These dances, and their music, were taken up in France where somewhat more balletic Footwork was introduced for court dancing and where the form was called "Contredanse", to identify the Longwise set formations (which start with the Men and the Ladies in lines Down the room, all Facing their Partners) of the original British style, though this term may also have been a French corruption of the original English "Country Dance". "The Auld Alliance" between Scotland and France influenced the local Scottish forms and, from this blend, Scottish Country Dancing and also Highland and Ladies' Step Dancing developed in a distinctive way while English Country Dancing retained more of the original form.
In the latter part of the 19th and early 20th centuries, as the Waltz and other Ballroom and Sequence Dancing became popular, Scottish Country Dancing fell from favour; it was rescued by Dr Jean Milligan and Mrs Ysobel Stewart, the joint founder members in 1923 of what eventually became the Royal Scottish Country Dance Society.
The RSCDS researched old dance publications, published authoritative dance descriptions and undertook to train teachers; later, it helped members to set up RSCDS Branches and accepted independent Scottish Country Dance clubs as affiliated societies. Subsequently, many devisers have published new dances, sometimes on their own account and sometimes under the aegis of the RSCDS, using the more basic Figures of the old répertoire together with newly devised Figures. This development and innovation has invigorated what might otherwise have become an art form frozen in time, though the added complexity and continuous development do present problems to someone trying to present a systematic description of the subject.
Jean Milligan always emphasized in her publications that Scottish Country Dancing should be a pleasurable social activity. Of course, as a promoter of the dancing and as one of the principal compilers of many dances which had almost been lost for ever, she had to concentrate on accuracy and discipline; even so, she expressed the importance of precision in terms of helpfulness to the other dancers and enhanced personal enjoyment rather than condemnation of any imperfection.
Nowadays, most dancers are inclined to be a little less disciplined, for example, making two or more Quick turns where a single, Slow turn is prescribed. Indeed, some dances are now taught in the way that they have become most commonly performed rather than according to the formal prescription. This element of licence is wholly acceptable provided it does not in any way distract any other dancer in the same Set, especially a Beginner, and provided the teacher does at least describe the formal prescription. Regrettably, some fundamentalists have forgotten their mentor's words; they take great exception to even the most minor licence and so one is advised, at an unfamiliar venue, to start by being a little circumspect.