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Image	Title	Item Description
JSS0483	Page 2 of 2 Country Dances ; Page 1 of 2 La Tempete	This excerpt is from a series of notebooks compiled by Skinner and his own dance teacher, William Scott. The notebooks were published under the title, A Guide to Fashionable Dancing. [continued from JSS0482] ...the two couples set and change to each other's places; face to partners, set and change places; set again and change on the sides; set again and change with partners, which brings all four to places. 2. Join hands in a circle, balance, gentlemen turn ladies into each other's place, repeat this four times. 3. The two couples Valse round each other for four or eight bars. The music for the Spanish dance is the same as that for the Common Vlase. La Tempete. Combination of Quadrille and Country Dance. Arrange (across the room) double couples, facing each other - third backs to second, and face fourth so on for an unlimited number. 1. Advance and retire holding hands and forming two lines of four. 2. Gallop across, holding partner's hands, opposite couples pass outside. 3. Repeat the same with the difference that the couples who passed inside are now outside. 4. The four inside cross hands and back: the two on each side pousette or valse. 5. Join four hands, turn round and back again side couples as above. 6. All advance and retire, by four holding hands advance. [Continued JSS0484]
JSS0484	Page 2 of 2, Lad Tempete	This excerpt is from a series of notebooks compiled by Skinner and his own dance teacher, William Scott. The notebooks were published under the title, A Guide to Fashionable Dancing. La Tempete (continued)[from JSS0483] 6. [continued] Advance again, the top couple passing through below the second couple's arms. It may be remarked that when the couples reach top and bottom of the dance they should change sides - The gentlemen having to make certain that their ladies are on the right. Country * Dances 'This life is like a village dance, Where hearts are beating time, Where feet are tuned to lifes romance Till they have pass'd their prime; We seek the hanbd we wish to gain, And gaily we advance, And dance amid a youghful train, And court the glance of maid and swain, Adown the Village dance.' * The word Country in this case, is no doubt a corruption of the French word Contre, as Contre Danse signifies a dance performed by persons opposite to each other.
JSS0485	Common and Simple Figures	This excerpt is from a series of notebooks compiled by Skinner and his own dance teacher, William Scott. The notebooks were published under the title, A Guide to Fashionable Dancing. Common Figure 1. DOwn the back and up again 2. Down the centre and up again 3. Pousette Simple Figure (English) 1. Cross hands and back 2. Down the centre and up again 3. Pousette Simple Figure (Scotch) 1. Four hands round and back 2. Down the centre and up again 3. Pousette Simple Figure (Irish) 1. Down the centre and up again 2. Cross hands and back 3. Foot out time to your partner in centre. * Promenade Dance 1. Lady and gentleman walk down centre (gentleman giving arm) & up again 2. Walk down backwards, while second lady and gentleman follow Lady on gentleman's arm. Second couple walk backwards & first follow 3. Pousette. *This is intended as a respite from the more violent dances - It also affords a chance for the Promenaders using their conversonal powers.
JSS0486	Page 1 of 4, Quadrilles	This excerpt is from a series of notebooks compiled by Skinner and his own teacher, William Scott. The notebooks were published under the title, A guide to Fashionable Dancing. Quadrilles 'A Quadrille, a Quadrille is a pleasure, Which they who know not, sure know nought: 'Tis a pastime beyond every treasure That mirth, youth, and joy ever bought.' Anonymous. The Quadrilles are the unbounded favourites of old and young and no wonder. When we see a lady moving softly and smoothly to the voice of melody, her ear feeling every note and her graceful figure gliding in keeping with it, avoiding all laboured steps and rude, vulgar swingin'! (every good, and truly graceful dancer does so), the movements of her feet are but the index to graceful dancing, or musical motion, for the head, neck and body come in for a duo proportion of elegance, proving that 'A thing of beauty is a joy for ever'. In our professional duties we have seen ladies, aye, and gentlemen too, give their hands with grace, ease and elegance that made their movements the 'poetry of motion'. It has been said 'The height of art is to conceal art'. Let this be so. With the above remarks we quote the following from 'Analysis of the London Ball-Room'. Quadrilles are of novel introduction into this country, and we are indebted to the French for their survival, for they approximate... [continued JSS0487]
JSS0487	Page 2 of 4, Quadrilles	This excerpt is from a series of notebooks compiled by Skinner and his own dance teacher, William Scott. The notebooks were published under the title, A Guide to Fashionable Dancing. [continued from JSS0486] [...for they [Quadrilles] approximate] so nearly to the dance termed Cotillion that design or invention cannot with justice be applied. They are danced in sets of eight, twelve or sixteen persons; but the set of eight is best calculated for displaying the true spirit and the elegant graceful evolutions of this mode of dancing.' As Teachers of Dancing we earnestly hope and trust that the Quadrille may be revived and danced with freedom, chasteness, and graceful ease, and that the 'rough and ready' style now in vogue may be viewed as the 'Romance of Quadrille Dancing'. Ball-Room Dances. Quadrilles. The Lady stands on the gentleman's right hand. *Paine's First Set. First Figure. Le Pantalon. 1. Top and bottom couples right and left. 2. Set (four walking steps to right, four to left.) turn partners. 3. Ladies' Chain. 4. Half Promenade, and half right and left. Side couples do the same. This figure is performed twice; first by the top and bottom couples, and then by those at the side. *[Note:] Only dwellers in the 'Silver City by the Sea' call the 'Th' Edinboro' Quadrilles'. [Continued JSS0488]
JSS0488	Page 3 of 4 Quadrilles, Second Figure	This excerpt is from a series of notebooks compiled by Skinner and his own dance teacher, William Scott. The notebooks were published under the title, A Guide to Fashionable Dancing. [Continued from JSS 0487]. Second Figure. L' Ete. 1. First or top lady and opposite gentleman to the right twice: (This is considered an improvement on Advance and Retire). 2. Cross over five plain steps and at sixth turn the body half round and count 6.7.8. 3. Being now vis a vis to each other to the right four plain steps. 4. Return to partners and turn. Attempts have been made to dance this figure double. Those who do so not only destroy the original figure but add confusion to former arrangements. L'Ete and la Poule after it, are performed each four times; both in the following order: First the leading lady and opposite gentleman perform the figure: second, the first gentleman and opposite lady: third, the lady at the right of the top and opposite gentleman; and lastly, the gentleman at the right of the top and opposite lady. Third Figure. La Poule. 1. First lady and opposite gentleman cross over, offering right hands across giving left hands, and fall in a line, set four in a line. 2. Half promenade to opposite places. 3. First Lady & Gentleman advance twice, at second time the honours...[continued JSS0489].
