There are people who love Scottish country dancing but have a problem with following the instructions set out in crib sheets. If you are one of those people, then this page is for you. You will learn from scratch how to understand cribs, and take on board various tips and pointers for memorising new dances. Just read down from the beginning, leave when you've had enough, and return to this page when you're ready for more.
For a closer look at many different dance instructions, you can go to our Archive page. It contains links not only to written instructions such as you see here, but also videos of most of those dances, either in the form of a lesson or as a live recording of the dance at a social event.
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For a closer look at many different dance instructions, you can go to our Archive page. It contains links not only to written instructions such as you see here, but also videos of most of those dances, either in the form of a lesson or as a live recording of the dance at a social event.
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THE SILVER THISTLE (R8x32) 3C (4C Set) R Dyson RSCDS Bk 44
Bars 1-8: 1s set advg, turn about (1M to left, 1W to right) to face own side, turn 2s with nearer hand to end in 2nd pl, 1s repeat with 3s to end in 3rd pl
Bars 9-16: 1s dance ½ Fig of 8 round 3s, dance up to top and cast to 2nd place opposite sides
Bars 17-24: 1s dance ½ reels of 3 across (1W with 2s and 1M with 3s) into ½ reel of 3 on own sides
Bars 25-32: 1s+2s dance RH across, 1s turn LH while 2s+3s chase clockwise ½ way.
Bars 1-8: 1s set advg, turn about (1M to left, 1W to right) to face own side, turn 2s with nearer hand to end in 2nd pl, 1s repeat with 3s to end in 3rd pl
Bars 9-16: 1s dance ½ Fig of 8 round 3s, dance up to top and cast to 2nd place opposite sides
Bars 17-24: 1s dance ½ reels of 3 across (1W with 2s and 1M with 3s) into ½ reel of 3 on own sides
Bars 25-32: 1s+2s dance RH across, 1s turn LH while 2s+3s chase clockwise ½ way.
In SCD there are three types of rhythm: reel time, jig time and strathspey time. Quick dances are either reels or jigs, while slower dances are strathspeys.
Thanks to colour-coding, the instructions of The Silver Thistle are colour-coded red, because the dance is a reel. Jigs will be green and strathspeys purple.
This reel, The Silver Thistle, is danced in a set of 4 couples standing facing their partners longwise. The first or top couple is always the couple standing closest to the music, and the three next couples progressively farther away from it. Everyone knows exactly where to stand after the first class.
Although the set has 4 couples in it, only three couples dance at any one time. The other couple just stand still.
So to begin, couples 1, 2 and 3 dance together once through the whole 32-bar sequence, then couple 1 repeats the whole sequence with couples 3 and 4, and slips to the end. Couple 2 is now at the top and dances twice through in the same way. The dance finishes when all 4 couples have danced through the 32 bars twice.
If you look at the instructions, you will see that they are given in four lines. This is because the dance is divided into four parts, each of equal length, i.e. 8 bars of music.
It is useful to divide the dance in this way in your mind, for it acts as a memory aid. The instructions are not usually called out as in American square dancing, and an active memory will soon develop as you continue with the classes.
It is possible to write down the instructions for any dance. Many of the moves and formations are described in shorthand terms to save space, e.g. poussette, allemande, the spoke or the hello-goodbye setting. Just as a knitting pattern allows a stylish jumper to be knitted over and over again, or a recipe a special dish, at any time in the future, anywhere, so dances can be repeatedly performed simply by reading and understanding the basic instructions.
Suffice it to say for now that The Silver Thistle instructions are clear and straightforward, with formations that are commonly found in many other dances.
One final thought for you. New dances, like new tartans, are being created all the time. It seems that the number of combinations of steps and formations is infinite. But don’t be put off by this: some dances may be considered boring, others too complicated and maybe even dangerous! We tend to learn and dance only those that have become favourites, just a few hundred or so.
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A TRIP TO ABERDEEN (J8x32) 3C (4C set) Rutherford RSCDS Bk 17
Bars 1-8: 1M casts 1 place and turns 3W left hand, 1W casts 1 place and turns 3M right hand, 1s end 2nd place opposite sides
Bars 9-16: 2s+1s+3s circle 6 hands round and back (1s end facing 1st corners)
Bars 17-24: 1s set and turn 1st corners, set and turn 2nd corners (1s end between corners)
Bars 25-32: 2s+1s+3s Adv+Ret, 1s turn right hand 1½ times.
