The Potter's Pairs
Scottish Country Dance Instruction
THE POTTER'S PAIRS (R4x32) 4C set Sjoerd van Leersum et al Potters Pairs Book 11- 8 1s and 4s cross RH, cast down/up 1 place (2s+3s step down/up 3-4), 1s+4s dance RH across, pull back RSh to face 1st corners
9-16 Diagonal reels of 4:
2s+3s dance 8 bars of diagonal reel, dancing ½ LH across in centre instead of passing LSh
1s+4s dance ½ diagonal reel of 4 with 1st corners, pass LSh in centre and dance ½ diagonal reel of 4 with 2nd corner positions
17-24 RSh reels of 4 on sidelines (1s+4s start from centre). All end on sidelines, 1s+4s facing out
25-32 2s+4s also 1s+3s dance double Figs 8 across (2s+3s cross, 1s+4s cast to start)
(MINICRIB. Dance crib compiled by Charles Upton, Deeside Caledonian Society, and his successors)
Keith Rose's Crib Diagrams
Dance Instruction Videos
The Potter's Pairs - Scottish Country Dancing Instruction VideoDance Information
This dance was created in 2007 by Sjoerd van Leersum, Judith Kowalczik, Marion Markowski, and Herbert von Francken-Welz in Germany. It was specially choreographed to celebrate the 50th birthday of Martin McWilliam from Sandhatten.Martin is both a passionate dancer and a highly regarded ceramic artist, known for his distinctive and imaginative work. Many of his ceramic pieces are designed as matching sets, often reflecting his playful and unconventional approach. Despite being a native English speaker, he is fondly known for occasionally mixing up terms such as 'couples' and 'pairs', or 'bars' and 'beats' - adding a touch of humour to his dancing and conversations alike.
Martin McWilliam's ceramics focus on the vessel as both symbol and form, inspired by the imperfect beauty of Japanese tea ware. His pieces are shaped by chance as much as intention, with porcelain beads embedded in the clay and surfaces transformed by wood-firing in a hand-built kiln. The results are textured, unpredictable, and meditative, inviting quiet reflection rather than practical use.
His later work plays with illusion - flattened vessels, partial forms, and sketched outlines that challenge perception and echo Cubist ideas. These pieces suggest that what we see may not always be what is real, touching on themes found in Zen philosophy.
Trained in England and deeply influenced by time spent in Japan, Martin combines technique with spiritual awareness. His ceramics reflect a lifelong exploration of material, meaning, and the quiet power of form.
Japanese Tea Tray, Hamarikyu garden, Tokyo, Japan
Published in Potters Pairs Book 1, reproduced here under this Creative Commons Attribution - NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Image copyright WorldContributor, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Back to the top of this Scottish Country Dancing Instructions 'The Potter's Pairs' page