Scottish Country Dance of the Day

Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream" takes place on the magical eve before traditional Midsummer and portrays the events surrounding the marriage of Theseus, the Duke of Athens, to Hippolyta, former Queen of the Amazons, and intertwines the adventures of four young Athenian lovers and a group of six amateur actors who are controlled and manipulated by the fairy King Oberon and his Queen Titania, who inhabit the forest in which most of the play is set. A Midsummer Night's Dream is one of those special plays which contains another play within it, the unintentionally comic performance rendered by the traveling players called: "The Most Lamentable Comedy and Most Cruel Death of Pyramus and Thisbe."🧚 🎭

Traditional Midsummer's Eve, observed on June 23, has its roots in ancient pagan celebrations of the summer solstice, the astronomically observed longest day of the year, which typically falls around June 21. With the spread of Christianity, many pagan festivals were incorporated into the Christian calendar. St. John's Day, celebrated on June 24, commemorates the birth of John the Baptist. Midsummer's Eve on June 23 became associated with the feast day. Though we can't confirm exactly when the fairies celebrate, best to be careful! Midsummer's Eve, a time steeped in traditions and folklore, is believed to be a night when the veil between the human world and the realm of fairies is at its thinnest. Across various cultures, this magical night is celebrated with bonfires, dances, and rituals intended to welcome and honor these mystical beings. According to legend, fairies come out to play, granting wishes or casting spells on those who stumble upon them. People often leave offerings of food and drink to appease the fairies and gain their favor. In some tales, fairies are said to dance in circles, and those who join or spy upon them might find themselves enchanted or blessed with extraordinary luck. On the Isle of Skye, the famous "Fairy Pools" are known for their ethereal beauty. The vivid colors of the water and the mystical surroundings contribute to this enchanting reputation as well as the histories of the Clan MacLeod and the Clan MacDonald, two prominent Scottish clans with deep roots on the Isle of Skye. This sprightly jig contains crossing and flitting about, meanwhiles to confuse dancers or fairies and a fairy chase in a magic circle at the end! 🧚 🧚 🧚

Named for the traditional tune of the same name and a fairy glen said to exist near Tweedbank, Galashiels on the Scottish Borders, this sprightly reel is often performed with three handclaps as the first couple crosses back and forth near the end of the dance! Remember, as Peter Pan said, "If you believe in fairies, clap your hands!" Traditionally celebrated with bonfires and dancing, the summer solstice has long been associated with magical and unusual occurrences -a liminal time during which mortals may be able to glimpse and interact with the fairy or spirit world, but almost always at a price. Take suitable precautions as despite their modern reputation as benevolent spirits, fairies traditionally are almost always bent on mischief, or worse! Many different plants and flowers have been used as protection against fairy magic and mischief. Even oatmeal was said to be a fairy repellent, if you carried it in your pocket or sprinkled it on your clothes or maybe just to be sure, put a bit into your dancing ghillies! 🥀 🌞 🧚 🧚‍♂️ 🧚‍♀️

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Magical mischief-makers and dancers! 'Tis the season of madness, surely. Mind the bonfires—and perhaps keep a little oatmeal in your sporran or pocket, just in case!

Devised by John Drewry for the "Day of Dance" held at Causewayhead, Stirling, this lively 32-bar jig for three couples in a four-couple set features easy-to-remember hands across figures and reels of three danced both across the set and on the sidelines. Before long you'll be weaving about the hall like glowing fireflies—or perhaps fairies—darting through the twilight on Midsummer's Eve!

Midsummer has long been one of the most anticipated nights of the year. Traditionally celebrated with bonfires, feasting, music, and dancing, the summer solstice was considered a liminal time when the boundary between the human world and the realm of fairies, spirits, and other supernatural beings grew thin.

According to folklore across much of Europe, this was a night when mortals might glimpse the Otherworld—or even encounter its inhabitants—but such meetings rarely came without a price. Fairies in traditional tales were not the tiny, friendly creatures of modern storybooks. More often they were clever, unpredictable, fond of tricks, and occasionally downright dangerous!

The enchantment of Midsummer has inspired writers for centuries. Shakespeare famously filled A Midsummer Night's Dream with fairy pranks and supernatural confusion, while echoes of Midsummer lore can also be found in Macbeth and The Tempest, where witches, spirits, enchantments, and otherworldly forces meddle in mortal affairs.

For protection against fairy tricks, folklore offers a surprising assortment of remedies. St. John's wort, rowan, mugwort, and other plants were thought to ward off supernatural interference. One of the simplest charms was even more humble: oatmeal. According to some traditions, carrying a little oatmeal in your pocket—or sprinkling a few flakes on your clothing—could discourage unwanted fairy attention.

Whether or not it works, it certainly can't hurt on a night when other realms seem a little closer than usual! Just remember to sweep the dance floor afterwards should the anti-fairy oatmeal deployment become a little too enthusiastic. 🕺 💃 💜 💛 💚 💜 🌞 🧚 🧚‍♂️ 🧚‍♀️ ✨✨ ✨