Ship O' Grace

Scottish Country Dance Instruction

SHIP O' GRACE (S4x40) 4C set Jean McAdam Lifeboat Dances

1- 8 1s dance down the middle and back up on own sides
9-16 All dance a Grand Chain
17-24 1s+2s and 3s+4s set and dance RH across ½ way, set and dance LH across back to places, 1s facing down, 2s+3s+4s face up
Authentic version:
25-32 1s make arch and dance down 1 place 2s dance under and up, repeat with 3s then 4s then 4s+1s turn LH
33-40 1s and 4s lead up to top, 1s casting to 4th place and 4s casting to 3rd place
Popular variation:
25-32 1s dance set advancing to right and in to 2nd place as 2s dance out to their right and up to 1st place, repeat with 3s then 4s, all turn RH
33-40 1s lead up to top followed by 4s+3s+2s (who start by dancing down to follow 1s) and cast back to places. 2341

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

Ship O' Grace
Jean McAdam Lifeboat Dances
Strathspey 4 x 40 bars 4 Couple Repeat 4 Couple Set Longwise Set

1-8 1s take nearer hands, lead down below 4s and cast up on own sides to places;

9-16 grand chain, 1s 4s crossing to start;

17-20 1s2s 3s4s take hands on the sides, set and right hands across halfway;

21-24 2s1s 4s3s take hands on the sides, set and left hands across halfway, finishing 1s facing down, 2s 3s 4s facing up, all with nearer hands joined;

25-26 1s2s set advancing and pass giving left shoulders WHILE 3s 4s set;

27-28 2s set WHILE 1s3s set advancing and pass giving left shoulders WHILE 4s set;

29-30 2s 3s set WHILE 1s4s set advancing and pass giving left shoulders, all finishing facing partners;

31-32 2s 3s 4s 1s turn by the right;

33-40 4s 3s 2s dance down to follow 1s who take nearer hands, lead up to the top and cast to finish 2s3s4s1s on own sides.

(MAXICRIB. Scottish country dancing instructions compiled by Reuben Freemantle)

Dance Notes

25-40 This is the popular variant.

25-29 2s 3s 4s face up throughout.

Keith Rose's Crib Diagram

Ship O' Grace - Full Size And Key To Symbols

Dance Instruction Videos

Ship O' Grace - Scottish Country Dancing Instruction Video

Dance Information

This dance was published by Jean McAdam in Lifeboat Dances in 1955.

The dance symbolizes a rescue operation: in bars 1-8, the lifeboat is launched; bars 9-16 represent the rescue equipment; bars 17-24 illustrate the steering wheel; bars 25-30 show the lifeboat speeding over the waves toward the distressed vessel; bars 31-32 depict the tying of the lifeline between the two boats; and bars 33-40 capture the lifeboat's return to safety while towing the rescued boat.

Lifeboat, Broughty Ferry, Scotland - Class Used Around "Lifeboat Dances" Publication

Image copyright Elliott Simpson under this Creative Commons Licence 2.0.
Additional search terms: Ship Of Grace.

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