The Thistle Turns Silver

for Barbara Benedict of Richmond, Virginia, on The Silver Anniversary of Thistle School, 2005

Original Tune: ‘The Thistle Turns Silver’ (John Turner) © Fiddletree Music, 2004.

Suggested Recording: ‘Hoedown Reel Set’ from Scottish Dance Music by Music Makars

5 x 32R for 5 couples in a 5 couple set devised by Moira Turner

1 – 2 2^nd and 4^th couples dance a petronella turn to finish back to back with partner in the centre of the dance facing original position.

3 – 4 1^st, 3^rd and 5^th couples set turning right about to face out.

5 – 6 2^nd and 4^th couples set, pulling back right shoulder and remaining back to back, and turn to face partner’s original position.

7 – 8 1^st, 3^rd and 5^th couples set turning right about to face in.

9 – 16 2^nd and 4^th couples turn 1^st corner right hand, pass partner right shoulder, turn 2^nd corner left hand and pass partner left shoulder to finish in 2nd & 4th places (resp.) in the centre of the dance on own side facing up. (2M & 4M pull back left shoulder.)

“Triangle Progressions”

17 – 18 1^st couple dance down own sideline 2 places and remain facing down

WHILE

2^nd couple dance diagonally out and up 1 place and face up

AND

3^rd couple dance diagonally in to position just vacated by 2nd couple and face up. (FIG. 1)

19 – 20 1st , 2nd and 3rd couples set, 2nd and 3rd couples turning right about to face down.

21 – 22 1st couple repeat bars 17 & 18 with 4th and 5th couples but to finish 4th couple face up, 5th couple face out and 1st couple face in. (FIG. 2)

23 – 24 2nd, 3rd and 4th couples set

WHILE

5th couple dance a petronella turn to finish in own sideline, 5W facing 1W and 5M facing 1M

AND

1st couple (in 5th place) dance a petronella turn to finish with back to partner in the centre of the dance, 1W facing 5W and 1M facing 5M. (FIG. 3)

____________

“Thistle Reels” (FIG. 4)

25 – 32 2nd, 3rd and 4th couples dance reels of 3 in the ‘sidelines,’ 3^rd and 4^th couples passing right shoulder to begin and all retaining the shape of the thistle outline shown in Fig. 4

WHILE

5^th and 1^st couples dance a reel of 4 on the circumference of the circle completed by 3rd and 4th couples.

To interlace the reels, 1^st couple pass 3^rd couple right shoulder on bar 2 and 5^th couple pass 2^nd couple right shoulder on bar 4.

All finish in the original sidelines.

Dancers finish in the order 2, 3, 4, 5, 1 ready to repeat the dance with a new top couple.

June, 2004

The Thistle Turns Silver

Devised for The Thistle School Silver Anniversary, 2005

FIG. 1: FIG. 2

1M 1W 2M 2W

2M 2W 3M 3W

3M 3W 1M 1W

4M 4W 4M 4W

5M 5W 5M 5W

FIG. 3: FIG. 4:

2M 2W 2M 2W

3M 3W 3M 3W

4M 4W 4M 4W

5M 5W 5M 5W

1M 1W 1M 1W