The St John's Jig (Derrick)

Scottish Country Dance Instruction

The St John's Jig (J8x32) 3C (4C set) Lewis N Derrick 2019

1-8 The 1st couple set and giving nearer hands dance down between the 2nd couple, divide and cast behind the 3rd couple, meet below 3rd couple and giving nearer hands dance up between them to end back to back in second place facing own sides. The 2nd couple step up on bars 7-8.
9-16 The 2nd, 1st and 3rd couples dance crown triangles, ending with the 1st couple back to back in the centre of the set the woman facing up, the man facing down
17-24 Reels of three across, 1st woman with the 2nd couple and 1st man with the 3rd couple, 1st couple begin by giving left shoulder to their first corners and end in second place own sides
25-28 The 1st couple turn by the right hand one and a quarter times
29-32 Left hands across, the 1st man with the 2nd couple, the 1st woman with the 3rd couple 1st couple end in second place own sides

Repeat having passed a couple

(Dance crib compiled by the deviser, Lewis N Derrick 2019)

Dance Instruction Videos

The St John's Jig (Derrick) - Scottish Country Dancing Instruction Video

Dance Information

Also see the dance St John's Jig (Drewry) by John Drewry.

This dance, The St John's Jig, was devised by Lewis N Derrick in memory of Sheila Jupp who was honoured with life membership of the St John's Scottish Country Dancing Club, Wokingham, after 15 years' committee service including a period as club chairman.

Suggested tune: The Gobbie O' (trad.)

Devised 2019, first published electronically 2020.

(Dance information from The McGhie Scottish Country Dance Sheets #5, reproduced here with the kind permission of the deviser, Lewis N Derrick)

Saint John or St. John usually refers to John the Baptist, but also, sometimes, to John the Apostle.

John the Baptist was a Roman born Judaean mission preacher active in the area of the Jordan River in the early 1st century AD. He is also known as John the Forerunner in Christianity, John the Immerser in some Baptist Christian traditions, and Prophet Yahya in Islam. He is sometimes alternatively referred to as John the Baptiser.

John the Apostle or Saint John the Beloved was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus according to the New Testament. Generally listed as the youngest apostle, he was the son of Zebedee and Salome. His brother James was another of the Twelve Apostles. The Church Fathers identify him as John the Evangelist, John of Patmos, John the Elder, and the Beloved Disciple, and testify that he outlived the remaining apostles and was the only one to die of natural causes, although modern scholars are divided on the veracity of these claims.

"St John The Baptist In The Desert" Titian (1490-1576), Oil On Canvas, c. 1542

"The Apostle Saint John Evangelista", Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640), Oil On Canvas, c. 1611

Published in The McGhie Scottish Country Dance Sheets, Collection 1, reproduced here with the kind permission of the deviser, Lewis N Derrick.
Dance information licensed under this Creative Commons Licence 3.0.
Text from this original John The Baptist article on Wikipedia.
Text from this original John The Apostle article on Wikipedia.
Upper image copyright Titian, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
Lower image copyright Peter Paul Rubens, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

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