Suggested music: Anita’s Dance by George Meikle and the Lothian Dance Band from The Royal Scottish Country Dance Society (Birmingham) Diamond Jubilee Dance Book 1946-2006, or any good 5x32 Strathspey.
The River Tay (Gaelic name Tatha), a famous Salmon River, flows down from the Highlands through Strathtay in the centre of Scotland and on through Perth in the Firth of Tay, south of Dundee. It is the longest river in Scotland with five different names. It begins as the River Connonish, then becomes the River Fillan, then the River Dochart, after which it flows into Loch Tay, then emerges from Loch Tay to become the River Tay.
The five couples reflect the five different names of the river. The Rondels signify the river flowing under the many bridges. The six hands round and back symbolizes Loch Tay, and the mirror wending suggest the very long heanderring river as it flows from the Highlands southward to its final destination.
The dance was inspired by a picture in one of Duncan MacKenzie’s newsletters.