Targe

An online definition may be found here.

Bars: 8.

The targe is a two couple figure which starts in a line across the dance, with men on the outsides of the line, women on the insides. Men hold left hands with the woman who is not their partner (M1 facing down outside men's line, M2 facing up outside women's), while women hold right hands together, and left hands with person not their partners (W1 facing down, W2 up).

All drop left hands, women turn right three quarters, while men chase counter-clockwise a quarter.

Women drop right hands, and take left with their shadow, and turn once round to the left.

All drop left hands, women take right, women turn right three quarters, as men chase counter-clockwise a quarter.

Take left hand with shadow and turn left three quarters, ending with 2s above 1s on their own sides, and 1s on opposite sides.

History

The earliest dances I've found using this figure are The Clansman by Derek Haynes, 1981, and The Smith at his Anvil by Iain Boyd, also 1981. Not sure which came first, or if there's one even earlier.

Some dances which (probably) use this figure

• Dances for which I have animations
• Dances in (R)SCDS Books

Note: This list may be incorrect or incomplete.

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My work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Most of the dances have more restrictive licensing, see my notes on copyright, the individual dance pages should mention when some rights are waived.