32-bar Reel for 2 Couples Round the Room, RSCDS I

I have never danced this dance. The areas in which I dance do not do many “round the room” dances, so I have no personal experience with it.

Here are some notes for you from The Scottish Dance Dictionary.

My observations below are based on my reading of the dance.

1. It feels like an English dance, especially with regards to the pousette progression
2. The double setting and turning could be very taxing, though figures are simple altogether
3. The pousette can be difficult if the dancers do not remember which direction they are facing coming out of the figure
4. It seems a solid choice for teaching orientation
5. Perhaps a good option for the “novelty” part of a dance program

24-bar Reel for a 4-Couple Set, RSCDS I

This is a fun little dance. I say “fun” because the triumph hold and the traveling pousette are very rare in the canon, and both offer challenges and opportunities for practicing precision. It’s often found in the beginning or near the end of programs because the dance is not physically demanding. It is “little” because it is 24 bars in length, while the standard length of the average dance is 32 bars.

I like “Triumph” and will often choose to dance it with a newer dancer so they can learn the traveling pousette.

Characteristics

• Set Management: it’s a one-person dance, which means that if only one person in the set knows how it goes, they can get the other seven through it
• Technical Requirements: moderate (pas de basque, skip change, one-couple traveling pousette)

Teaching Points

• Figure – the traveling pousette benefits from being taught/learned in the classroom setting, but it is not strictly necessary as it can be picked up on the dance floor
• Footwork – must have a three-beat pas de basque with a proper jeté to be able to progress through the traveling pousette
• Foot change(s) – M1 switches from left to left on bar 16, then from right to right on bar 24
• Handing – getting into and out of the Triumph hold should be natural and unobtrusive
• Deportment – especially crucial when dancing up “in triumph” and dancing the traveling pousette
• Phrasing – the phrasing of the traveling pousette requires attention

Social Program

“Triumph” can appear anywhere in the program except the end, but it’s a good idea to place it in the midst of more physically-demanding dances as it offers a respite from a lot of activity.

• 6 – would not recommend
• 12 – 3rd or 9th dance
• 15 – 6th or 12th dance
• 18 – 6th, 12th, or 15th dance

Physical Experience

• Minimal impact on the body, so a good choice for all sorts of dancers

Regional Variation

• (None known to the author)

I struggled with how to begin this series of analyses, given that much of it will be based on my personal experience as opposed to an academic exploration of a dance within the context of the Scottish country dance repertoire or an innocuous fluff piece on its teaching points. The saying is “begin as you mean to continue”, so shall we start by speaking freely about the first dance in the first book published by the RSCDS?

32-bar Reel for Two Couples, RSCDS I

Please note that there is a distinction between the petronella movement (two bars) and the Petronella figure (16 bars).

“Petronella” is a great teaching dance and a solid option for a social dance program, but it’s very hard on the body. I usually opt to sit it out when I see it on a program unless one of my favorite pousette partners is available to dance with me, or a newer dancer requires an experienced partner to guide them through it.

It is often favored by younger dancers because they can dance it with vigor. People who are new to SCD may also enjoy it as the floor pattern is easy to navigate.

Characteristics

• Set Management: it’s a one-person dance, which means that if only one person in the set knows how it goes, they can get the other seven through it
• Technical Requirements: simple (pas de basque, skip change, petronella movement, pousette)

Teaching Points

• Footwork – must have a three-beat pas de basque with a proper jeté to be able to progress through the Petronella figure and the pousette
• Foot change(s) – M1 switches from left to left on bar 24, then from right to right on bar 32
• Deportment – practice keeping upright while maintaining relaxed arms during the 16-bar Petronella figure
• Covering – evident during the Petronella figure and the pousette
• Phrasing – no tricky phrasing bits, but lead couple should be considerate of the 2nd Couple while leading down the middle and up as they need to be above them by bar 7 so they may step in for the pousette

Social Program

“Petronella” feels easiest to dance when preceded by a medium-energy jig and a strong strathspey to warm up my legs, and followed by a soft jig and a set dance strathspey to allow for cool-down. I like it best when it’s earlier in the dance program, as I tend to have more energy then.

• 6 – 3rd dance
• 12 – 6th dance
• 15 – 6th dance
• 18 – 6th dance

Physical Experience

• Twenty-four bars of proper pas de basque is rough on anyone’s body, and 144 bars in total of it during less than four minutes is downright brutal, so a dancer should consider removing the jeté during the “set in place” part of the Petronella movement to ease the strain on the legs

Regional Variation

• Often the 2nd Couple will step up on bars 1-2 and join the lead couple for the Petronella figure; W2 has a relatively short Petronella movement to her right on bars 15-16, but M2 must figure out a way to head home, either by means of skip change or a long petronella turn