JSS0489	Page 4 of 4, Quadrilles	This excerpt is from a series of notebooks compiled by Skinner and his own dance teacher, William Scott. The notebooks were published under the title, A Guide to Fashionable Dancing. [continued from JSS0488, third figure, point 3:]..at second time the honours of the dance, or in plain terms, *bow and curtsey. 4. Four advance and retire: half right and left. Fourth Figure. La Pastorale.1. The top couple galop round twice, leave lady on left of opposite gentleman and retire. 2. Three advance and retire, advance a second time and leave ladies with top gentleman. 3. Top gentleman advance and retire twice with ladies. 4. Four hands round in circle to each others places. 5. Right and left to places. Fifth Figure. La Finale. 1. All join hand advance and retire twice to centre of circle. 2. Top and bottom couples advance and retire: galop to each others places. 3. Ladies Chain. 4. Top and bottom couples advance and retire: galop to places. La Pastorale and La Finale are each repeated four times. Flirtation sometimes used as a Sixth Figure. As there is no set music for this Figure, and no set arrangement we have omitted it. *[Note:] Another reprehensible custom is creeping in viz:- Instead of doing the honours to your viz a viz wheeling round and doing them to partners. This may be new (?) but is neither polite nor politic. Avoid it.-
JSS0490	The Lancers	This excerpt is from a series of notebooks complied by Skinner and his own dance teacher, William Scott. The notebooks were published under the title, A Guide to Fashionable Dancing. The compilers have pasted in a printed version of the dance. It is preceded with a short introduction and half way down, a note has been inserted. The introduction reads as follows: The Lancers The Lancers are not new but have again become popular in consequence of their elegance and revival at State balls + circles in high life. The note reads: [...It is now the fashion for the four ladies to advance and courtesy to each other; then each lady turns to her partner and curtseys to him. The ladies do the moulinet while the gentlemen all move round outside the quadrille and return to places. This is repeated four times. The second and fourth times all the gentlemen advance, and immediately turn towards their partners and bow to them, and continued the figure as before.] We approve of this change as it suits tall and short dancers.
JSS0491	Cuirassiers	This excerpt is from a series of notebooks compiled by Skinner and his own dance teacher, William Scott. The notebooks were pulished under the title, A Guide to Fashionable Dancing. Cuirassiers 1. First and opposite couple half right and left - side couples the same. All promenade to places and turn partners. The ladies advance and retire - gentlemen do the same. All set and turn partners. 2. Two ladies move to right, and hands three round. The ladies again set to right and turn opposite gentlemen. Lady and opposite gentlemen advance and retire, back to back. Set and turn partners. 4. First lady advance twice. Opposite gentleman do the same. First couple advance twice, leaving lady at left of opposite gentleman. The two ladies cross and change sides, while first gentleman passes between them - the same repeated to places - set and turn partners. 5. All change sides and back again. Lady advance and retire opposite gentleman the same - the ladies move to the right into next lady's place and stop. The ladies again to right - gentlemen to left. All promenade to places and turn partners.
JSS0492	Caledonians	This excerpt is from a series of notebooks compiled by Skinner and his own dance teacher, William Scott. The notebooks were published under the title, A Guide to Fashionable Dancing. Caledonians. 1. Leading couples hands across and back. Set to partners and turn. Ladies chain. Half promenade: half right and left. Other couples repeat this. Leading gentleman advances and retires twice. All set corners and turn, each lady passing into next lady's place. Having changed partners, all promenade quite round. Second, third and fourth gentleman repeat this figure. 3. Leading lady and opposite gentleman advance and retire twice. Leading couples cross over with hands joined, whilst the opposite couple cross over outside them: the same reversed. All set corners and turn. All advance and retire twice, in a circle, hands joined. Repeated by other couples in succession. 4. Leading lady and opposite gentleman advance and stop; partners do the same; both couples turn partners to places. Ladies then move to the right each into the other's place: gentlemen to the left, each into the other's place. Again ladies to the right; gentlemen to the left. Promenade and turn partners. Other couples repeat the figure in succession. 5. Leading couples galop round the inside of the figure. The four ladies advance, courtesy to each other, retire: the four gentlemen do likewise and bow. All set to partners and turn. Grand chain, half round. All promenade to places, and turn partners. All chassez to partners places and back again. Repeated by the other couples in succession. Galop for finale.

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Historic Collections · Kings College · Old Aberdeen · AB24 3SW
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