Scottish Country Dancing Dictionary

Miss Sarah Smiles

Scottish Country Dance Instruction

Miss Sarah Smiles - 32-bar Strathspey for 2 couples in a longwise set. Linda Mae Dennis

1-4 1st couple, giving right hands, cross over to opposite sides and set to each other.
5-6 1st couple, and at the same time 2nd couple, passing right shoulders with partner, cross the set to just inside the side lines with 1st couple facing down and 2nd couple facing up. 1st and 2nd men finish with polite turns.
7-8 1st and 2nd couples set advancing to form a single line across the dance between second and first places. 1st couple remain facing down, 2nd couple remain facing up. From the women's side to the men's side the order is 2nd man, 1st woman, 2nd woman, 1st man.
9-16 1st and 2nd couples dance the targe. That is:
Bars 1-2: 1st and 2nd women giving right hands, turn three quarters while 1st and 2nd men dance one quarter the way round anticlockwise to meet the 'other' woman.
Bars 3-4: 1st man with 2nd woman and 2nd man with 1st woman giving left hands, turn once round.
Bars 5-6: 1st and 2nd women giving right hands, turn three quarters while 1st and 2nd men dance one quarter the way round anticlockwise to meet the 'other' woman again.
Bars 7-8: 1st man with 2nd woman and 2nd man with 1st woman giving left hands, turn three quarters round to finish on the sides. 2nd couple is now in first place, 1st couple is in second place on opposite sides.
17-24 2nd and 1st couples dance the tournée. To begin, the women dance forward and the men make the quick turn to face the same direction as their partners. (1st couple at the bottom faces the women's side, 2nd couple faces the men's side.) All finish in original places.
25-32 1st and 2nd couples dance the knot.

Repeat having passed a couple.

(Dance crib compiled by the deviser, Linda Mae Dennis, 2004)


Dance Notes

With first couple starting on opposite sides, there is a more symmetrical entrance into the tournée.

(Dance notes by the deviser, Linda Mae Dennis)


Keith Rose's Crib Diagrams


Dance Instruction Videos

Miss Sarah Smiles - Scottish Country Dancing Instruction Video

Dance Information

Inscribed to my dear friend and teacher from Austin, Texas, Sarah Harriman with whom I have so often shared dancing smiles.

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