The Perth Medley has been danced at the Perth Ball since 1820.
A Medley in Scottish dancing is a dance where one part is in one time and another is in a different time. Re the Perth Medley:
- the first part is in reel time and is very close to Speed the Plough (also known as the Inverness Country Dance).
- the second part is in Strathspey time and has one bit with similarities to the middle of Hamilton house but done in Strathspey time (slower than usual)
A notable difference:
- when the dancing couple are dancing with their corners, they dance with the left hand corner first and then their right hand corner second (in most reels the right corner is danced with before the left corner)
The dance sounds much more complicated than it actually is; see a demonstration at The Perth Ball on YouTube The Perth Medley
Part in Reel time
(teapots then leading down and up the set)
Bars 1 – 4 Dancing and 1st supporting couples right hands across and dance 4 steps clockwise (right hand teapots)
Bars 5 – 8 Dancing and 1st supporting couples left hands across and dance 4 steps anti-clockwise (left hand teapots)
Bars 9 – 12 1st supporting couple lead down the middle followed by dancing couple
Bars 13 – 16 The dancing couple raise their hands and the 1st supporting couple go under and return to their places, one position up, the dancing couple end up facing their left hand corners.
(set and turn corners then partner)
Bars 17 -20 Dancing couple set and turn their left hand corners
Bars 21 – 24 Dancing couple set and turn their right hand corners
Bars 25 – 28 Dancing couple set twice to each other, the woman facing down the set standing between the 1st supporting couple, man facing up the set standing between the 2nd supporting couple
Bars 29 – 32 Dancing couple turn with both hands and end up with the woman facing down the set and the man facing up the set
The second part, all in Strathspey time with Strathspey travelling and setting
(touching pinkies with partner and then advancing and retiring in threes, similar to Hamilton house)
Bars 1 – 4 Dancing couple change places with 4 steps touching right hands shoulder high as they pass.
Turn to face one another in the centre
Bars 5 – 8 Same again using left hands. Dancing man ends facing up the set standing between the 2nd supporting couple. The dancing woman ends facing down the set, standing between the first supporting couple
Bars 9 – 12 The dancing man holding hands with the 2nd supporting couple, and the dancing woman between the 1st supporting couple advance towards each other and retreats (similar to Hamilton House). The dancing man and woman then rotate to their right ending up facing each other, the dancing woman between the two supporting men and the dancing man between the two supporting women.
Bars 13 – 16 The two threes advance and retire and the dancing man and woman again rotate to face their left hand corners.
(set and turn corners then partner)
Bars 17 – 20 Dancing couple set and turn their left hand corners
Bars 21 – 24 Dancing couple set and turn their right hand corners
Bars 25 – 28 The dancing couple set to each other 4 bars,
Bars 29 – 32 The dancing couple turn with both hands and either return to own sides once place down the set or go straight into the next iteration of the dance with the next two couples
An abridged summary:
Reel – part
Teapots and lead down and up the set
Set and turn corners then partners
Strathspey
Pass touching pinkies, and advance and retire in threes
Set and turn corners then partners
