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Enjoy this curated selection of theme-related dances for celebrations and holidays, or find a dance associated with a special calendar day, or EVEN your own birthday!
Apr 22
April Days
April Sky
Other Scottish Country Dances for this Day
Today's Musings, History & Folklore
"Sweet April showers do spring May flowers"
~Traditional
This springtime strathspey contains unusual swirling unique groupings that may put you in mind of the changing skies of a typical April, or of rounded floral shapes during this transitional month recognized for its transitional nature in many cultures.
Skies that swiftly transform from the sullen grays of a brooding storm to the radiant azure of clear, sunlit day with natural cloud formations create hopeful anticipation, suggesting that the month's frequent rains are a prelude to renewal and beauty after the greyer months of winter.
Interestingly, a dry April is also considered auspicious. The Old English proverb, "A peck of April dust is worth a king's ransom" suggests that a dry April is beneficial for farming, allowing for the early cultivation of the soil, making it easier to work with and more conducive to planting seeds.
According to devisor Ferenc Szemeredi, this 4 couple strathspey is "centro-symmetric." The four corner positions are in 1st place and 4th placel. During the repeating 4-bar figure 2 dancers arrive in tandem at a corner, dance RHA 3 with the corner, and the leading arriving dancer stays in the corner, while the other two dance on to the next corner counter clock-wise in the set. This occurs simultaneously at both ends of alternately 2nd and 1st diagonal, 4 times in all."
May your April skies clear just enough to make it easy to attend dancing classes in your area and refresh the spring flowers! 🕺 💃 💙 💛 💗 ☔ 🌧️ 🌹 🌺 🏵️
April Sky
So critical are the months of spring for the success of the harvest, the list of proverbs is long:
Weather sayings and proverbs reflect observations and wisdom gathered over centuries, offering insight into seasonal changes and their impacts.
Spring, with its dynamic and often unpredictable weather, has inspired a wide range of sayings—some predicting rain, others forecasting temperature and crop success.
April showers bring May flowers.
Frequent April rain provides the moisture needed for May’s blooms.March comes in like a lion, and goes out like a lamb.
March often begins with harsh, blustery weather and softens into milder spring conditions.A peck of March dust is worth a king’s ransom.
A dry March is considered highly valuable, signaling a prosperous agricultural season.An April flood carries away the frog and his brood.
Heavy April rains can cause flooding that impacts wildlife.When ditches and ponds offend the nose, then look for rain and stormy blows.
Damp, stagnant air suggests rain is on the way.If the oak is out before the ash, then we shall only have a splash;
if the ash is out before the oak, then we shall surely have a soak.
The order of budding trees is said to predict how wet the season will be.A cold May and a windy makes a barn full and findy.
A chilly, breezy May is believed to favor a strong harvest.April wet, good wheat.
Rain in April benefits wheat crops.March winds and April showers bring forth May flowers.
Late winter winds and early spring rain support flourishing plant life.So many mists in March you see, so many frosts in May will be.
A misty March may signal a frosty May.A dry March, a wet April, and a cool May fill barn and cellar and bring much hay.
This combination of weather is considered ideal for agriculture.Mist in May, heat in June, makes harvest come right soon.
A misty May followed by a warm June leads to an early harvest.Thunder in spring, cold will bring.
Spring thunderstorms are often followed by cooler weather.March winds shall blow, and we shall have snow.
Snow can still arrive if March remains windy.If it thunders on All Fools’ Day, expect good crops of corn and hay.
Thunder on April 1st is thought to predict a fruitful growing season.
For more weather sayings from the Farmer’s Almanac throughout the year, click the April Showers proverb below to see the full collection.
Click the dance cribs or description below to link to a printable version of the dance!
