Scottish Country Dancing Dictionary

Merton Court Medley

Scottish Country Dance Instruction

Merton Court Medley (Medley S4x32 R4x32) 4C square set Sue Petyt

Strathspey
1-2 Men dance right hand across half way, WHILE the ladies dance one place anticlockwise
3-4 All set, ladies and men all facing inwards
5-6 Men dance right hand across half way WHILE the ladies dance one place anticlockwise and finish first man facing third lady, second man facing fourth lady, third man facing first lady and fourth man facing second lady.
(Men dance out of the right hand across to face the ladies (not pulling right shoulder back))
7-8 All set
9-16 All dance reel of four, giving right shoulder to the person facing you and giving left hands across half way in the centre. The ladies finish the reel in position as at bar 9, facing clockwise and the men dance more than a full reel to finish back to back with the lady, facing anticlockwise
17-24 Dance left shoulder interlocking reel of four. (First man giving left shoulder to second lady, second man giving left shoulder to third lady, third man giving left shoulder to fourth lady, fourth man giving left shoulder to first lady)
25-26 First man and third lady, second man and fourth lady, third man and first lady, second man and fourth lady turn right hand half way
27-30 All dance half a double men's chain giving left hands half way across in the middle. Finishing with partner, but opposite original place. (First couple in third couples place, second couple in fourth couples place, third couple in first couples place and fourth couple in second couples place)
31-32 All set

Reel
1-8 Second couple with first man and third lady, and fourth couple with third man and first lady, dance rights and lefts. Begin with first man and second lady, second man and third lady, third man and fourth lady, fourth man and first lady giving right hands. Omit polite turns and dance into...
9-16 First couple with third couple, and second couple with fourth couple dance rights and lefts, first and third couples changing right hands with their partners to start, and second man and fourth lady, fourth man and second lady changing right hands to start
17-20 First and third couples set advancing and dance right hands across half way to original place
21-24 Second and fourth couples set advancing and dance right hands across half way to original place
25-32 All circle round and back

(Dance crib compiled by the deviser, Sue Petyt, 2003)


Dance Instruction Videos

Merton Court Medley - Scottish Country Dancing Instruction Video

Dance Information

This dance, Merton Court Medley, attempts to reflect some of the wildlife which visits Merton Court, where I live. The Strathspey reflects the pheasants with the males parading and showing off to the ladies, and the reel, the rabbits who scurry around the gardens.

(Dance information by the deviser, Sue Petyt)


Published in https://suepetyt.e-cribs.org/

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