The Track Court

Scottish Country Dance Instruction

1- 4 All set joining hands on the sides. Then all dance in passing their partner right shoulder and face them in the centre with their back to the opposite side.
5-12 All join both hands with their partner and slip down and up for 8 slip steps each way.
13-16 All set. Then 1st with 2nd couples, also 3rd with 4th couples, each dance half right hands across. All end in tandem in the centre. 2nd and 4th couples face the women's side with the women leading. 1st and 3rd couples face the men's side with the men leading.
17-24 All dance a "Choochoo Reel" half way:
 1- 2: 2nd and 1st couples, also 4th and 3rd couples, all in tandem, pass right shoulder.
 3- 4: 1st and 4th couples, at the ends, set still facing the same way in tandem. Meanwhile 2nd and 3rd couples pass left shoulder in the centre.
 5- 8: All repeat the pattern of bars 1-4 from their new places. The order is now 3,4,1,2 with all still in the centre, each nearer the opposite side. 3rd and 2nd couples end by joining nearer hands with their partner and raise their outer hands. 3rd couple face down and 2nd couple face up. 4th and 1st men turn to face up in tandem. 1st and 4th women face down in tandem.
25-26 Red signal!
 3rd and 2nd couples set (blocking the paths of 4th and 1st men, and 1st and 4th women, who stand still) and turn away from each other towards the opposite side.
27-30 Green signal!
 1st and 4th women dance half an alternating tandem reel of three on the men's side starting right shoulder to 2nd woman at the bottom while 4th and 1st men dance half an alternating tandem reel of three on the women's side starting right shoulder to 3rd man at the top. 3rd and 2nd couples enter the reels by dancing out to the sides.
All end facing their partner. 3rd man and 2nd woman each pull back right shoulder as they dance into place whereas 3rd woman and 2nd man add loops to face in.
31-32 All cross over to their own side giving right hands. The final order is 3,1,4,2.

(Dance crib compiled by the deviser, Murrough Landon, CC BY-SA November 2025)

Dance Notes

For a less busy dance only 2nd and 3rd couples slip down and up for bars 5-12. 1st and 4th couples cross over to the opposite side on bars 3-4 and then set advancing into the centre on bars 13-14.

(Dance notes compiled by the deviser, Murrough Landon CC BY-SA November 2025)

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Dance Information

The word is formed from "pálya", meaning "track" or "railway line", and "udvar", meaning "court" or "yard". A literal translation would therefore be something close to "track court" or "railway yard".

Although "udvar" in Hungarian commonly refers to a courtyard or enclosed area, the English word "court" can suggest a legal or royal setting. This creates an amusing contrast for English speakers, as the name can sound as though the railway tracks are gathered in formal discussion before deciding whether a train will leave on time, or depart at all.

Suggested tune: Shinkansen (David Hall) - however there is no 4x32 recording of this.
Possible 8x32 recording: Shinkansen (George Meikle and the Lothian Band: Reel Friends Book 3).

Budapest Keleti Railway Station

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