This dance has similar features of positioning and progression as The Silver Thistle. However, the formations are not the same, and the music is in jig time as opposed to reel time. Both are fast, the difference being more important to the musician than the dancers.
If we look at the first 8 bars of music, we read:
The first man casts one place and turns the third woman with the left hand, then the first woman casts one place and turns the third man with the right hand; the firsts end in second place on opposite sides.
The term cast means to dance down or up OUTSIDE a longwise set, usually one place but sometimes more than one. Sometimes the terms cast down or cast up are used. In this dance it is a simple way of changing places with the 2s, because while 1s cast into 2nd place, 2s step up into the place vacated by the 1s. The casting is usually performed by an individual dancer, so that when the instruction applies to a couple, e.g. 1s cast, this means that the 1st man and 1st woman cast individually on their own sides. Two bars of music are usually allocated in a jig or reel when the extent of the casting is one place.
Returning to the dance instructions, bars 9 to 16 read:
Seconds, firsts and thirds circle six hands round and back (firsts end facing their first corners).
In other words, the six dancers join hands and circle first clockwise for four bars, and then anticlockwise for 4 bars. The dancing couple (who are the firsts - on opposite sides) then turn round slightly to their left to face their first corners, i.e. the first man faces the third woman, and the first woman faces the second man.
There are four corner positions in a longwise set, and these will be shown to you in the classes.
We are now half-way through this jig, and already the dancing couple have each turned or circled three times, twice in bars 1 to 8 and once round and back in bars 9 to 16. They will turn another three times (+ a half turn) in the second half of the dance.
What has all this got to do with a trip to Aberdeen, you may ask. Roundabouts, if driving? Getting lost, if on foot? Aberdeen is a busy place, and the dancing couple find themselves on the opposite side of the set, most uncomfortable! A trip to somewhere usually implies going there and coming back. It seems to me that by bar 25 the dancing couple are tired of Aberdeen. They seek comfort from their fellow dancers to the left and to the right by joining hands to avoid getting lost, step forward and back, and then, having noticed a familiar face, grasp and turn their partner 1½ times, glad to get home to their own sides.
Use your imagination to make the formations fit the title of the dance, and you will remember them more easily.
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OLD NICK'S LUMBER ROOM (J8x32) 3C (4C set) RSCDS Bk 26
1- 8: 1s turn RH and cast 1 place, lead down between the 3s, cross and cast up to 2nd place on opposite sides
9-16: 2s+1s+3s set and dance reels of 3 across, 1W with 2s, 1M with 3s
17-24: 2s+1s+3s dance reels of 3 on sides, 1s cross RH and holding nearer hands face up
25-32: 2s+1s circle 4H round to left, 1s turn about and 1s+3s circle 4H round to right.
If we look at the first 8 bars of music, we read:
The first couple turn by the right hand and cast one place. Then they lead down between the 3rd couple, cross and cast up to 2nd place on opposite sides.
We already know about casting, and here we have both casting down and casting up. Let’s take a quick look at turning by the right hand. As the dancers move towards each other they raise right arms and hold each other’s hands in a hand-shake hold. As the turn takes only 2 bars, it must be done quickly. This means that the steps should be long, the arms bent at the elbow and close to the body in order to give support, and both dancers should look at each other in the eye (known as "connecting" rather than "flirting") until they release hands and continue to cast.
To lead down the middle means to hold right hands while moving down. Leading is often followed (as in this case) by crossing over. If the instructions are to “dance down”, this means holding nearer hands, and is often followed by the dancers casting up on their own sides.
Returning to the dance instructions, bars 9 to 16 read:
Seconds, firsts and thirds set and dance reels of three across, the first woman with seconds, and the first man with thirds.
In other words, all six dancers dance two pas-de-basque steps facing each other (i.e. they set once), then perform a reel across the dance in 6 bars. The woman veers up to dance between the seconds, while the man veers down to dance between the thirds. At the end of this phase, all end back where they started from.
Bars 17 to 24 are for a reel of three on the sides, and as the dancing couple are still on opposite sides, they will dance the reel there, six bars only as the last two bars are set aside for the couple to cross by the right hand and face up holding nearer hands. For this to happen, the woman needs to do a quick polite turn to stand shoulder to shoulder next to her partner.
