Early Sources of RSCDS dances
None of the dances published by the RSCDS before book 13 were devised by the RSCDS, instead they were considered "traditional" dances. Many dances published in subsequent books fall into that category as well. I have tried to track down the sources of these dances and display here the earliest published versions of the dance's figure which I've been able to find.
In some cases the RSCDS mentions a source. Often I have found earlier examples of the dance. Sometimes I have been unable to find the RSCDS source and will present the earliest source I have found.
When I know the deviser, I mark the name in italics. In most cases for these old dances I only know the publisher.
When a dance source is marked with "†" it means I have been unable to verify the source of the dance, when it is marked with "‡" it means I have been unable to find any Scottish dance manual containing this dance (prior to 1924).
Hovering the mouse over a dance's devisor/publisher will (often) produce a popup containing the text of the original.By default the list below shows only traditional dances interpreted by the (R)SCDS. I believe that Book 34 (1986) was the last book to contain any traditional dances. Before Book 13 all (R)SCDS dances were traditional, but Book 13 contains The Reel of the 51st Division, the first published modern dance. No further modern dances were published until Book 22 (1963), and after that some books contained modern and some traditional dances until Books 31&34, which contains both.
At the end I have several tables of statistics.
Order by:
Include:
(R)SCDS Book Range:
Containing figure:
(R)SCDS dances devised by Johnson
(R)SCDS Book 5, 1929
| Culloden's Fancy | Johnson, London, ~1754†‡ Caledonian Country Dances Vol. II RSCDS Book 5 attributes this to "Caledonian Country Dances, c. 1754". Both Johnson (1750) and Walsh (1748, 1751, 1755) published books called "Caledonian Country Dances" around the 1750s, but none of those books has a dance with a name like "Culloden's Fancy". There may, of course, be other publishers or publications of which I'm not aware. Note: RSCDS Book 10, for the dance The Lady's Breist Knot has a more nearly complete attribution: "Jno Johnson Caledonian Country Dances Vol. II, c. 1754" but I still can't find it. Note: RSCDS Book 28, for the dance Not I contains the comment "The source given is Caledonian Country Dances, 1754 but attempts to trace this manuscript have been unsuccessful. However in ~1756, Thomas Collett in Twenty Four New Country Dances. Published by Subscription published a dance with that name, and according Robert Keller's site, that dance has the following figures: Foot it/ Turn/ Hands across half/ Partner Change/ Lead up and Cast down. Which is a pretty got match to the RSCDS figures (the only differences being that the "hands across half" becomes a "right and left half", and the partner change becomes a two hand turn once and a half, in both cases people end in the same places).
| |||||||||||||||||||||
| Duke of Hamilton's Reel | Johnson, London, ~1754†‡ Caledonian Country Dances Vol. II The RSCDS attributes this to "Caledonian Country Dances, c. 1754". Both Johnson and Walsh published books with "Caledonian" in the title in the 1750s, but none of those books has a dance with a name like "Duke of Hamilton's Reel". There may, of course, be other publishers or publications of which I'm not aware. Note: RSCDS Book 10, for the dance The Lady's Breist Knot has a more nearly complete attribution: "Jno Johnson Caledonian Country Dances Vol. II, c. 1754" but I still can't find it. Note: RSCDS Book 28, for the dance Not I contains the comment "The source given is Caledonian Country Dances, 1754 but attempts to trace this manuscript have been unsuccessful. Rutherford (1750 & 1759), Bride (1770), and Longman & Broderip (1781) all published dances with this name, but none matches the RSCDS figure.
| |||||||||||||||||||||
| Lady Susan Stewart's Reel | Johnson, London, ~1754†‡ Caledonian Country Dances Vol. II The RSCDS attributes this to "Caledonian Country Dances, c. 1754". Both Johnson (1750) and Walsh (1748, 1751, 1755) published books called "Caledonian Country Dances" around the 1750s, but none of those books has a dance with a name like "Lady Susan Stewart's Reel". There may, of course, be other publishers or publications of which I'm not aware. Note: RSCDS Book 10, for the dance The Lady's Breist Knot has a more nearly complete attribution: "Jno Johnson Caledonian Country Dances Vol. II, c. 1754" but I still can't find it. Note: RSCDS Book 28, for the dance Not I contains the comment "The source given is Caledonian Country Dances, 1754 but attempts to trace this manuscript have been unsuccessful.
