Twa Auld Hens

Scottish Country Dance Instruction

Twa Auld Hens (R8x32) 3C (4C set) Lewis N Derrick 1988

1-4 The 1st woman, followed by her partner, casts off two places on the women's side and crosses over to 3rd man's place, her partner ending in 3rd woman's place; with hands joined on the sides, the 2nd and 3rd couples step up on bars 3-4
5-8 The 1st and 3rd couples dance right hands across once round; the 1st woman ending facing out
9-12 The 1st woman, followed by her partner, casts up two places on the men's side and crosses over to her original place, her partner ending in his original place; with hands joined on the sides, the 2nd and 3rd couples step down on bars 11-12
13-16 The 1st and 2nd couples dance right hands across once round, ending back on the sidelines
17-24 With hands joined on the sidelines, the 1st, 2nd and 3rd couples dance pas-de-basque coupé four times
25-32 The 1st and 2nd couples dance the half reel progression

Repeat having passed a couple

(Dance Crib compiled by the deviser, Lewis N Derrick 2020)

Dance Notes

The half reel progression:
1-2 The 1st and 2nd couples turn partners three quarters round by the right hand to end in a line in the middle of the set (men facing up, women facing down).
3-6 The 1st and 2nd couples dance half a reel of four up and down the set (ending with the women facing up and the men facing down).
7-8 The 2nd and 1st couples turn partners three quarters round by the right hand to end on own sidelines having changed places.

(Dance notes by the deviser, Lewis N Derrick)

Keith Rose's Crib Diagrams

Twa Auld Hens - Full Size And Key To Symbols

Dance Information

This reel, Twa Auld Hens, was devised for K and P, a couple of nuts!

Suggested tune: Sally Gardens.

Devised March 1988; first published 1989; republished electronically 2020.

(Dance information reproduced here with the kind permission of the deviser, Lewis N Derrick)

Published in The McGhie Scottish Country Dance Books, Volume 4, The McGhie's Seat and Other Scottish Country Dances, reproduced here with the kind permission of the deviser, Lewis N Derrick.

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