Gay Gordons (dance)
Encyclopedia
The Gay Gordons is a popular dance at céilidh
s and other kinds of informal and social dance
. It is an "old-time" dance, of a type popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, in which every couple dances the same steps, usually in a circle around the room.
The name alludes to a Scottish
regiment, the Gordon Highlanders.
Repeat ad lib. In order to make the dance progressive, the ladies may leave their partners between bars 12-13 and move to the partner before them in the circle.
For Scottish country dancers, the grip in the first eight bars is allemande
hold.
A live demonstration was performed by the Royal Scottish Country Dancing Societyhttp://www.scotlandontv.tv/scotland_on_tv/video.html?vxSiteId=60fdd544-9c52-4e17-be7e-57a2a2d76992&vxChannel=Discover%20Scotland%20FAQ&vxClipId=1380_SMG671&vxBitrate=300 in 2007.
Céilidh
In modern usage, a céilidh or ceilidh is a traditional Gaelic social gathering, which usually involves playing Gaelic folk music and dancing. It originated in Ireland, but is now common throughout the Irish and Scottish diasporas...
s and other kinds of informal and social dance
Social Dancing
Social Dancing is the second studio album by the Scottish musical trio Bis.-Track listing:# "Making People Normal" – 2:28# "I'm A Slut" – 2:44# "Eurodisco" – 4:41# "Action And Drama" – 2:29...
. It is an "old-time" dance, of a type popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, in which every couple dances the same steps, usually in a circle around the room.
The name alludes to a Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
regiment, the Gordon Highlanders.
Dance Instructions
A standard ceilidh instruction:- Formation: couples in a circle around the room facing anti-clockwise, ladies on the right.
- Music: 2/4 or 4/4 march. E.g. "Scotland the Brave", "The Gay Gordons".
Bars Description 1-2 Right hands joined over lady's shoulder (man's arm behind her back) and left hands joined in front, walk forward for four steps, starting on the right foot. 3-4 Still moving in the same direction, and without letting go, pivot on the spot (so left hand is behind lady and right hand is in front) and take four steps backwards. 5-8 Repeat in the opposite direction. 9-12 Drop left hands, raise right hands above lady's head. Lady pivots on the spot. (The man may set). 13-16 Joining hands in ballroom hold, polka round the room.
Repeat ad lib. In order to make the dance progressive, the ladies may leave their partners between bars 12-13 and move to the partner before them in the circle.
For Scottish country dancers, the grip in the first eight bars is allemande
Allemande
An allemande is one of the most popular instrumental dance forms in Baroque music, and a standard element of a suite...
hold.
A live demonstration was performed by the Royal Scottish Country Dancing Societyhttp://www.scotlandontv.tv/scotland_on_tv/video.html?vxSiteId=60fdd544-9c52-4e17-be7e-57a2a2d76992&vxChannel=Discover%20Scotland%20FAQ&vxClipId=1380_SMG671&vxBitrate=300 in 2007.
See also
- Scottish country danceScottish country danceA Scottish country dance is a form of social dance involving groups of mixed couples of dancers tracing progressive patterns according to a predetermined choreography...
- Royal Scottish Country Dance SocietyRoyal Scottish Country Dance SocietyThe Royal Scottish Country Dance Society , was founded in 1923 as the Scottish Country Dance Society by Jean Milligan and Ysobel Stewart of Fasnacloich, who wanted to preserve country dancing as performed in Scotland, country dancing having fallen into disuse after the influx of continental...
- List of Scottish country dances