The Platinum Girls

Scottish Country Dance Instruction

1-4 1C dances down between 2C and casts back up around 2C to original place. 4C similarly dances up between 4C and casts off around 3C back to original place.
5-8 2C dances up between 1C and casts back to 2nd place, and 3C similarly down between 4C.
9-12 1C with 2C, 3C with 4C dance 4 hands round finishing in the centre nearer hands joined, 1C facing 2C and 3C facing 4C.
13-14 All set, with 1C and 3C turning to face up on bar 14.
15-16 1C cast into 2nd place and face in and up, 3C cast into 4th place and face in and up, 2C and 4C dance up one place and face out.
17-24 The 4 ladies and the 4 men dance mirror reels of 4 on the sides, beginning with 4C dancing up and out, 1C in and down. This begins with 1C dancing up to first place, 4C down to 4th place and 3C passing 2C on bars 17 and 18.
25-32 1C with 2C, 3C with 4C double figures of 8 across the dance, beginning with 1C and 3C crossing up and 2C and 4C casting off. (Again the finishing order is 2,1,4,3.)
33-36 All set and link. To wit:
 33-34 All set.
 35-36 1L casts to 4th place, 2L to 2nd place, 4L dances forward (i.e. up in front of the ladies' line) up to first place and 3L to 3rd place. 1M dances forward to 4th place, 2M to second place, 4M casts to 1st place and 3M to 3rd place. Finishing order, 4, 2, 3, 1.
37-40 All advance and retire.
41-48 4C with 2C; 3C with 1C dance a Philabeg. To wit (described for 4C and 2C in current positions):
41-42 They turn each other with both hands 1⅛ and finish on a diagonal pointing towards the men's side at a position half way between first and second places (4C) and similarly up for 2C.
43 Using setting step, 4C dancing down and out to the men's side, 4th lady starting on her left foot, while 2rd couple dance diagonally up and out to the ladies' side, 2rd man starting on his left foot.
44 Both couples turn approximately ¾ and finish ready to dance in on the other diagonal.
45 Both couples dance diagonally in to progressed places.
46 Both couples turn about ¾ (with both hands),
47-48 and dance out in a curve to their own sides passing right shoulder. Finishing order, 2, 4, 1, 3.

Repeat from new positions.

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

Dance Information

Both of these musicians have given sterling service to Johnsonville club and dancing in New Zealand. The bash had a large assembled mass of musicians who came from as far as Auckland, Christchurch, and Melbourne to be at the occasion, which was a grand one.

Recommended tune is "Tae Gar Ye Loup" a traditional tune and suitable recordings are "Everlasting Friendship" by the Black Bear duo, and "The Moray Rant" on the album "Tae Gar Ye Loup" by Drummond Cook. The Philabeg is due to Bob Campbell in the dance "The Macfarlane's Strathspey".

I have given a full description as the figure is not as widely known as it should be.

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

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