Scottish Country Dancing Dictionary

A Real Gem

Scottish Country Dance Instruction

A Real Gem (S4x32) A 32 bar strathspey for four couples in a square set. Murrough Landon 2015
1st and 3rd couples are the dancing couples.

1-4 1st and 3rd couples set to their partners, then turn them once round both hands.
5-8 1st and 3rd couples open out and dance in (men leading) to circle four hands once round to the left and back to places.
9-16 1st and 3rd couples (men leading) dance right hands across with 2nd and 4th women then dance left hands across with 4th and 2nd men and end in tandem facing 2nd and 4th women again.
17-20 1st and 3rd couples, giving right shoulders to 2nd and 4th women, dance half tandem reels of three across and end side by side with partners facing their own side in lines across.
21-24 1st and 3rd couples turn their corner just over once round with the easy hand. Those turning right hand end at the corners of a diamond with 1st woman, 4th man, 3rd woman and 2nd man outside 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th places. 1st man with 2nd woman also 3rd man with 4th woman end in tandem (men leading) with 1st and 3rd men each facing their partners on the diagonal.
25-28 Repeat bars 17-20 but with left shoulders on the 2nd corner diagonal: 1st man with 2nd woman give left shoulder to 1st woman while 3rd man with 4th woman give left shoulder to 3rd woman. End in lines on the diagonal with the tandem couples side by side, with their partners on their other side.
29-32 All turn partners just under once round with the easy hand (1st and 3rd couples right, 2nd and 4th couples left) all ending (with optional twirl) in progressed places 2,3,4,1 with 2nd and 4th couples facing partners ready for the repeat.

(Dance crib compiled by the deviser, Murrough Landon, CC BY-SA June 2015)


Dance Instruction Videos

A Real Gem - Scottish Country Dancing Instruction Video

Dance Information

This strathspey, A Real Gem, is dedicated to Patrick Brunskill, a delightful dancer who has been a very warm and supportive friend for many years.

Recommended music: As for Alison Rose.

(Dance information by the deviser, Murrough Landon, CC BY-SA June 2015)

A Real Gem
Patrick - A Real Gem

Published in A Real Gem, reproduced here with the kind permission of the deviser, Murrough Landon, CC BY-SA.
Image copyright Patrick Brunskill, Murrough Landon, CC BY-SA June 2015.

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