mans, 3rd womans and 1st womans places.
13-16 All dance half interlocking reels of four around the circle ending by turning to face their partners in the same places as bar 9, men facing in, women facing out.
17-22 All set, chase and turn:
All set to partners, ending turning away to be right shoulder to each other.
All the men chase one place clockwise as the women in the centre dance ⅔ left hands across dropping hands to face their partners.
All turn partners with both hands.
23-28 All repeat 17-22 but end the turn by opening out to the sidelines (as in bars 5-6 of the Tourbillon) to end in the order 2,1,3 with 3rd couple on the opposite side.
29-32 1st and 3rd couples dance set and link to end in the order 2,3,1 with 3rd couple on the opposite side.
(Dance crib compiled by the deviser, Murrough Landon, CC BY-SA May 2016)
Dance Instruction Videos
The Masters Of Art - Scottish Country Dancing Instruction VideoDance Information
Dedicated to Barrie Gabbott and Cos Ahmet, excellent teachers and practitioners of Art, with abiding thanks for being the leading lights of the London Gay Gordons for so many years.Recommended Music: Cate's Conundrum: Opus Dance - Tweeddale (James Gray, Sue Petrov).
(Dance information by the deviser, Murrough Landon, CC BY-SA May 2016)
Cos And Barrie
Image copyright Barrie Gabbott, Cos Ahmet, Murrough Landon, CC BY-SA May 2016.
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