The Wakefield Hornpipe

Scottish Country Dance Instruction

1- 4 Giving RH, 1C cross down between second couple and cast up to first place on opposite sides.
5- 8 1C turn RH once moving down to second place on opposite sides and set (2). (First couple does not need to be on the sidelines.)
While Giving RH, 2C cross down between 3C and cast up to first place on opposite sides.
9-12 Giving RH, 3C cross down between 4C and cast up to slightly above 2nd place and face in and up,
While giving RH 2C turn moving down to second place on own side finishing in from the sidelines and set on (11-12)
While 1C dance down giving nearer hands and cast up around 4C into 3rd place on opposite sides.
13-16 Giving RH 3C turn moving up into first place on opposite sides and face each other and set on 15-16.
While 4C cross over giving RH and cast up to 2nd place and face in and up.
While taking nearer hands, 2C dance down between 1C in 3rd place and cast into 3rd place to face in and down.
While 1C set (13-14) and dance down giving nearer hands bars 15-16 to face out.
Order at the end of bar 16 is 3, 4, 2, 1, all on opposite sides. 17-24 3C and 4C dance double figures of eight across the dance, with 3C casting. Similarly 2C and 1C with 1C casting. Give hands when appropriate on the crossings.
25-28 1C turn RH 1½ to finish in 4th place, while
 25-30 2C wait (2) then turn RH 1½ to finish in 3rd place, while
 25-32 4C wait (4) then turn RH 1½ to finish in 2nd place, while
 25-32 3C wait (6) and then cross RH to finish in top place. Finishing order 3,4,2,1.

Repeat with new top couple.

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

Dance Information

Clearly this is a fugue based around the figure cross down, cast up, turn RH (moving), set and then dance down.

Recommended tune is "Robertson's Hornpipe", and the recording I have in mind is "Hornpipes" on the album "The Legendary Angus Fidget" (track 10), although and decent recording of "West's Hornpipe" using this as the lead tune will do at a pinch. The music should be steady.

(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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