Gay Gordons (dance)

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The Gay Gordons is a popular dance at céilidhs and other kinds of informal and social dance. It is an "old-time" dance, of a type popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, in which every couple dances the same steps, usually in a circle around the room.

The name alludes to a Scottish regiment, the Gordon Highlanders.

[edit] Dance Instructions

A standard ceilidh instruction:

Formation: couples around the room facing anti-clockwise, ladies on the right.

Music: 2/4 or 4/4 march. E.g. "Scotland the Brave", "The Gay Gordons".

Bars	Description
1-2	Right hands joined over lady's shoulder (man's arm behind her back) and left hands joined in front, walk forward for four steps, starting on the right foot.
3-4	Still moving in the same direction, and without letting go, pivot on the spot (so left hand is behind lady and right hand is in front) and take four steps backwards.
5-8	Repeat in the opposite direction.
9-12	Drop left hands, raise right hands above lady's head. Lady pivots on the spot. (The man may set).
13-16	Joining hands in ballroom hold, polka round the room.