Dance The Highland Fair 2910

Jig · 32 bars · 2 couples · Longwise - 4 (Progression: 21)

Devised by

Unknown

Intensity

80 88 88 88 = 87% (1 turn), 60% (whole dance)

Formations

Steps

Skip-Change

Published in

Book of Graded Scottish Country Dances [6]
Pocket: Books 22, Graded [106]
A Guide to Scottish Country Dancing (ex-Collins) [21]
Collins Pocket Reference: Scottish Country Dancing [21]
99 More Scottish Country Dances [27]
An Introduction to Scottish Country Dancing [1]
Collins Little Books: Scottish Dance [48]
Scottish Country Dances in Diagrams. Ed. 9 [241] (diagram only)
Scottish Country Dances in Diagrams. Ed. 8 [292] (diagram only)
Scottish Country Dances in Diagrams. Ed. 7 [262] (diagram only)
Scottish Country Dances in Diagrams. Ed. 6 [253] (diagram only)

Online Sources

http://www.highlandmistdancers.org/HM3goldenoldies.html#fair

Recommended Music

Muirland Willie (Traditional)

Extra Info

The Highland Fair

The Highland Fair is probably from “The Highland Fair or Union of the Clans” which was billed as a Scots opera containing fifty-one Scots tunes. The ballad opera was produced in London in 1731 and was the work of Joseph Mitchell.

Mitchell was born in Scotland in 1684, the son of a stone mason. He went to London to seek his fortune and was introduced to John Dalrymple, 2nd Earl of Stair, and to Sir Robert Walpole, later 1st Earl of Oxford, upon whom he was dependent for the greater part of his life. In addition to “The Highland Fair”, Mitchell wrote “Fatal Extravagance”, a tragedy in 1720, “Poems on Several Occasions”, published in two volumes in 1729, and various of his poems were included in William Thomson’s Orpheus Caledonius and in James Johnson’s The Scots Musical Museum. Mitchell died on 6 February, 1738.

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
The Highland Fair	Rob Gordon and his Band	Music for 12 Trad. Dances from the Graded Book	LP+	3	J32 8	4:30	33.8
The Highland Fair	Rob Gordon and his Band	Music for Graded Scottish Country Dances	CD	3	J32 8	4:30	33.8
Highland Fair/Muirland Willie	The Music Makars	Catch the Wind	CD	2	J32 8	4:27	33.4
Highland Fair	David South and his Scottish Dance Band	To the Laird	CD	1	J32 8	4:43	35.4
Muirland Willie	Don Bartlett and the Scotians	Play Favourites	CD+	8	J32 8	4:22	32.8
Muirland Willie	Ian Holmes and his Scottish Dance Band with Ian Powrie	Highlander Music Scottish Dances Vol 4	CD	13	J32 8	4:28	33.5
Muirland Willie	Archie Duncan Quintet	Scottish Country Dances	LP	4	J32 8	0:00	0.0
Muirland Willie	John Renton and his Scottish Dance Band	Book 21. Music for Twelve Scottish Country Dances	CD+	9	J32 8	4:36	34.5
Muirland Willie	George B Stirrat	Favourite Scottish Dances	LP	3	J32 8	0:00	0.0
Muirland Willie	Ken Slaven and others	Ken and Friends	LP	18	J32 8	4:30	33.8
Muirland Willie	Robert Whitehead & the Danelaw Band	Come Scottish Country Dancing with Robert Whitehead (2)	LP	8	J32 8	0:00	0.0
Muirland Willie	Luke Brady's Scottish Dance Band	Take Your Partners For Vol 1	CD	2	J32 8	4:36	34.5
Muirland Willie	Colin Dewar and his Scottish Dance Band	Special Requests Volume 8	CD	5	J32 8	4:45	35.6
Muirland Willie	Archie Duncan Quintet	Let's Go Scottish Country Dancing Vol 2	CD	2	J32 8	4:19	32.4

The Highland Fair 2/4L · J32

1–: 1c cast off behind own lines ; cast back
9–: 1c+2c Turn RH ; repeat LH
17–: 1c followed by 2c lead down the middle ; and up, 2c leading (to 2,1)
25–: 2c+1c R&L.

E-cribs

The Highland Fair 2/4L · J32

1-8: 1s cast, dance down behind own lines, turn outwards & dance back to place
9-16: 1s+2s turn partners RH back to place & then turn LH
17-24: 1s followed by 2s, lead down the middle & 2s lead back to the top
25-32: 2s+1s dance R&L

MiniCribs

Keith Rose's Diagrams

Combined View

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