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Fancy That Day
Nov 20
Other Scottish Country Dances for this Day
Today's Musings, History & Folklore
"Let the winged Fancy roam,
Pleasure never is at home."
~ Fancy, John Keats, 1818
Fancy that! Though Keats' "Fancy" explores the power of imagination (fancy) and its ability to transport the mind away from life's mundane realities, pleasure is surely on the dance floor! In the context of traditional Irish and Scottish tunes from the 18th and 19th centuries, the term "fancy" typically refers to a whimsical or ornamental piece of music, often composed for entertainment or dedicated to a particular person. A "Ladies' Fancy" can refer to a specific tune or sequence designed to delight or highlight the grace and elegance of the female dancers. So, while "Ladies' Fancy" has a polite and formal association with 18th- or 19th-century social traditions, "Fancy Ladies" could carry a less formal, potentially playful or even risque connotation! Mind your modifiers, gentlemen! This jig which has evidence of dating to at least the 1880's allows a gentleman to escort two perfectly respectable ladies up and down the set! ❤️ 😉 🎶 💃 🕺 💃 🎻
Ladies' Fancy
Apart from its usage in tunes and dances, the word fancy is quite fancied in terms of expressions:
Take a fancy to (something/someone) - To develop a liking or attraction for something or someone.
Example: "He’s taken quite a fancy to those vintage cars."
Fancy that! - An expression of surprise or disbelief.
Example: "You met the Queen? Fancy that!"
Tickle someone's fancy - To appeal to someone or catch their interest.
Example: "The new restaurant really tickled her fancy."
Whatever takes your fancy - Do whatever you feel like or choose whatever you prefer.
Example: "Pick any dessert that takes your fancy."
Feel fancy - To feel sophisticated, elegant, or dressed up.
Example: "She put on her heels and makeup, saying, ‘I feel so fancy tonight!’"
Fancy yourself (as something) - To think of oneself as particularly good at something or in a certain role.
Example: "He fancies himself as a bit of a chef."
Fancy meeting you here! - Used to express surprise when seeing someone in an unexpected place.
Example: "Fancy meeting you at this obscure café!"
What’s your fancy? - A way to ask someone what they desire or prefer.
Example: "There’s a variety of teas—what’s your fancy?"
A passing fancy - Something liked or enjoyed for a short period.
Example: "His interest in painting turned out to be just a passing fancy."
Fancy-free - Carefree or without commitments or responsibilities.
Example: "She decided to stay single for a while and remain fancy-free."
For the full text of Keat's "Fancy" poem, click the poet's pothumous portrait by William Hilton, 1822.
Click the dance cribs or description below to link to a printable version of the dance!
