Flora Flashcards
Describe the use of arms in Flora
Girls - during the introduction and throughout the dance the skirt is held between finger and thumb of each hand.
Boys - arm positions at discretion of teacher as in Highland dance technique
Describe the tempo, time and music for Flora
Time - 6/8 (count 2 in a bar)
Tempo - 40 to 44 bars to the minute
Music - the Last Measure Prince Charlie danced with Flora McDonald or Wha’ll be King but Charlie
Describe the Flora break
Spring or disassemble pointing LF in 2nd pos. Making half turn to right hop taking LF to 3rd RA. Make a half turn to fight to face front. Execute a HBBB with LF (finishing with or without extension to mid 4th low aerial). Execute 4 shuffles L, R, L, R.
5 2 6 & a 2 7 & 2 & 8 & 2 & or. 5 2 6 and a 2 7 & 2 & 8 & 2 &
Flora - triple beat rhythm is a softer movement (1 and a 2)
Highland - sharper rhythm (1 and (and) a 2) quadruple beat with 2nd and bracketed
Describe the introduction of Flora
Stand in 1st for 4 bars
B5-6 step to R with RF and curtesy or bow (4 counts)
B7-8 step to L with LF and close RF in 1at on balls or flat OR point in 4th pos (4 counts)
Boys keep arms in 1st position as it is the introduction
1 2 2 2 3 2 4 2, 5 2 6 2, 7 2 8 2
What are the steps in Flora?
- Hop brush beat beat
- Syncopated hop/Hop and travel
- Diagonal travel
- Backstep and travel
- PDB
- 2nd syncopated hop
Describe step 1 of Flora
Hop brush beat beat
B1-2 execute 2 HBBBs with RF
B3-4 spring taking LF to 3rd RA execute a round-the-leg movement to 3rd A
Hop extending LF to 4th IA
Repeat the round-the- leg movement with opp foot
OR the round-the-leg movement may be omitted
1 and a 2 2 and a 2, 3 & 2, 4 & 2 or (3 2 4 2)
5 2, 6 & a 2 or (6 and a 2), 7 & 2 & 8 & 2 &
9 and a 2 10 and a 2, 11 & 2, 12 & 2 or (11 2 12 2)
13 2, 14 & a 2 or (14 and a 2), 15 & 2 & 16 & 2
Note that WF is still in 4th IA on ct 1 of a HBBB whereas in highland the WF is in on ct 1
National dance counting of a HBBB is 1 and a 2
Highland dance counting of a HBBB is 1 and (and) a 2
Describe step 2 of Flora
Syncopated hop/ hope and travel
Note the syncopated hop is danced on the spot. Hope and travel is towards 4th int pos
B1-3 making a complete turn to the right on the spot, execute a hop taking RF through 4th Int Aer towards 3rd A. Place on 1/2 point in 5th (or may step on 1/2 point towards 4th int pos) then lightly beat ball of LF in 5th Rear. Repeat counts 1 & 2 twice more
B4 hop brush beat beat with RF (can finish with extension to 4th Aer or no extension)
B5-8 break
B9-16 repeat opp foot
1 & 2, 2 & 2, 3 & 2, 4 & a 2 or (4 and a 2)
5 2 6 & a 2 or (6 and a 2) 7 & 2 & 8 & 2 &
9 & 2, 10 & 2, 11 & 2, 12 & a 2 (or 12 and a 2)
13 2 14 & a 2 or (14 and a 2) 15 & 2 & 16 & 2 &
Describe step 3 of Flora
Diagonal travel
Can be danced 4 times or 3 times assemble change
B1 - either spring RF (or step RF) towards 4th int taking LF to 3rd Rear Aer (ct 1) hop (ct &) step in 3rd rear (2) then brush out towards 4th int aer low and in towards 3rd Aer very low (ct and a)
or soft shuffle towards 4th int pos (ct and a)
B2-4 repeat b1 3 times or repeat twice and assemble RF in 3rd and change
B5-8 break traveling backwards to regain line
B8-16 repeat b1-8 with opposite foot
1 & 2 and a, 2 & 2 and a, 3 & 2 and a 4 & 2 and a or (4 2)
5 2, 6 & a 2 or (6 and a 2) 7 & 2 & 8 & 2 &
9 & 2 and a, 10 & 2 and a, 11 & 2 and a 12 & 2 and a or (12 2)
13 2, 14 a 2 or (14 and a 2) 15 & 2 & 16 & 2 &
Describe step 4 of Flora
Backstep and travel - 7 ways to dance this step (for self)
The first movement can be danced either
Slight inward ronde towards 3rd aerial
Or slight ronde to 3rd aerial
(Ronde means small circular action - can be danced with an inward/outwards or straight up movement)
Or take RF to 3rd aerial. (See notes)
B1-
Method 1:
commence with inward ronde towards 3rd Aer. Backstep, soft spring LF to 2nd. Then take/draw RF in to 3rd on draw in on 1/2 point. (Take/draw can be danced with or without touching the floor on draw in) (STDA/UKA) (& 1 & 2)
B2 - Spring or hop LF point RF in 4th. Spring RF point LF in 4th
B3-4 repeat on opposite foot
B5-8 break with R
B9-16 repeat B1-8 on opposite foot
Variations - before the backstep, can be slight inwards ronde towards 3rd Aer. Slight ronde to 3rd Aerial. Can be take RF to 3rd Aer.