Finally, in bars 25 to 32, firsts and seconds circle holding hands round to the left, firsts turn about and with the thirds circle holding hands round to the right. They end by curving into second place (not stepping backwards), ready to start again.
A lumber room is a storeroom in a house where odds and ends can be stored (especially furniture). Old Nick is another name for the devil. What does a person do in a lumber room? Have a good look around, of course, and the movements of this dance reflect that. There is turning, casting, crossing, casting, reels across and on the sides, circling to the left and circling to the right, all done in quick jig time.
This looking around brings us to another important aspect of a dance. It is known as “covering”, and means being aware of the other dancers’ positions as you and they move through the dance. It isn’t mentioned in any instructions, as instructions deal mainly with the geography of a dance, but covering is every bit as important as footwork, hand holds, arm shape, eye contact and posture, also omitted from instructions. Please keep covering in mind while dancing Old Nick's Lumber Room and any other dance from now on.
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Thanks to colour-coding, the instructions of The Silver Thistle are colour-coded red, because the dance is a reel. Jigs will be green and strathspeys purple.
This reel, The Silver Thistle, is danced in a set of 4 couples standing facing their partners longwise. The first or top couple is always the couple standing closest to the music, and the three next couples progressively farther away from it. Everyone knows exactly where to stand after the first class.
Although the set has 4 couples in it, only three couples dance at any one time. The other couple just stand still.
So to begin, couples 1, 2 and 3 dance together once through the whole 32-bar sequence, then couple 1 repeats the whole sequence with couples 3 and 4, and slips to the end. Couple 2 is now at the top and dances twice through in the same way. The dance finishes when all 4 couples have danced through the 32 bars twice.
If you look at the instructions, you will see that they are given in four lines. This is because the dance is divided into four parts, each of equal length, i.e. 8 bars of music.
It is useful to divide the dance in this way in your mind, for it acts as a memory aid. The instructions are not usually called out as in American square dancing, and an active memory will soon develop as you continue with the classes.
It is possible to write down the instructions for any dance. Many of the moves and formations are described in shorthand terms to save space, e.g. poussette, allemande, the spoke or the hello-goodbye setting. Just as a knitting pattern allows a stylish jumper to be knitted over and over again, or a recipe a special dish, at any time in the future, anywhere, so dances can be repeatedly performed simply by reading and understanding the basic instructions.
Suffice it to say for now that The Silver Thistle instructions are clear and straightforward, with formations that are commonly found in many other dances.
One final thought for you. New dances, like new tartans, are being created all the time. It seems that the number of combinations of steps and formations is infinite. But don’t be put off by this: some dances may be considered boring, others too complicated and maybe even dangerous! We tend to learn and dance only those that have become favourites, just a few hundred or so.
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A TRIP TO ABERDEEN (J8x32) 3C (4C set) Rutherford RSCDS Bk 17
Bars 1-8: 1M casts 1 place and turns 3W left hand, 1W casts 1 place and turns 3M right hand, 1s end 2nd place opposite sides
Bars 9-16: 2s+1s+3s circle 6 hands round and back (1s end facing 1st corners)
Bars 17-24: 1s set and turn 1st corners, set and turn 2nd corners (1s end between corners)
Bars 25-32: 2s+1s+3s Adv+Ret, 1s turn right hand 1½ times.
This dance has similar features of positioning and progression as The Silver Thistle. However, the formations are not the same, and the music is in jig time as opposed to reel time. Both are fast, the difference being more important to the musician than the dancers.
If we look at the first 8 bars of music, we read:
The first man casts one place and turns the third woman with the left hand, then the first woman casts one place and turns the third man with the right hand; the firsts end in second place on opposite sides.
The term cast means to dance down or up OUTSIDE a longwise set, usually one place but sometimes more than one. Sometimes the terms cast down or cast up are used. In this dance it is a simple way of changing places with the 2s, because while 1s cast into 2nd place, 2s step up into the place vacated by the 1s. The casting is usually performed by an individual dancer, so that when the instruction applies to a couple, e.g. 1s cast, this means that the 1st man and 1st woman cast individually on their own sides. Two bars of music are usually allocated in a jig or reel when the extent of the casting is one place.
