The McGhie's Seat
Scottish Country Dance Instruction
The McGhie's Seat (S80) Sq.Set Lewis N Derrick 19871-8 All dance eight hands round to the left and back
9-16 Passing their corners left shoulder to begin, the 1st man with the 2nd couple, likewise the 3rd man with the 4th couple, dance reels of three on the sides
17-20 All four men dance right hands across once round
21-24 All turn partners by the left hand; the 1st and 3rd men end facing out while the 2nd and 4th men dance a polite turn into original places
25-32 Passing their corners right shoulder to begin, the 2nd woman with the 1st couple, likewise the 4th woman with the 3rd couple, dance reels of three across the top and bottom of the set
33-36 All four women dance left hands across once round
37-40 All turn partners by the right hand; the 1st and 3rd women end facing out while the 2nd and 4th women dance a polite turn into original places
41-48 Passing their corners left shoulder to begin, the 2nd man with the 3rd couple, likewise the 4th man with the 1st couple, dance reels of three across the top and bottom of the set
49-52 All four men dance right hands across once round
53-56 All turn partners by the left hand; the 2nd and 4th men end facing out while the 1st and 3rd men dance a polite turn into original places
57-64 Passing their corners right shoulder to begin, the 1st woman with the 4th couple, likewise the 3rd woman with the 2nd couple, dance reels of three on the sides
65-68 All four women dance left hands across once round
69-72 All turn partners by the right hand, all dancing a polite turn back to original places at the end
73-80 All dance eight hands round to the left and back
(Dance Crib compiled by the deviser, Lewis N Derrick 2020)
Dance Notes
After the turns (bars 21-24, 37-40 and 53-56) the couples continuing to dance must dance away from one another to allow the person leading the reel to cut through between them giving the appropriate shoulder to their corner.(Dance notes by the deviser, Lewis N Derrick)
Keith Rose's Crib Diagrams
Dance Information
The McGhie's Seat is a hill in New Galloway, between Gatehouse of Fleet and Laurieston.Suggested tune: The Back O' Catterthin.
Devised February 1987, revised December 1988; first published 1989; republished electronically 2020.
Copyright 1987, 1988, 1989, 2020 Lewis N. Derrick.
(Dance information reproduced here with the kind permission of the deviser, Lewis N Derrick)
McGhie's Seat is a notable viewpoint located near New Galloway in the region of Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland.
It is situated on a hill that offers expansive views over the surrounding countryside, including scenic vistas of forests, lochs, and distant hills.
In Scottish landscape names, "seat" can often mean a prominent spot or location, typically a high point offering a view, without necessarily implying a bench or constructed seat. The name likely refers to a scenic resting or viewing point on the hill.
Road To Laurieston Near McGhie's Seat
Published in The McGhie Scottish Country Dance Books, Volume 4, The McGhie's Seat and Other Scottish Country Dances, reproduced here with the kind permission of the deviser, Lewis N Derrick.
Image copyright Billy McCrorie under this Creative Commons Licence 2.0.
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