Strathspey (dance)

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A strathspey is a dance tune in 4/4, usually written in 1/8th notes. It is similar to a hornpipe but slower and more stately, and containing many snaps. A so-called Scotch snap is a short note before a dotted note. An example of a strathspey would be the song "The Bonnie Banks O' Loch Lomond", provided you sing it staccato:

"You'll tak the high road, and I'll tak the low road, and I'll be in Scotland afore ye"

Strathspey refers both to the type of tune, and to the type of dance usually done to it (although strathspeys are also frequently danced to slow airs).

The strathspey step is a slower and more stately version of the skip-change step used for jigs and reels.

Strathspey is one of the dance types in Scottish country dancing. A Scottish country dance will typically consist of equal numbers of strathspeys, jigs and reels.

It is named after the Strathspey region of Scotland, in Moray and Badenoch and Strathspey.

Strathspey (dance)

See also