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Dance Push about the Jorum 5398

Reel · 32 bars · 3 couples · Longwise - 4   (Progression: 213)

Devised by
Thomas Skillern
Intensity
404/880/888/888 = 56% (whole dance)
Formations
Steps
  • Pas-de-Basque, Skip-Change, Slip-Step
Published in
Recommended Music
Extra Info
Push About The Jorum

Robert Burns is reputed to have used the tune “Push About the Jorum” for his “Dumfries Volunteers”, the first verse of which goes:

Does haughty Gaul invasion threat,
  Then let the louns beware, Sir!
There’S wooden walls upon our seas,
  And Volunteers on shore, Sir.
The Nith shall rin to Corsincon,
  The Criffel sink in Solway,
E’re we permit a foreign foe,
  On British ground to rally.

While some sources state that the air “Push About the Jorum” was an English opera tune dating from the late 18th century, William Stenhouse says, “This song, beginning ‘Does haughty Gaul invasion threat?’, was written by Burns in 1795, and transmitted to Johnson for insertion in his Museum. The charming tune, to which the words are adapted, was composed by Mr Stephen Clarke, organist.” Burns himself wrote to James Johnson, editor of The Scots Musical Museum in which the song appeared, “Thank you for the copies of my Volunteer Ballad. – Our friend Clarke has done indeed well! 'tis chaste and beautiful. I have not met with any thing that has pleased me so much. You know, I am no Connoisseur; but that I am an Amateur – will be allowed me.”

Some confusion seems to exist and a comparison of the tune in Volume 6 of the Museum and the music to “Push About the Jorum” clearly shows the discrepancy.

Stephen Clarke, whom Burns credits with the composition of the tune for “The Dumfries Volunteers”, was the organist at the Episcopal Chapel in Edinburgh’s Cowgate and was the arranger employed by James Johnson for his collection.

Chambers’s Scots Dictionary defines “jorum” as “in phrase ‘push about the jorum,’ the name of an old Scottish reel, or the tune adapted to it.”

Push about the Jorum 3/4L · R32
1–
1W+3M turn RH. 1W finishes in 2pl (2W up on [3–4]), 3M back to 3pl ; 1M+3W turn RH. 1M finishes in 1p centre, 3W back to 3pl. On [7–8] 1W & 2c step in, top mixed two couples into promhold
9–
Mixed top two couples dance a modified Allemande : on [14] 1M brings 2W to centre both pivoting slightly ¼ to the R. On [15–16] 2W retires to 1pl and faces down, 1M retires to between 3c and faces up, 1W pivot ¼ to the L between 2c and faces down, 2M retires to 1pl into facing lines3 across
17–
All set twice. On [19–20] 1c Petronella turn to the L ; all set twice (2,1,3)
25–
Clrclc6 and back (2,1,3)
Push about the Jorum 3/4L · R32
1-8
1L turns 3M RH to end in 2nd place own side, 1M+3L turn RH & return to original places
9-16
1M+2L & 1L+2M dance Allemande 1s end in lines across 1L between 2s facing 1M between 3s
17-24
2s+1s+3s set in lines across twice 1s turning onto own sides, 2s+1s+3s set on sides twice
25-32
2s+1s+3s circle 6H round & back

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Added on: 2017-05-10 (Martina Mueller-Franz)
Quality: Reasonable

NameDateOwnerLast changed
Richmond ~ 180530 Dance 2018-05-30 James Wilson May 25, 2018, 12:18 p.m.
RSCDS Book 14 Ward Fleri Dec. 9, 2021, 2:52 a.m.
Budapest SCD Weekend 2017 - Saturday workshop 2017-05-06 Zoltán Gräff May 10, 2017, 3:36 p.m.
Duddingston 23 February 2017 2017-02-23 John Watkins Feb. 18, 2017, 2:39 p.m.
RSCDS Summer School 2019 - Dances taught in Fairmont A (very adv.) - week 4 2019-08-05 Martina Mueller-Franz Aug. 15, 2019, 5:30 p.m.
Delaware Valley RSCDS Spring Ball 1988 1988-03-12 Andy Peterson April 14, 2018, 5:27 p.m.

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