| |||||||||||||||||||||
| Scottish Ramble | Johnson, London, ~1752 Two Hundred Favourite Country Dances, Vol. 8 RSCDS Book 5 attributes this to Caledonian Country Dances, ~1754. Several people were publishing works with that title around that time, but I can't find this dance in any of them (or none that I have access to). Note: RSCDS Book 10, for the dance The Lady's Breist Knot has a more nearly complete attribution: "Jno Johnson Caledonian Country Dances Vol. II, c. 1754" but I still can't find it. Note: RSCDS Book 28, for the dance Not I contains the comment "The source given is Caledonian Country Dances, 1754 but attempts to trace this manuscript have been unsuccessful. Johnson calls the dance The Scotch Ramble and writes: First Cu. cast off two Cu. Lead up to the Top and cast off Hands 4 round with the 3d. Cu. Right hands and Left with the 2d. Cu. foot it at both Corners & turn Lead out on both sides and turn
|
(R)SCDS Book 14, 1947
| Grant's Reel ~ RSCDS | Johnson, London, 1751 A Choice Collection of 200 Favourite Country Dances, Vol. 6th The RSCDS attributes this dance to David Rutherford, but John Johnson published the same figure a few years earlier. He and Rutherford used the same words, and Rutherford is online. Rutherford writes: The first Man sets to the 2d. Wo. & turn her His Partner does the same with the 2d. Man Cross over 2 Cu. Lead up to the Top foot it & cast off · Back to Back with your Partner Right Hand and Left Quite round with the 2d. Couple ·· The instructions as printed by Rutherford do not work, they end with the 1s improper. To avoid this I have changed the cast off at the end of B1 to a cross and cast. The threes are idle. And the "cross 2 couple, lead to top" seems too much to fit in four bars. The dance cries out to be a duple minor (as is done in the Scottish interpretation). | |
| Miss Nancy Frowns ~ RSCDS | Johnson, London, ~1752 Two Hundred Favourite Country Dances, Vol. 8 May be found in the Vaughan Williams Memorial Library online collection: Johnson Vol. 8. Johnson writes: First and 2d. Cu. foot Partners then foot sideways Cross over 2 Cu. Lead up to the Top and cast off the Man whole figure at Bottom and Wo. the same at top at the same time Hands across at Bottom Right and Left at Top The original music consists of a 4 bar A strain and an 8 bar B strain. The A music appears to be repeated 4 times, the B twice. Johnson's book is undated, Robert Keller provides 1752 as a date. The RSCDS attributes this dance to Thompson, 1755, but Johnson probably published the figure (the same words even) earlier. The RSCDS has changed Cross over 2 Cu. Lead up to the Top and cast off (which means, 1s cross by right, go below 2s, cross by left, go below 3s, then lead up and cast down) into a weaving pattern through the other couples which catches the spirit of the movement if not the exact nature of it. They also changed the figure of eights into reels, which basically follow the same tracks for the 1s but give the others something to do. Finally they have changed Right and Left at Top to a "left hands across". The right and left would have needed to fit into four bars, instead of the normal 8, and 70% of the time Johnson follows a right hands across with a left hands back, so RSCDS may be right to consider this a misprint. | |
| Willie with his Tartan Trews ~ RSCDS | Johnson, London, 1750 A Choice Collection of 200 Favourite Country Dances, Vol. 5th Johnson published this in his 5th volume of Country Dances (1750), and Rutherford published essentially the same figure in 1759. Both Johnson and Rutherford spell this dance as "Willie with his tartan Trues". The RSCDS credits this dance to Rutherford Rutherford writes: Hey Contrary sides Hey on your Own sides Cross over two Couple Lead up to Top, foot it And Cast off Foot it Corners & turn Foot it the Other Corners & turn Lead out Each side & turn your Partner |
(R)SCDS Book 15, 1949
| Campbell's Frolic ~ RSCDS | Johnson, London, 1751 A Choice Collection of 200 Favourite Country Dances, Vol. 6th Johnson published this in his 6th volume of Country Dances (1751), and Rutherford copied him word for word in 1756. The RSCDS credits this dance to Rutherford. Both Johnson and Rutherford spell this dance as "Campbel's Frolick". Rutherford writes: Foot it all 4 and Hands across & cast off The same with the 3d. Cu. Lead up to the Top foot it & cast off Hands round all 6 & turn your Partner |
RSCDS Book 17, 1953 (Coronation Book)
