Piwakawaka

Scottish Country Dance Instruction

1- 2 All take hands on the side and set.
3- 8 1C with 2C; 3C with 4C dance ¾ double figures of eight (across), 1C and 3C casting down to begin.
9-12 1W and 4M, 1M with 4W set and link. Finish with 1C and 4C having nearer hands joined and 4C facing down and 1C facing up.
13-16 1C and 4C each set and link across the set. (At the end of this figure, the order will be 2, 4, 1, 3, with 3C and 4C on opposite sides.)
17-20 1C with 4C, dance 4 hands across, finishing with 2C facing 4C, and 1C facing 3C on sidelines. (Thus, 2C and 1C are facing down, the others up.)
21-24 All set and then turn half way to change places, with the couples facing down dancing between those facing up. (So, 2M and 4W use RH, and 2W and 4M use LH, for example. The turns for 1C should be strong because of the next two bars. 1C might like to think of this as ¾ for them.) Finish with 1C facing out and up and 4C facing down, ready for....
25-26 1C cast up to first place, 4C cross down (no hands) to 4th place on own sides.
27-28 1C cross down to 3rd place on opposite sides; whilst 3C cast up to first place.
29-30 1C cast up to first place while 3C cross down to 3rd place.
31-32 1C cross down to second place on own sides and face down and out, while, 2C cast up to first place.
33-36 1C, 3C 4C dance ½ mirror reel of 3 on the sides, 3C dancing in and up, and 4C out and up to begin.
37-38 1C and 3C turn once round, RH on the men's side and LH on the ladies' side. 3C finish facing up, ready for....
39-40 4C and 3C half turn to change places, LH on the men's side and RH on the ladies' side. (Finishing order 2, 3, 4, 1.)
41-48 Eight hands round and back.

Repeat with a new top couple.

(Dance crib compiled by the deviser Rod Downey, Johnsonville SCD Club Tutor)

Dance Instruction Videos

Dance Information

This was after thinking about the penultimate 8 bars of "Excited States" by Kristi Closser which has a vaguely fugal figure resembling 25-32 of the present dance, but for three couples, and wondering if this would make a nice 4C version. Hence the somewhat fugal construction of the present dance.

I would rate this one as advanced and dancers would definitely need to have their wits about them.

Recommended tune is "Unnamed Stallion" by James MacQueen, played AABBAB. Since most people don't have musicians on tap, I would recommend a reel with strong 2 bar phrases. "Celtic Cross" as recorded by Alastair Hunter and the Lorne SCD Band "Etive Selection" or as recorded on "Tribute to Derek Hayes" by Nicol Maclaren et. al. would work well.

The piwakawaka is a New Zealand fantail. It is known for its friendly "cheet-cheet" call and energetic flying; dancers will need some energetic dancing and to be on their game for this dance. (I did consider the name "Overly Excited States".)

(Dance information from The Piwakawaka Collection Of Scottish Country Dances, reproduced here with the kind permission of the deviser, Rod Downey)

Back to the top of this Scottish Country Dancing Instructions 'Piwakawaka' page