Dance Fife Ness 2158

Also known as “Fine Mess” (unofficial).

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

Devised by

Mary Shoolbraid Brandon (1972)

Intensity

800 777 866 866 = 71% (1 turn), 54% (whole dance)

Formations

Set as in Double.Triangles (SET_DT)
Reel of three - promenade hold - half (REEL;PRMHLD;R3;HALF;)
Note: This list may be incomplete and/or incorrect.

Steps

Pas-de-Basque, Skip-Change

Published in

Four Scottish Country Dances 1978 [1]
Leaflet Dances 1964-1998 and Other Dances [38]
Pocket: Books 28,4-for-1978,29 [13]
Scottish Country Dances in Diagrams. Ed. 9 [175] (diagram only)
Scottish Country Dances in Diagrams. Ed. 8 [227] (diagram only)
Scottish Country Dances in Diagrams. Ed. 7 [198] (diagram only)
Scottish Country Dances in Diagrams. Ed. 6 [192] (diagram only)

Recommended Music

The East Neuk o' Fife (James Oswald)

Extra Info

Fife Ness

The East Neuk of Fife jabs spade-like into the North Sea between St. Andrews Bay and the Firth of Forth. South and west of the old university town of St. Andrews are the ancient seaports of what is now called “the Scottish Riviera”: Crail, Anstruther, Pittenweem, St. Monance and Elie to Largo Bay. Once important centres of trade with the Low Countries, these towns have become fishing communities and holiday resorts.

On a bright summer’s day, these villages are a delightful sight. Old houses, harled white or salmon-pink, gables crow-stepped with roofs of red pantiles, reach down in terraces and along narrow twisting streets to stone breakwaters and protected harbours filled with colourful fishing boats and stacks of lobster traps.

Fife Ness is the point of the spade facing the rocks of North Carr lighthouse and the North Sea. Nearby is Balcomie Castle, dating from the 16th century, and Wormistone House, built in the 17th century by the Spens family, the Constables of Crail, and which passed about 1620 to Patrick Lindsay whose heirs became the Earls of Lindsay.

From “Scotland Dances”, by Eugenia (Jeannie) Callander Sharp (Used by permission.)

“Name” column: normal = designated recording, greyed-out = designated but not official lead tune, italic = possible match found in DB (watch number of repeats!)

Name	Artist	Album	Media	Trk	Type	Time	Pace
Fife Ness	Bobby Crowe and his Scottish Dance Band	Music for Ten Scottish Country Dances	LP+	1	R32 8	4:39	34.9
Fife Ness	Bobby Crowe and his Scottish Dance Band	A Fife Fairing	CD	1	R32 8	4:39	34.9
Fife Ness	Muriel Johnstone's Band	Memories of Fife	CD	14	R32 8	4:36	34.5
Langshaw Lassies	Bobby MacLeod and his Band	Bobby MacLeod and his Band	LP	4	R32 6	0:00	0.0
Langshaw Lassies	Bobby MacLeod and his Band	Vintage 78's Vol 2	CD	3	R32 6	3:32	35.3
Reels	Dermot O'Brien	Pet O' The Pipers	LP	13	R32 6	3:42	37.0

Fife Ness 3/4L · R32

1–: 1c ½ RH turn to promhold, dance between 3c ; cross LH (2c up) and cast up to (2,1,3)
9–: 2M+1W+3M set advancing to form triangle NHJ {2}, set retiring, advancing, retiring while{8} 2W+1M+3W stand {2}, set advancing likewise, retiring, advancing
17–: 1c in promhold +2W+3W Lsh ½Reel3 in centre of set ; 1c+(2W+3M)+(3W+2M) all in promhold ½Reel3
25–: 1c+2M+3M ½Reel3 (finish 2x,1x,3x) ; all set and cross RH

E-cribs

Fife Ness 3/4L · R32

1-8: 1s 1/2 turn RH into prom hold & dance down, cross LH & cast up behind 3s on own sides to 2nd place
9-16: 1L & 2M+3M set advancing to form triangle, 1L & 2M+3M retire as 1M & 2L+3L set advancing to form triangle, repeat this Fig (bars 9-12)
17-24: 1s in prom hold dance 1/2 LSh reel of 3 with 2L+3L (in centre of set), 2L & 3L pick up each others partner & complete reel
25-32: 1s (prom hold) continue with 1/2 reel of 3 with 2M+3M (Men leave Ladies on Men’s side in 1st & 3rd place) all end opp side 2 1 3, all set & cross RH

MiniCribs

Keith Rose's Diagrams

Combined View

Watch on YouTube