The Swan And The Tay
Scottish Country Dance Instruction
THE SWAN AND THE TAY (S3x32) 3C set Audrey Saunders Perth 8001- 8 1s dance Figs 8 own sides dancing in and down to start (giving hands where possible)
9-16 1s cross down to dance reels of 3 on opposite sides (joining hands where possible) and 1s end facing 1st corners, 2s end in 1st place
17-20 1s dance Corners pass and turn with 1st corners, pass RSh on bar 20 to face 2nd corners
21-24 1s dance Corners pass and turn with 2nd corners. Pass RSh on bar 24 to end 2nd place own sides
25-32 All set, all cross RH, all chase clockwise ½ way round to own sides. 312
(MINICRIB. Dance crib compiled by Charles Upton, Deeside Caledonian Society, and his successors)
The Swan and The Tay
Audrey Saunders Scottish Country Dances for Perth 800
Strathspey 3 x 32 bars 3 Couple Repeat 3 Couple Set Longwise Set
1-8 Taking nearer hands, briefly, 1s lead down into mirror figures of 8 on own sides;
9-16 taking right hands, 1s cross down into mirror reels of 3 on opposite sides, 2s finishing in 1st place, 1s facing first corners;
17-20 1s pass and turn with first corners and pass right shoulder to finish facing second corners;
21-24 1s pass and turn with second corners and pass right shoulder to finish in 2nd place on own sides;
25-26 2s1s3s take hands on the sides and set;
27-28 2s 1s 3s cross by the right, finishing facing clockwise around the corners' square;
29-32 all chase halfway around the corners' square, finishing 3s1s2s.
(MAXICRIB. Scottish country dancing instructions compiled by Reuben Freemantle)
Dance Notes
1-16 Take hands, briefly, at every opportunity.
-16 1L must pull right shoulder back to face her first corner.
Keith Rose's Crib Diagrams
Dance Instruction Videos
Swan And The Tay - Scottish Country Dancing Instruction VideoDance Information
I know that Audrey Saunders, who devised this dance, The Swan And The Tay, intended the name of the dance to reflect the "twin cities" of Perth, Scotland, and Perth, Western Australia.The Swan River, Perth, Western Australia, has black swans, which was why it was named Swan River.
(Dance information by Carol Phillips, 2022)
White Swans On The Tay, Perth, Scotland
Black Swans On The Swan River, Perth, Western Australia
Upper image copyright Richard Webb under this Creative Commons Licence 2.0.
Lower image copyright JarrahTree...commons.wikimedia.org, Creative Commons Licence 2.5 Au, via Wikimedia Commons.
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