Returning to the dance instructions, bars 9 to 16 read:
Seconds, firsts and thirds circle six hands round and back (firsts end facing their first corners).
In other words, the six dancers join hands and circle first clockwise for four bars, and then anticlockwise for 4 bars. The dancing couple (who are the firsts - on opposite sides) then turn round slightly to their left to face their first corners, i.e. the first man faces the third woman, and the first woman faces the second man.
There are four corner positions in a longwise set, and these will be shown to you in the classes.
We are now half-way through this jig, and already the dancing couple have each turned or circled three times, twice in bars 1 to 8 and once round and back in bars 9 to 16. They will turn another three times (+ a half turn) in the second half of the dance.
What has all this got to do with a trip to Aberdeen, you may ask. Roundabouts, if driving? Getting lost, if on foot? Aberdeen is a busy place, and the dancing couple find themselves on the opposite side of the set, most uncomfortable! A trip to somewhere usually implies going there and coming back. It seems to me that by bar 25 the dancing couple are tired of Aberdeen. They seek comfort from their fellow dancers to the left and to the right by joining hands to avoid getting lost, step forward and back, and then, having noticed a familiar face, grasp and turn their partner 1½ times, glad to get home to their own sides.
Use your imagination to make the formations fit the title of the dance, and you will remember them more easily.
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OLD NICK'S LUMBER ROOM (J8x32) 3C (4C set) RSCDS Bk 26
1- 8: 1s turn RH and cast 1 place, lead down between the 3s, cross and cast up to 2nd place on opposite sides
9-16: 2s+1s+3s set and dance reels of 3 across, 1W with 2s, 1M with 3s
17-24: 2s+1s+3s dance reels of 3 on sides, 1s cross RH and holding nearer hands face up
25-32: 2s+1s circle 4H round to left, 1s turn about and 1s+3s circle 4H round to right.
If we look at the first 8 bars of music, we read:
The first couple turn by the right hand and cast one place. Then they lead down between the 3rd couple, cross and cast up to 2nd place on opposite sides.
We already know about casting, and here we have both casting down and casting up. Let’s take a quick look at turning by the right hand. As the dancers move towards each other they raise right arms and hold each other’s hands in a hand-shake hold. As the turn takes only 2 bars, it must be done quickly. This means that the steps should be long, the arms bent at the elbow and close to the body in order to give support, and both dancers should look at each other in the eye (known as "connecting" rather than "flirting") until they release hands and continue to cast.
To lead down the middle means to hold right hands while moving down. Leading is often followed (as in this case) by crossing over. If the instructions are to “dance down”, this means holding nearer hands, and is often followed by the dancers casting up on their own sides.
Returning to the dance instructions, bars 9 to 16 read:
Seconds, firsts and thirds set and dance reels of three across, the first woman with seconds, and the first man with thirds.
In other words, all six dancers dance two pas-de-basque steps facing each other (i.e. they set once), then perform a reel across the dance in 6 bars. The woman veers up to dance between the seconds, while the man veers down to dance between the thirds. At the end of this phase, all end back where they started from.
Bars 17 to 24 are for a reel of three on the sides, and as the dancing couple are still on opposite sides, they will dance the reel there, six bars only as the last two bars are set aside for the couple to cross by the right hand and face up holding nearer hands. For this to happen, the woman needs to do a quick polite turn to stand shoulder to shoulder next to her partner.
Finally, in bars 25 to 32, firsts and seconds circle holding hands round to the left, firsts turn about and with the thirds circle holding hands round to the right. They end by curving into second place (not stepping backwards), ready to start again.
A lumber room is a storeroom in a house where odds and ends can be stored (especially furniture). Old Nick is another name for the devil. What does a person do in a lumber room? Have a good look around, of course, and the movements of this dance reflect that. There is turning, casting, crossing, casting, reels across and on the sides, circling to the left and circling to the right, all done in quick jig time.
This looking around brings us to another important aspect of a dance. It is known as “covering”, and means being aware of the other dancers’ positions as you and they move through the dance. It isn’t mentioned in any instructions, as instructions deal mainly with the geography of a dance, but covering is every bit as important as footwork, hand holds, arm shape, eye contact and posture, also omitted from instructions. Please keep covering in mind while dancing Old Nick's Lumber Room and any other dance from now on.