After backstep - spring LF to 2nd or step LF to 2nd.
Then can be step RF to 3rd and simultaneously release LF to 3rd RA very low or spring RF in 3rd to displace LF simultaneously releasing LF to 3rd RA very low or pointing RF in 3rd pos (UKA)
& 1 & 2, 2 & 2, & 3 & 2, 4 2
5 2, 6 & a 2 or (6 and a 2), 7 & 2 & 8 & 2 &
a 9 & 2, 10 2, 11 & 2, 12 2,
13 2, 14 & a 2 or (14 and a 2), 15 & 2 & 16 & 2 &
Describe step 5 of Flora
PDB
(Perfect half rhythm for PDBs)
May dance all facing front or B1-2 may be danced facing RDF and B3-4 may be danced facing LDF. The break would the commence with an 1/8th turn to face front.
B1-2 RF PDB towards/to 2nd. HBBB May finished with extension to 4th int Aer or 2nd
B3-4 Repeat with LF
B5-8 break with RF
B9-16 repeat bars 1-8 with opposite foot
1 & 2, 2 & a 2 or (2 and a 2) 3 & 2, 4 & a 2 or (4 and a 2)
5 2 6 & a 2 or (6 and a 2) 7 & 2 & 8 & 2 &
9 & 2, 10 & a 2 or (10 and a 2) 11 & 2 12 & a 2 or (12 and a 2)
15 & 2 & 16 & 2
Describe step 6 of Flora
2nd syncopated hop/last
B1-2 hop taking RF through 4th int Aer pos towards 3rd Aer pos. place RF on 1/2 point in 3rd/5th pos, then lightly beat ball of LF in 3rd/5th R making a half turn to the right.
Repeat counts 1 and 2 completing the turn to the right on the spot.
OR B1-2 dance 2 syncopated hop movements making a complete turn to the right
B3-6 repeat b1&2 twice more. On last count there may be an extension to mid 4th Aer low
B7-8 dance 4 shuffles - first one commences with a hop LF.
B9-14 repeat b1-6 with opposite foot making 3 complex turns to the left.
Bar 15-16 assemble with LF in 5th/3rd pos (with or without extension to 2nd aerial low or 4th int Aer (SOB DVD) then execute 3 changes
1 & 2, 2 & 2, 3 & 2 4 & 2 5 & 2 6 & 2 7 & 2 & 8 & 2 &
9 & 2 10 & 2 11 & 2 12 & 2 13 & 2 14 & 2 15 2 16 2
Finish - step to R with RF, curtsey/bow, step to L with alf and close in 1st pos
Describe a syncopated hop
(SDTA)
With RF, hop LF extending RF towards 4th int Aer pos, bending the knee to. Ring the RF halfway between 4th int Aer pos and 3rd aerial pos on landing (1). Continue softly inwards towards 3rd Aer pos and downwards to place RF on the 1/2 point in 3rd pos then lightly beat the ball of LF in 3rd rear pos (& 2).
