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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!
Jun 3
June's Birthstone
Lustrous Pearl
Other Scottish Country Dances for this Day
Today's Musings, History & Folklore
"The rarest pearls are not found in oysters, but in enduring friendships and faithful hearts."
This elegant 32 bar strathspey for three couples, named for the queen of gems, the pearl, was devised by Tim Wilson “to celebrate the 30th anniversary of a dancing couple!
Beginning with a slip knot, this dance contains many opportunities for a celebratory extra twirl, particularly enjoyed by the dancing couple. The devisor notes, "On bar 20, the 1st couple may choose to pull back right shoulders to twirl about before continuing the corners pass and turn with 2nd corners.”
Once believed to be the tears of mermaids, pearls have long been treasured for their luster, rarity, and timeless charm. Scottish freshwater pearls, harvested from native mussels, have been particularly highly prized since ancient times.
In fact, they were so coveted that the Roman historian Suetonius claimed Julius Caesar’s fondness for British pearls was one of his motivations for invading Britain!
Today, Scottish pearls can still be found among the jewels of both the Scottish and English crowns.
Congratulations to all June birthdays and June anniversaries! 🕺 💃 💙 💚 💙 💗 💍 🦪 🧜♀️ 👑
Lustrous Pearl
The month of June is long associated with pearls (along with the moonstone and alexandrite).
Pearls are found in seven basic shapes and a variety of colors and lusters.
According to an ancient Egyptian legend, Cleopatra dissolved a pearl in wine and drank it to prove her love and power for Marc Antony, showing him that she could consume the wealth of a nation in a matter of minutes.
The tradition of brides wearing pearls on their wedding day comes from the ancient belief associating the gem is believed with purity and beauty. The Ancient Greeks believed that pearls were the tears of the gods, while Chinese traditions speak of a mermaid’s ability to weep tears of pearl.
Traditional wedding folkore opines that if a bride wears pearls, she will not cry on her own wedding day.
Scottish river pearls (or baroque pearls) have been coveted since the time of Julius Caesar. The Scottish Crown Jewels housed in Edinburgh castle are set with these Scottish pearls from river mussels.
These freshwater pearls are not generally rounded. But the Abernethy pearl, one of the world's most famous large pearls, came from a Unio Margaretifera mussel, found by William Abernethy in 1967 in the River Tay, and is perfectly round and large (comparable to the size of a marble) and lustrous.
Since 1998 the mussel that produces the Scottish pearl, has been awarded special protection status as it has been overfished, and its habitat has been seriously diminished.
For more on the famous Abernethy pearl and other pearls of note, click the cache of pearls below.
Click the dance cribs or description below to link to a printable version of the dance!