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A Scottish country dance will typically consist of equal numbers of strathspeys, jigs and reels. The strathspey step is a slower and more stately version of the skip-change step used for jigs and reels. The dance is named after the Strathspey region of Scotland, in Moray and Badenoch and Strathspey. When dancing to strathspey music, we use a "strathspey travelling step" for moving forward or back or to the side. When dancing on the spot it is the “strathspey setting step". There are only two steps for strathspey and they both alternate right foot and left foot.
NEIDPATH CASTLE (S3x32) 3C set Derek Haynes RSCDS Book 22
1- 8 All set and turn partners 2H twice and set again
9-16 All dance Grand Chain
17-24 1s dance down between 2s, cast behind 3s, dance up between 3s, cast up behind 2s. 1s+2s end ready for a ½ Diamond Poussette
25-32 1s+2s dance ½ Diamond Poussette, 3s dance in on bar 28 and 1s+3s dance ½ Diamond Poussette 1s ending in 3rd place. 231
1- 8 All set and turn partners 2H twice and set again
9-16 All dance Grand Chain
17-24 1s dance down between 2s, cast behind 3s, dance up between 3s, cast up behind 2s. 1s+2s end ready for a ½ Diamond Poussette
25-32 1s+2s dance ½ Diamond Poussette, 3s dance in on bar 28 and 1s+3s dance ½ Diamond Poussette 1s ending in 3rd place. 231
If we look at the first 8 bars of music, we read: All set and turn partners 2H twice and set again.
This is an elegant dance. It’s a strathspey, and while the steps are slower than those of a reel or jig, they are performed in a very deliberate way, which means that the dancer needs to have good balance and good muscle control. Sometimes a strathspey can be quite tiring, and a reel or jig to follow allows dancers to relax and slacken those well-worked muscles.
The setting in bars 1 - 2 and 7 - 8 is done in the strathspey way, with dancers holding hands, using the strathspey setting step.
The turns of bars 3 - 6 are quite quick; the hold should be open, with hands at shoulder height, and the dancers need to cover one another, just to ensure that they’re dancing in a line and all turning at the same time.
Bars 9 -16 are given over to a Grand Chain. The 1st couple crosses across the top to start, while the 2nd and 3rd couples start facing each other. They dance right hand, left hand, right hand for the first half of the chain, which uses up 4 bars of music. On the 5th bar, they continue with left hand, right hand, left hand and end up back where they started. The movement is smooth throughout and can involve holding on to the third hand a little longer, until bar 4 is complete.
Bars 17 - 24 are straightforward with the 1st couple dancing down the set, weaving through the 2nd and 3rd couples and returning in a similar fashion. They hold hands when they can.
Bars 25 – 32 describe the way in which the 1st couple, who have started at the top of the set, end the dance at the bottom, allowing a new 1st couple to repeat the next 32 bars.
What happens is that the 1st couple dance two ½ Diamond Poussettes, the first ½ poussette with the 2nd couple and the second ½ poussette with the 3rd couple. Let’s run through the process.
Both couples start on bar 25 with a setting step, 1s setting to 1M's left, and 2s setting to 2L's left. Facing each other holding hands, they set again on bar 26 and finish on the centre line, 2s above 1s.
On bar 27, 1s turn 5/6th, and finish by having almost exchanged places compared to the end of bar 24. Then on bar 28, 2s complete their half poussette by retiring to finish in 1st place. (This is the progression, i.e. the move that allows the entire dance to be repeated)
At the same time, also on bar 28, the 3rd couple move into action, dance in (3L using a left foot step) and take both hands. 1s meanwhile modify the last step of their half poussette to finish with the 1L back-to-back with 3M on a diagonal line.
Bars 29-32 are the same as 25-28, i.e. another ½ Diamond Poussette, this time 1s with 3s, and both couples finish on the sidelines.
As with the dances described above, by using our imagination to make the formations fit the title of the dance, we will remember them more easily. Neidpath is a rare example of a fortified tower house, and amazingly preserved. Unlike other medieval strongholds, the castle has survived through the centuries and even endured times of neglect. The structure has been successfully maintained and improved to this day.
