WELCOME TO An Entertainment Site for Scottish Country Dancers - Enjoy the 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!
Harry Potter's Birthday
Jul 31
Other Scottish Country Dances for this Day
Today's Musings, History & Folklore
"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."
~ The Prisoner of Azkaban, J.K. Rowling, 1999
Whether you identify with House Hufflepuff, Griffyndor, Slytherin, or Ravenclaw, don't be too naught today, dancers! Harry Potter fans will know that in the book series, Ottery St Catchpole was a small village located in Devon, England, presumably named after a Saint Catchpole. Four wizarding families were known to live around Ottery St Catchpole: the Weasleys, the Fawcetts, the Diggorys, and the Lovegoods! Harry Potter scholars have posited that this village name is most likely a reference to the real Devon town of Ottery St Mary, near Exeter, where author J.K. Rowling went to university! With lots of turns and chases for both aspiring wizards and witches, this reel gives you lots of opportunities to be "up to no good" (wink, wink)! 📚 💫 🦉
Ottery St. Catchpole Reel
July 31st is the birthday of fictional boy-wizard, Harry Potter!
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, the first book in J.K. Rowling’s seven-part series, begins as Harry turns 11 and is invited to attend the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Each book and subsequent film begins around Harry’s birthday—which falls on the same day as Rowling’s— and so the eighth story in the series, Harry Potter and Cursed Child, was released on July 31, 2016.
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This dance, by devisor Anselm Lingnau, is named after the fictional town of Ottery St. Catchpole.
If you're inspired to throw a Harry Potter birthday party, click Harry and Hedwig the owl for lots of ideas for themed food, fun and games!
Click the dance cribs or description below to link to a printable version of the dance!
