Sightlines From Chernex

Scottish Country Dance Instruction

1-4 1st and 3rd couples dance half a figure of eight round the couples below them.
5-6 All four couples cross over giving left hands.
7-8 1st and 4th couples set. Meanwhile 2nd and 3rd couples dance half left hands across and face the end couples on the sides. The order is now 1,3,2,4 with 3rd and 4th couples on opposite sides.
9-16 All dance reels of four on the sides starting by passing right shoulder.
17-20 1st and 3rd couples, also 2nd and 4th couples, dance right hands across ending still close in the centre, with 3rd and 2nd women ready to pass each other left shoulder.
21-24 3rd and 1st couples, also 2nd and 4th couples, with the women all leading their partner, dance a Snake Pass, curving left shoulder around the other two couples to end on the sidelines beside their partner in the other half of the set. End with 2nd man, 2nd woman, 1st man and 1st woman down the men's side and 4th woman, 4th man, 3rd woman and 3rd man down the women's side.
25-32 4th with 2nd couples, also 3rd with 1st couples dance a slightly modified tournée.
On the first bar all take promenade hold with their partner and dance in to the centre line, men diagonally slightly to their right, so that 4th and 2nd men, also 3rd and 1st men, are left shoulder to each other.
All then continue with bars 2-8 of the tournée as usual. End in the order 2,4,1,3.

(Dance crib compiled by the deviser, Murrough Landon, CC BY-SA February 2020)

Keith Rose's Crib Diagrams

Sightlines From Chernex - Full Size And Key To Symbols

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Dance Information

This was in the hills above Montreux from where they had a lovely view over the eastern end of Lake Geneva and the surrounding mountains. Chernex, which is pronounced like "Shairnay", is on the Montreux Oberland Bernois or "GoldenPass" railway line. This climbs and winds its narrow gauge way up from Montreux, through the gorgeous scenery of the Bernese Oberland, to the rail and river junction at Zweisimmen. The reels, snake pass and tournée may be taken to illustrate the loopy nature of the line.

The tournée often elicits groans even from experienced dancers, however Aline Cook thinks it makes a nice pattern when viewed from above. So just imagine Aline's appreciative eye is upon you and do your best! As encouragement the entry into the tournée is a little easier in this dance though that might disappoint true connoisseurs of the figure.

Recommended music: A Glint of Gold (Drummond Cook).
Suitable recording: A Glint of Gold (Colin Dewar and his SDB: A' the best fae Banffshire).

(Dance information by the deviser, Murrough Landon, CC BY-SA 2020)

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