Sonas Le Sith

Scottish Country Dance Instruction

Sonas Le Sith
Maggie and Duncan Keppie Gaelic College SCD Book 6: A Dozen Dances
Strathspey 3 x 32 bars 3 Couple Repeat 3 Couple Set Longwise Set

1-8 1ST AND 3RD DOWN, SET, UP, AND 1ST CAST as 3RD TO TOP: 1st and 3rd couples dance down middle nearer hands joined (2 bars), set to partner, dance up nearer hands joined (2 bars), then 1st couple cast into 3rd AS 3rd couple dance up the middle casting into 1st place;

9-16 SET, CROSS AND CHASE: All set, cross right hands, and chase clockwise to original places;

17-24 BACK-TO-BACK AND TURN: All dance back-to-back with partner and turn partner with both hands;

25-32 PROGRESSION: 1st couple cross giving right hands, cast off one place (2nd couple stepping up), cross giving left hands and cast off to the bottom (other couples step up).

Repeat with new top couple.

(Dance crib compiled by the devisers, Maggie and Duncan Keppie)

Dance Notes

If numbers so dictate, this dance can readily be performed as a 4-Couple Repeat in a 4-Couple Set with bars 29-32 adapted as indicated and using 4 x 32 bars of music.

(Dance notes by Reuben Freemantle)

Dance Information

"Sonas le sith" is taken from the chorus of a rather free translation of the Canadian National Anthem (O Canada) into Gaelic (as O Chanada); it means "Happiness with peace" in Gaelic. "Sonas le sith" should be pronounced as "Sson~ss lay shee" and "O Chanada" as "Oe Chan~d~" in English with stress on the first syllable of polysyllables and the following conventions:
  "ss" is as in "less";
  "~" represents the very short, indeterminate, vowel sound;
  "ay" is as in "bay";
  "sh" is as in "shot";
  "ee" is as in "beet";
  "oe" is as in "toe"; and
  "ch" is as in "loch".
See Gaelic Dance Names for more information on Gaelic spelling and pronunciation.

The Canadian Flag

Dance information licensed under this Creative Commons Licence 3.0.
Image copyright Jared Grove.

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