Phrase
In the noun form, a Phrase is a subdivision of The music for Scottish Country Dances within one Repeat of a dance; it is qualified by the number of bars involved.By far the most common Phrase size in all of The music for Scottish Country Dances is 8 bars. Within any main, 8-bar Phrase of a tune, there is usually also a clear indication of the halfway point (after 4 bars) and sometimes the quarter points also. For the Dancer who has modest musical awareness, these musical Phrases provide the time markers for the Figures which are to be performed; those who are less aware of the musical rhythm are well-advised to count the bars (preferably under the breath) through each 8-bar Phrase.
The music for a few dances, notably The Wee Cooper O' Fife, has 10-bar Phrases and, of course, the Figures must fit into that 10-bar structure. It would be most disconcerting to attempt one of these dances to music with five, 8-bar Phrases rather than the correct four, 10-bar Phrases.
The verb form, Phrasing, is concerned with accurately fitting Figures and Footwork to these Phrases and sub-Phrases in The music for Scottish Country Dances.