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Scottish country dancing across the capital
The Mary Isdale MacNab Collection
Collected by her niece Elizabeth Sutorius for the benefit of all teachers and dancers.
Below are links to all published and previously unpublished Mary Isdale MacNab Collected/ Arranged/ Choreographed dances.
The collection is presented in series:
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References
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History
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Nine Sets of dances
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Eleven dances
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Festival dances
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Typed dances by Thurston et al
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Handwritten dances, fragmented
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Dances mentioned in correspondence.
Mrs MacNab with her Braemar group in 1963.
Living Archive: Any person – dancer/ deviser/ teacher wishing to create a best guess at resurrecting the originally intended dance by Mrs MacNab by interpreting her handwritten notes should email us stating which dance(s) in the list they would like to tackle and the handwritten information that is known will be sent to you as a foundation.
Errata: Should any errors, discrepancies or improvements be found in this archive please email with the details
Videos: You are also invited/encouraged to dance these dances and should any new video result send it to us to have it added to this archive.
This archive has been made possible by the work of Stephen Webb in collating the dances, Peter Knight in providing several videos and Meryl Thomson in placing the data on the website in May 2021.
Remember to set the filters you are not using back to All.
B00
History
A life and work remembered
S00
Nine Sets
Nine Sets of dances in their original form as published by RSCDS from 1948 to 1966 and as were taught mainly by Mrs Mary Isdale MacNab and Miss Jean Milligan at St Andrews Summer School between those dates.
L00
Eleven dances
Eleven individual Highland, Country and Set dances some previously privately published by Elizabeth Sutorius at her Aunt's request or by RSCDS
F00
Festival dances
Twelve dances not known to have been collected by Mary Isdale MacNab but included by her in Festival exhibitions of Highland and Country Dancing
T00
Typed dances
Sixteen, generally unseen MacNab dances in typed form set down by Dr Hugh Thurston, The Fletts, inter alia.
H00
Hand written
In addition, there are sixteen mainly handwritten dances in fragmented form awaiting development and only listed in the below list. A list of dances with incomplete descriptions mainly in Mrs MacNab's handwriting no links except H02 The Brooch of Lorne.
H01
Aberdeen Lassies
Believed 6x8b Jig Ladies' Hebridean dance for 8 dancers
H03
The Clansmen
Believed Reel for 11 dancers and 10 swords
H04
Duke of Gordon's Fairhaired Lassies
Believed 64b 4-couple Reel in a square set
H05
Four Marys
Believed 16b Strathspey and 48b Reel for 4 ladies in a square
H06
Honor the Piper
Large display dance Waltz/March/Strathspey/Reel. Piper in the centre of six dancer spokes
H07
Hopping Dance
Believed 48b Irish Jig for 4 couples
H08
Indian Stick Dance
Believed solo ladies' sword dance (believed 64b Strathspey)
H09
McKenzie of Kintail
Believed 7x8b Strathspey for 4 couples in a square set
H10
Mrs Pringle
Highland dance. Reel-time. Description difficult to understand/follow
H11
Sadie Simpson
Possibly hornpipe. Description difficult to understand/follow
H12
Sailors of Harris
Believed 6x8b Hornpipe Hebridean dance 8 dancers in costume
H13
Shandy Heather Waltzing Medley
208b Waltz for 4 couples in a square set
H14
Star of Robbie Burns
Believed Strathspey and Reel for 5 dancers
H15
The Three Swords
Believed Strathspey and Reel for 3 dancers
H16
Wee Waltz
Believed 8x32b Waltz for 4 couples
M01
An Cailin Cuairt
(The girl visited), (woman's solo)
M02
Argyle Sword Dance
M03
Brachan Mhairi Visne
(Mary Hughes' Tartan Dress) (woman's solo in red tartan)
M04
The Braes of Tulliemet (not Book 7)
M05
The Bride's Dance
(Bridal Dance), (woman's solo)
M06
The Bride of Iona
M07
Blackcocks and Ducks
M08
Black Swan
M09
The Cockle Gatherers
M10
The Cross of St Andrew
(sword dance for 8 dancers)
M11
Clan Ronald Sword
M12
Death Dance
(solo dance) - miming dance
M13
Dundee (or Leith) Reel
M14
The Earl of Ross
(man's solo sword-dance)
M15
Elspeth Campbell
M16
Fetlar Isle
M17
The Fiery Cross
(two men and a boy) - miming dance
M18
Flower of Benbecula
(one woman) miming dance
M19
Friockheim
(The House on the Heather)
M20
Green Hills
M21
Hebridean Jig
M22
Highland Wedding
M23
The House of Fraser
(for 8 men)
M24
Iona Courting-Dance
(for 2 men & 1 woman)
M25
Island Herd Maid
M26
Lady Betty's Favourite
(The Highland Chief), (solo dance)
M27
Lady Charlotte Murray's Reel
M28
Lady Menzies
M29
The Laird of Dochart
(man's solo dance)
M30
Lochaber Broadswords
M31
Lord of the Isles
(first listed, only in Napier's Index)
M32
The Lovat Star
M33
Mari Ban's Bridal
(duet)
M34
Mharies Wedding (1952)
M35
The Men of Moussa
M36
Miss Jessie MacLean of Ardgour
(hist.17C)
M37
Morag's Dance
M38
Nellie Gray
M39
Old Highland Waltz
M40
The Old Maid
M41
Orcadian Wedding-Dance
M42
Piper's Polka
M43
The Queen Maries
M44
Road to the Isles
(partner dance) not by James Cosh
M45
The Royal Archers
(solo dance)
M46
St Magnus Bay
M47
Scottish Medley
M48
Sheena's Dance
(Sheena McGillivray)
M49
Sword Dance of the Clansmen
(dance for 11 dancers and 10 swords)
M51
The Village Flirt
M52
The Village Maidens
M53
The Wee Sailor
M54
Yellow Haired Laddie
(woman's solo)
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