THE GATES OF MOY

Formation: Quadrille, numbered 1 to 4 anticlockwise around set.

Music: 32-bar Scottish Reels.

BARS DESCRIPTION
8 Couple 1 go under arch made by Couple 3.
Couple 1 take inside hands as all other couples form arches (by raising their joined inside hands).
Couple 1 dance across the set and under Couple 3's arch. (Couple 3 don't move.)

Couple 1 separate, cast up on their own side and go under arches made by side couples.
Couple 1 drop hands, turn back to back then dance around the outside of the set and under the arches made by the side couples.
(i.e.Lady 1 goes under an arch made by Couple 2 and Man 1 goes under an arch made by Couple 4.)

Couple 1 right hand turn.
Couple 1 meet in the centre of the set, give right hands to each other and do a right hand turn once around and finish facing their own side couple, which is the couple whose arch they came in under.
(i.e. Lady 1 faces Couple 2 and Man 1 faces Couple 4.)

8 1's left hand star with own side couple.
(1's give left hand to the side couple they are facing and do a left hand star with these people finishing slightly short of a complete star around and end facing their partner across the centre of the set.
ie. Lady 1 stars with Couple 2 and Man 1 stars with Couple 4.)

Couple 1 right hand turn.
Couple 1 remeet in the centre of the set, give right hands to each other and do a right hand turn once around dropping hands as they finish the move by facing their own side couple. Side couples make arches.
(*At this point in the dance Couple 3 should turn and stand back to back with each other.)

1's go under side arches and cast down on own side to end facing their opposite couple.
1's go under the side arches (back out where they came from) and dance around the set to meet Couple 3 (their opposite couple) who should have already turned to meet them.
(ie. Lady 1 ends up facing Man 3, Man 1 faces Lady 3, Lady 3 and Man 3 are back to back.)

8 Couples 1 and 3 do a reel of 4.
(Passing right shoulders to start Couples 1 and 3 do a reel of four. However when the 1's get back to the position where they started the reel they do not turn back in to face the person they started it with but continue to face the direction they are travelling. The movement ends with Lady 1 facing out, Man 3 behind her facing the same way, Man 1 facing out in the opposite direction with Lady 3 behind him. Couple 3 are back to back.)
8 1's lead the 3's up their own side of the set and go under arches made by the side couples.
1's dance around the outside of the set followed by their opposite person until they get to an arch made by their side couple.
(ie. Lady 1 is followed by Man 3 to an arch made by Couple 2, Man 1 is followed by Lady 3 to an arch made by Couple 4.)

Couples 1 and 3 meet partners in the middle of the set and swing home to finish.
(1's go under side arches, meet in the centre of the set, take a cross-hand hold and swing back to their original place.
3's follow the 1's under the arches, meet and swing to own place.
Couples 1 and 3 continue to swing to use up the music.
Couple 2 get ready to start the dance.)

96 Repeat all of the above for couples 2, 3 and 4.

A set of very short dance instructions.

Bars 1-8 Through the gates and right hand turn.
Bars 9-16 Left hand star, right hand turn and back out the gates.
Bars 17 to 24 Reel of 4 [with opposite couple].
Bars 25 to 32 Lead through the gates and swing home.

Composed by Claire Stoneman, December 2003.
Winner of the VFMC Award in Section B of the TSDAV Dance Composers Competition at the 2005 National Folk Festival.