Issue 960: Campbell of Cawdor

New issue submitted

Disposition changed to »Being handled« (previously »New«)

The original instructions read

1- 8 First couple lead down the middle for three steps, turn and lead up again, cross and cast off into second place on wrong side of the dance. Second couple step up (bars 7 - 8).

With 3 bars to lead down, 3 bars up, there is no time for a full RH turn, so we can assume the instructions mean “turning inwards to change direction”. That agrees with the diagram. The Minicrib would need to be revised.

I am passing this information on to Minicrib. Eric

Assigned changed to »keithrose« (previously »None«)

The 1973 Birmingham Book says: “First couple lead down the middle for three steps, turn and lead up again, cross and cast off into second place on wrong side of the dance. Second couple step up (bars 7–8)”. I understand this use of “turn” as “change direction in order to be able to lead up”, but one could conceivably misread that as “turn RH” (although it would be difficult to square with everything else that is supposed to be going on during these eight bars).

Unless the 2004 compilation Birmingham Book (which I don’t have to hand) says something different, I’d be inclined to believe that the diagram is closer to the truth than the MiniCrib as far as turning goes. Having said that, though, I’m still not enthusiastic about the diagram, which shows 1st couple dancing a half figure of eight from second place, and that’s not in the instructions, either – usually if you lead down and up in six bars, cast and cross you don’t pass through second place on the sides, and in any case, according to the instructions above, 2nd couple only step up on bars 7–8 to begin with.

I’m assigning this to Keith so he can fix the diagram, and shall write to David Haynes later in order to get the MiniCrib changed.

Disposition changed to »Fixed« (previously »Being handled«)

Diagram revised to show 1C closer together on bars 7 and 25.

@Anselm: in the 2004 compilation of the Birmingham Book, the same wording is used.

Cheers, Heiko

@Keith: Your diagram now shows something which I would interpret as nearer hand joined before the cross and cast, while the “lead down and up” would imply right hand in right as correct. (or don’t you do differences in the diagram between these two.