Tairāwhiti Wedding

Scottish Country Dance Instruction

1-8 1C with 2C, 3C with 4C dance double figures of eight across the set, beginning with 1C and 3C crossing down, and 2C and 4C casting up. Hands should be given when crossing.
9-16 1C and 3C dance the Rose Progression around the standing 2C. This will finish with couples in order 3, 2, 1,4. To wit: (described as an 8 bar phrase)
 1-2 First man and third woman set to each other while first woman and third man change places with right hands to finish facing out.
 3-4 First man and third woman half turn with both hands to finish facing each other on the diagonal with hands joined while first woman dances up to first man's place and third man dances down to third woman's place. First woman dances behind second man, and third man behind second woman.
 5-6 First man and third woman cast to the right and dance out to the sidelines to finish in each other's place while first woman and third man half turn with both hands to finish facing each other on the diagonal with hands joined. It is important in this dance that the dancers approaching for the half turns use a round track, and this should be anticipated in bars 3-4.
 7-8 First man dances across to third man's place while third woman dances across to first woman's place while first woman and third man cast to the right and dance out to the sidelines to finish with first woman in third woman's place and third man in first man's place.
17-18 All 4 couples take hands on the side and set.
19-22 All couples turn with 2 hands.
23-24 Again, all take hands and set.
25-32 3C with 2C, 1C with 4C dance the Knot. Unless this is the last time through, 3C and 1C should finish facing out, ready for the next iteration, to cast into the double figures of eight. Finishing order is 2, 3, 4, 1.

Repeat with a new top couple.

(Dance crib compiled by the deviser Rod Downey, Johnsonville SCD Club Tutor)

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Dance Information

This dance commemorates my youngest son Alex marrying Lana Phillips in a wonderful wedding in February in Gisborne. As Lana has Maori heritage, there were a lot of Maori elements in the beautiful wedding, including a lovely Korowai (cloak) from Lana's grandparents, as well as a Waiata and a spirited Haka.

For the wedding dance Lana and Alex were first couple dancing Mairi's Wedding in a "family and friends" set, the men all in kilts and ladies with sashes to celebrate Alex's Scottish (Macdonald) heritage.

Tairawhiti is the Maori name for Gisborne (or, at least, the Gisborne Region).

This dance contains a new version of the Rose Progression around a couple in the spirit of New Park from book 19, which has an all round poussette for 1C and 3C.

Recommended tune is "Mrs MacInroy of Lude" by Joseph Lowe which is traditional. Since there is no suitable recording of this, alternative recommended tune is "Red Plaid" (traditional) and I particularly like the set "Red Plaid/The Iron Man/The Banks of Spey" from Peter Elmes' recording of "Glenys Pearce's Strathspey" from the Lochiel Collection.

Should this not be available, I would recommended tune "Miss Janet Laing's Strathspey" by Nan Main, and either of the society's recordings for book 22 would be good. Failing that use any reasonable recording of "The Balmoral Strathspey".

(Dance information from The Piwakawaka Collection Of Scottish Country Dances, reproduced here with the kind permission of the deviser, Rod Downey)

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