SCOTTISH REELING & SCOTTISH COUNTRY DANCING

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DASHING WHITE SERGEANT

The title comes from the original lyrics (below), traditionally attributed to the 18th century General, John Burgoyne. It was set to music by the English composer, Sir Henry Rowley Bishop in 1826. The song was to be part of one of Bishop's operas, but there is no evidence it was ever incorporated into one. It was adapted into a military march and was the regimental march of the Royal Berkshire Regiment. It quickly became very popular in the United States both as a song and a dance tune, and was added to the repertoire of the West Point Military Academy, where it is still played today at certain events. It has been suggested that it was the inspiration for I Wish I Was in Dixie, as the opening bars bear a resemblance. The dance steps come from the tradition of Swedish circle dancing, that was popular in Victorian Britain. The better known lyrics shown below, were written by the Scottish Composer, Sir Hugh S Robertson for the Glasgow Orpheus Choir.

If I had a beau for a soldier who'd go,
Do you think I'd say no? No, no, not I!
For a soldier who'd go, Do you
No, no, no, no, no, no, not I!
When his red coat I saw,
Not a sigh would it draw,
But I'd give him eclat for his bravery!
If an army of Amazons ere came in play,
As a dashing white sergeant I'd march away.

Chorus:
A dashing white sergeant I'd march away,

march away,march away, march away.
March away, march away, march away,

march away, march away, march away.

James Drummond

2nd titular Duke of Perth

1673 - 1720

Jacobite

DUKE OF PERTH

The Duke of Perth is a traditional Scottish Reel, usually played in G Major. Although called a reel, the tune meets the criteria for a rant. However, it is usually played at a considerably slower tempo as a Scottish measure, or country dance, in 2/4 time. The dance performed to the tune is also called Duke of Perth and was very popular around Angus, east Fife and Perthshire, to the extent that it was a feature at various hunt balls in the region. The dance is also sometimes called The Broons (or Broun's) reel

Drummond joined the 1715 Jacobite uprising against the new Hanoverian dynasty ruling Britain. He commanded the cavalry at the battle of Sherrifmuir. After the defeat, he fled to Paris and died in exile. Drummond is shown here with a young black slave, wearing a metal collar, who gazes up at his master. Although at the time of this portrait, the boy's equal humanity was denied, Medina has painted him with warmth and sympathy whilst the Duke seems stiff and remote.

HAMILTON HOUSE

Hamilton House is an historic house in the village of Preston, East Lothian. It's very close to neighbouring communities of Prestonpans and Prestongrange. The house was built in 1626 by Sir John Hamilton, brother of Thomas Hamilton, the 1st Earl of Haddington. It is now owned by the National Trust for Scotland.

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REEL OF THE 51ST DIVISION

One of the most popular Scottish country dances of all time, the Reel of the 51st Highland Division is a modern Scottish country dance written by Lieutenant J E M "Jimmy" Atkinson of the 7th Battalion, The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders while in a POW camp (picture taken at Oflag IIIC) during the Second World War. Captured together with the vast majority of the British 51st (Highland) Division during the Battle of Dunkirk in 1940, Atkinson spent the rest of the war as a POW in Germany. His idea of a reel with a Saint Andrew′s Cross in its key formation was intended to symbolise Scotland and the Highland Division, in adversity.

Atkinson's letter home with instructions for the dance was intercepted by the German security service, the Abwehr, who spent the rest of the war trying to break the code. However, another version of the dance reached Scotland where it was published while Atkinson was still a POW and became instantly popular.

Also known as the Laufen Reel after Laufen Castle near Salzburg, the 51st Country Dance, the Reel of the 51st Highland Division, and St Valery's Reel, it is often danced in a set composed entirely of men.

The Eightsome Reel requires no introduction. A great dance, performed in sets of eight people, this reel gives everyone the chance to perform solo in the middle of the set. The original tune is a very well known traditional reel called The De'il amang the Tailors.

This postcard was addressed to one Bessie Wallace, no doubt a good Scottish girl from the highlands who appreciates the art of some dance contestants at a highland gathering. They really catch some air here with their toe tapping and high kicking.

John Knox

 (c. 1510?1572) 

SCOTTISH REFORM

The Scottish Reformation was the process by which Scotland broke with the Papacy and developed a predominately Calvinist national kirk, which was strongly Presbyterian in outlook. It was part of the wider European Protestant Reformation that took place from the sixteenth century.The Reformation resulted in major changes in Scottish society. These included a desire to plant a school in every parish and major reforms of the university system.

John Knox was a leading figure of the Scottish Reformation

THE DUKE AND DUCHESS OF EDINBURGH

This dance originally came out in 1948, when the current Queen used to be The Duchess of Edinburgh. Her husband, Prince Philip, of course still uses the title.

The RSCDS included it in Book 39 when it came out in 1996, to celebrate the Queen's 70th birthday, thus making it "official".

Also known as "Speed the Plough". Presumably from Invernessshire,  a historic county of Scotland. Covering much of the Highlands, it is geographically Scotland's largest county, though one of the smallest in terms of population, with 67,733 people or 1.34% of the national population

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POSTIE'S JIG

The choice of title of this popular, boisterous dance, devised by Roy Clowes of Ormskirk, is that it symbolises the tying up of a war-time Red Cross parcel.

 Tune "Lassie Come And Dance With Me"  

Lassie, Come and Dance With Me
When stars begin to shine.
Lassie, Come and Dance With Me
And say you will be mine.
With our arms around each other,
We're happy as can be.
I'll never love another,
Lassie, come and dance with me.

When the fiddles stop a-tuning'
And the band begins to play;
There's laughter in the music,
And the laddie's heart is gay.
When the lassie of his fancy
By his loving side will cling,
As their hearts beat to the music,
You can hear the laddie sing:

CHORUS

There's a bonnie, bonnie lassie,
And her beauty makes me sigh;
I'd like to be her laddie,
But I'm awful, awful shy.
I hope that she can hear me,
Oh, I hope she's listening in;
Maybe she will be my dearie,
When tonight to her I sing:
CHORUS

 

There's a storm outside me roarin'
When the stars be in the sky,
There's a fire of love a-burning
And a twinkle in your eye.
And the lassie of your fancy
By your loving side will cling,
As your heart beats to the music,
You can hear the laddies sing:
CHORUS

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The first public demonstration of a steam carriage (a machine without horses) was by Nicolas Joseph Cugnot in Paris, in 1769. The following year (1770), Cugnot built a steam-powered tricycle that carried four passengers.
A dance written in 1772 could have been about this momentous achievement.