The Gloomy Winter

An 8x32 bar Strathspey for 3 couples in a 4-couple longwise set

Bars	1-4:	1st lady casts off below 2nd lady and dances across to 2nd man's place * while 1st man dances across to 1st lady's place and casts off to 2nd lady's place. 2nd couple step up on bars 3 & 4.
	5-8:	1st couple turn 1 3/4 times by the left hand.
	9-10:	1st lady and 2nd couple dance right hands across half way while 1st man casts up on the ladies' side.
	11-12:	1st couple passing left shoulder, 1st man and 2nd couple dance left hands across half way while 1st lady casts off on the ladies' side.
	13-14:	1st lady and 3rd couple dance left hands across half way while 1st man casts off on the ladies' side.
	15-16:	1st couple passing right shoulder, 1st man and 3rd couple dance right hands across half way while 1st lady casts up on the ladies' side.
	17-20:	1st couple pass left shoulders in the middle to start half a diagonal reel of four with their first corners. At the end of the reel, 1st couple pass right shoulder in the middle of the dance and 1st man curves round to follow behind 1st lady, into...
	21-24:	1st lady followed by 1st man give right shoulder to 3rd man to start half a diagonal reel of 3 with second corners. 1st couple dance this reel of three as a unit.
	25-28:	1st couple give right shoulder to 2nd man (in 3rd lady's place) to start half a diagonal reel of three with first corners.
	29-32:	1st lady casts round 1st man (passing right shoulder) and gives right shoulder to second lady (in 3rd man's position) while 1st man gives right shoulder to 3rd man (in 2nd lady's position) to start half a diagonal reel of four. At the end of the reel, 1st couple pass right shoulders to finish in 2nd place on their own sides of the dance. 1st lady remains facing out, ready to cast again.

Repeat, having passed a couple.

* For the nit-pickers, I have always envisaged 1st lady pulling back RS to face partner on bar 4 (ie continuing the rotation of the previous bars), and then changing direction at the start of bar 5 for the LH turn.

Devised by Ian Brockbank. Copyright November 1996. Published in the New Scotland 50th Anniversary Collection of Scottish Country Dances.

This dance was written for Sophia Marriage and presented to her on the occasion of her 25th birthday. The tune is a gorgeous tune, and the title seemed to fit what she was going through at the time.

If you try this dance, please let me know how you get on.

The sheet music for the tune 'Gloomy Winter'

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Page last modified 31-03-04 .

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This page is maintained by Ian Brockbank
ian@scottishdance.net
Edinburgh, Scotland

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