To consider how this dance was devised to represent Neidpath Castle, let’s divide the instructions into four separate parts of 8 bars and visualise the castle in four different ways:
1. Setting in two straight lines and turning in middle - this depicts a fortified tower house of several storeys.
2. Grand chain - this emphasises the castle’s unbroken enclosed space.
3. Weaving down and back up - this represents the strong, fortified walls.
4. Two half poussettes - this relates to the active life within the castle.
And the measured strathspey rhythm (rather than a jig or reel) does much to reflect the stately atmosphere of Neidpath Castle, don’t you think?
The purpose of this page has been to help you follow the crib sheets that accompany social dances. But there is an additional aid available to you in the form of YouTube videos. They are generally much easier to follow than written instructions which tend in time to become simply reminders that you can carry around with you.
Here is the YouTube video of this dance. And here is a link to the castle itself.
* * *
This is an elegant dance. It’s a strathspey, and while the steps are slower than those of a reel or jig, they are performed in a very deliberate way, which means that the dancer needs to have good balance and good muscle control. Sometimes a strathspey can be quite tiring, and a reel or jig to follow allows dancers to relax and slacken those well-worked muscles.
The setting in bars 1 - 2 and 7 - 8 is done in the strathspey way, with dancers holding hands, using the strathspey setting step.
The turns of bars 3 - 6 are quite quick; the hold should be open, with hands at shoulder height, and the dancers need to cover one another, just to ensure that they’re dancing in a line and all turning at the same time.
Bars 9 -16 are given over to a Grand Chain. The 1st couple crosses across the top to start, while the 2nd and 3rd couples start facing each other. They dance right hand, left hand, right hand for the first half of the chain, which uses up 4 bars of music. On the 5th bar, they continue with left hand, right hand, left hand and end up back where they started. The movement is smooth throughout and can involve holding on to the third hand a little longer, until bar 4 is complete.
Bars 17 - 24 are straightforward with the 1st couple dancing down the set, weaving through the 2nd and 3rd couples and returning in a similar fashion. They hold hands when they can.
Bars 25 – 32 describe the way in which the 1st couple, who have started at the top of the set, end the dance at the bottom, allowing a new 1st couple to repeat the next 32 bars.
What happens is that the 1st couple dance two ½ Diamond Poussettes, the first ½ poussette with the 2nd couple and the second ½ poussette with the 3rd couple. Let’s run through the process.
Both couples start on bar 25 with a setting step, 1s setting to 1M's left, and 2s setting to 2L's left. Facing each other holding hands, they set again on bar 26 and finish on the centre line, 2s above 1s.
On bar 27, 1s turn 5/6th, and finish by having almost exchanged places compared to the end of bar 24. Then on bar 28, 2s complete their half poussette by retiring to finish in 1st place. (This is the progression, i.e. the move that allows the entire dance to be repeated)
At the same time, also on bar 28, the 3rd couple move into action, dance in (3L using a left foot step) and take both hands. 1s meanwhile modify the last step of their half poussette to finish with the 1L back-to-back with 3M on a diagonal line.
Bars 29-32 are the same as 25-28, i.e. another ½ Diamond Poussette, this time 1s with 3s, and both couples finish on the sidelines.
As with the dances described above, by using our imagination to make the formations fit the title of the dance, we will remember them more easily. Neidpath is a rare example of a fortified tower house, and amazingly preserved. Unlike other medieval strongholds, the castle has survived through the centuries and even endured times of neglect. The structure has been successfully maintained and improved to this day.
To consider how this dance was devised to represent Neidpath Castle, let’s divide the instructions into four separate parts of 8 bars and visualise the castle in four different ways:
1. Setting in two straight lines and turning in middle - this depicts a fortified tower house of several storeys.
2. Grand chain - this emphasises the castle’s unbroken enclosed space.
3. Weaving down and back up - this represents the strong, fortified walls.
4. Two half poussettes - this relates to the active life within the castle.
And the measured strathspey rhythm (rather than a jig or reel) does much to reflect the stately atmosphere of Neidpath Castle, don’t you think?
The purpose of this page has been to help you follow the crib sheets that accompany social dances. But there is an additional aid available to you in the form of YouTube videos. They are generally much easier to follow than written instructions which tend in time to become simply reminders that you can carry around with you.
Here is the YouTube video of this dance. And here is a link to the castle itself.
* * *