| The Countess of Crawford's Reel | Johnson, London, ~1754†‡ Caledonian Country Dances Vol. II RSCDS Book 17 attributes this to "Caledonian Country Dances", 1754. Walsh published books with "Caledonian Country Dances" in their titles in about 1735, 1737, 1740, 1745, 1748, 1751 and 1755, and Johnson published one in 1750. None of these works contains a dance with anything approaching this name. Note: RSCDS Book 10, for the dance The Lady's Breist Knot has a more nearly complete attribution: "Jno Johnson Caledonian Country Dances Vol. II, c. 1754" but I still can't find it. Note: RSCDS Book 28, for the dance Not I contains the comment "The source given is Caledonian Country Dances, 1754 but attempts to trace this manuscript have been unsuccessful. | |
| Keppoch's Rant ~ RSCDS | Johnson, London, 1750 A Choice Collection of 200 Favourite Country Dances, Vol. 5th Johnson published this in his 5th volume of Country Dances (1750), and Rutherford published essentially the same figure in 1756. The RSCDS credits this dance to Rutherford Rutherford writes: Hands four all round with the 2d Couple & cast off The same with the 3d Couple foot it & right Hand & left up into the 2d Couple's Place. & turn your Partner Hands round all six & turn your Partner Rutherford's music has a 4 bar A part and an 8 bar B, both repeated. |
RSCDS Book 19, 1957
| The Alewife and her Barrel ~ RSCDS | Johnson, London, 1750 A Choice Collection of 200 Favourite Country Dances, Vol. 5th Johnson published this in his 5th volume of Country Dances (1750), and Rutherford publishes essentially the same figure in 1756. Both Johnson and Rutherford spell "alewife" as "ale wife". Rutherford is online, so... Rutherford writes: Cast off & turn your Partner Cast up again & turn Foot it & Hands across The same Back again First Man set to the second Wo. & turn her First Woman does the same Cross over figure In & Right Hand & Left |
RSCDS Book 28, 1977
| Not I | Johnson, London, ~1754†‡ Caledonian Country Dances Vol. II |
Miss Milligan's Miscellany 1, ~1977
| Downie's Humour | Johnson, London, ~1752‡ Two Hundred Favourite Country Dances, Vol. 8 Johnson writes: Hands 4 across quite round the same back again 1st. Man foot it to the 2d. Wo and turn 1st. Wo do the same 1st. Cu. lead down two Cu. and cast up one lead thro' the 2d. Cu. and cast off hands 4 round at Bottom Right and Left at top Johnson's music consists of two 8 bar strains Thompson also published this figure in 1757 |
Miss Milligan's Miscellany 2, ~1977
| Hooper's Jig ~ RSCDS | Johnson, London, 1751 A Choice Collection of 200 Favourite Country Dances, Vol. 6th Rutherford published the same figure a few years later, and used the same words. His work is online. Rutherford writes: The first Couple Clap & cast off & Hands across with the 3d. Cu. Clap & cast up & Hands across with the 2d. Cu. Cross over figure in Right Hand & Left Both of them spell the name "Hooper's Jigg" (with two "g"s). |
Statistics
Number of dances published by city (or region)
| London | 14 |
Number of dances published by semi century
| 1750-1799 | 14 |
Number of dances by early publisher/devisor
| Johnson | 14 |
References
| Johnson | A Choice Collection of 200 Favourite Country Dances, Vol. 5th, London, 1750. Robert Keller's site says this may be found in the Library of Congress. |
| " | A Choice Collection of 200 Favourite Country Dances, Vol. 6th, London, 1751. Robert Keller's site says this may be found in the Bodleian Library, Oxford, Harding Mus. |
| " | Two Hundred Favourite Country Dances, Vol. 8, London, about 1752. Found in the Vaughan Williams Memorial Library (EFDSS, Cecil Sharp House). |
| " | Caledonian Country Dances Vol. II, London, about 1754. I don't know where to find it. |
Scans of old dance manuals are scattered about the internet. The Vaughan Williams Memorial Library, International Music Score Library Project, Scott Pfitzinger's Playford site, Richard Powers' website, Library of Congress, and The Library of Dance all provide primary sources. A number of other sites provide indeces of these sources: The Regency Dance site, The Library of Dance again, and my own site have all proven useful for finding old sources. Finally there is Robert Keller's index which does not provide sources directly but lists thousands of dances, the publications containing them, dates and a brief coded description of the figures. This last has proven invaluable for tracking down dances for which I had no complete sources.
And, of course, both the Scottish Country Dance Database and the Scottish Country Dancing Dictionary provide online descriptions of all the RSCDS books and often hint at early sources.
This website is copyright © 2021-2026 by George W. Williams V
My work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Most of the dances have more restrictive licensing, see my notes on copyright, the individual dance pages should mention when some rights are waived.