Riversdale

Scottish Country Dance Instruction

RIVERSDALE (J7x32) 7C Set Rod Downey The Golden Bear Collection
The active couples are the 1s, 3s and 5s

1- 2 All take hands on the side and set
3- 4 Active couples cast one place as 2s+4s+6s cross up passing RSh one position to opposite sides as 7s cross over passing RSh. (2)1(4)3(6)5(7)
5- 8 1s+4s, 3s+6s and 5s+7s dance RH across, active couples finish facing Man's first corner, Lady followed by Man
9-24 Active couples dance ½ Alternating Tandem ½ RSh reels of 3 with Man's 1st, 2nd 3rd and 4th corners. 7163452
Active couples finish nearer hands joined in centre facing up, 1s in 2nd place, 3s in 4th and 5s in 6th. (Man with Lady on right).)
25-28 Active couples set twice
29-32 1s cast to 6th place as 3s dance up and cast around 6th couple (in 3rd position) into 4th place as 5s dance up the centre and into 2nd place. 7563412

(MINICRIB. Dance crib compiled by Charles Upton, Deeside Caledonian Society, and his successors)

Riversdale 32 bar Jig for 7 couples Rod Downey The Golden Bear Collection
A 7 couple jig in a longwise set. The active couples are the 1's, 3's and 5's.

1- 2 All take hands on the side and set.
3- 4 Active couples cast one place 2C, 4C, 6C cross up one position (no hands) to opposite sides, and face up. 7C cross over passing right shoulder to opposite sides.
5- 8 1C with 4C, 3C with 6C and 5C with 7C dance four hands across and finish facing the man's first corner position, man behind lady (so that, for example, first lady (with first man behind) will be facing 4th man, who is in 3rd lady's original position). (Hint: The 7th couple and those who cross up (except 2C) dance 4 hands across with the casting couple coming from above them.)
9-24 Active couples dance 4 lead change RS (half) reels of three, to the man's first, second, third and fourth corners respectively. The other dancers will reel as appropriate. This will finish with 7C in first place, 6C in 3rd place, 4th couple in 5th place, and 2nd couple in 7th place, all on own sides.
Active couples finish with nearer hands joined in the centre facing up, 1C in 2nd place, 3C in 4th and 5C in 6th. (All are on their own sides.)
25-28 Active couples set twice.
29-32 1C dance out and cast to 6th place. 3C dance up and cast around 6th couple (in 3C position, behind 1C) and cast into 4th place. 5C dance up the centre and into 2nd place.
Finishing order 7, 5, 6, 3, 4, 1, 2.

Repeat from new positions.

(Dance crib compiled by the deviser Rod Downey, Johnsonville SCD Club Tutor, revised 15/9/2021)

Dance Notes

At the end of the hands across, all the half reels begin with the ladies dancing DOWN and the men dancing UP (This tends to be easier for the men to remember, as it is the natural direction for them after the hands across, whereas the ladies need to anticipate to dance down).

If a dancer begins a half reel they continue to reel in that direction until they hit the end of the set, or the 16 bars finish. Thus, for example, 7M will dance 3 successive half reels of 3 finishing in first place. Active couples remain in their "box" for the whole 16 bars. Thus, for example, 1C will dance their 4 lead change half reels with the dancers in places 1 and 3, the normal corner positions.

(Dance notes compiled by the deviser Rod Downey, Johnsonville SCD Club Tutor, revised 15/9/2021)

Dance Information

This jig, Riversdale, was devised on 7/1/2021 but revised 15/9/2021 and 28/2/2025.

Riversdale is a lovely family beach in the North Wairarapa coast, where we usually spend Christmas.

The recommended tune is "The Stool of Repentance" by Neil Gow, played, if possible, ABBA.

Since your are unlikely to find a 7 by 32 Jig, (or even jigs of this structure) for recorded music I would use any good recording of "The Last of The Lairds" or "The Boston Fiddle Club Jig".

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

Published in The Golden Bear Collection, reproduced here with the kind permission of the deviser, Rod Downey.
Published in https://homepages.ecs.vuw.ac.nz/~downey/dances/book5.pdf

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