The Saxon Triangle
Scottish Country Dance Instruction
The Saxon Triangle (S3x32) A 32 bar strathspey for three couples in a triangular set, Murrough Landon, 20261- 8 1st couple dance down and out through the couple on their own side, then cast up into half a figure of eight around 2nd woman and 3rd man to end facing down in the centre, briefly touching nearer hands.
9-12 1st woman and 2nd couple dance left hands across while 1st man and 3rd couple dance right hands across.
13-16 1st couple cross down between 2nd man and 3rd woman and cast up to their original places at the top.
17-18 All set to their partner.
19-24 All dance a grand chain, one bar per hand, starting right hand to their partner. After the last left hand change, the men end facing in and the woman face out and anticlockwise.
25-32 All dance a triangular Bourrel:
1- 4: The men set advancing to form a circle, then circle three hands round one third (one place to the left), pull back their right shoulder and face out to their partner.
Meanwhile the women chase two places anticlockwise.
5- 8: All set to their partner, then turn three quarters with both hands to end facing in.
The final order is 3,1,2.
(Dance crib compiled by the deviser, Murrough Landon, CC BY-SA September 2026)
Keith Rose's Crib Diagram
Dance Instruction Videos
The Saxon Triangle - Scottish Country Dancing Instruction VideoDance Information
This dance was written for the Scottish country dancing groups in Dresden and Chemnitz, who invited the deviser to teach some of his dances during a visit to Saxony, Germany.Andrea Dög provided accommodation, while Holger and Geraldine Schuckelt taught the deviser some of their dances.
The visit also included Leipzig, which forms a geographical triangle with Dresden and Chemnitz.
The triangular Bourrel figure was adapted from the square Bourrel in The Mentors, a dance devised by Florence Burgy.
Recommended music: Suggested tune: Modley House (Drummond Cook).
Suitable recording: Gourdieburn (Colin Dewar and his SDB: A' the best fae Banffshire).
(Dance information from notes supplied by the deviser, Murrough Landon, 2026)
Published in The Saxon Triangle, reproduced here with the kind permission of the deviser, Murrough Landon. Licensed under CC BY-SA.
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