The Capercaillie

Scottish Country Dance Instruction

THE CAPERCAILLIE 1 (J4x32) 4C set 3s and 4s on opp sides B Priddey Capercaillie Bk

1- 8 1s and 4s set and cast 1 place, turn LH 1½ times to end facing Ladies corner (1M behind partner facing 2M and 4M behind 4Lfacing 3M)
9-16 1s and 4s dance Alternating Tandem LSh ½ reel of 4 with 2M+3M and Alternating Tandem LSh ½ reel with other corners
17-24 1s and 4s repeat ½ reels with 3rd and 4th corners and end in 2nd/3rd places opp sides
25-32 1s and 4s ½ turn partners RH into RH across ½ way, 2s+4s also 1s+3s LH across once round. 2413

(MINICRIB, Dance crib compiled by Charles Upton. Deeside Caledonian Society.)

CAPERCAILLIE 2 (R5x32) 5C set S Burrage Ness House 2

1- 8 2s dance up between 1s and cast to 2nd place in centre facing down with nearer hands joined while 4s dance down between 5s and cast up to 4th place in the centre facing up with nearer hands joined, 2s+3s+4s 6H round (3s end on sides with 2s and 4s facing up/down)
9-16 2s+4s advance, turning to face ends dance up/down between end couples and turn them with nearer hand back to original places
17-24 2s Fig of 8 round 1s while 4s Fig of 8 round 5s to end with 2s and 4s facing 1s and 3s
25-32 1s+2s also 3s+4s set and ½ turn 2H ending with 1s and 3s facing 4s and 5s, 1s+4s also 3s+5s set and ½ turn 2H to end 24153

(MINICRIB, Dance crib compiled by Charles Upton. Deeside Caledonian Society.)

Dance Information

The Capercaillie is the national bird of Scotland.

Also known as the Wood Grouse or Heather Cock, The Capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus) is the largest of the grouse family and was exterminated in Scotland between 1770-1785. It was reintroduced during the nineteenth century but it is still at great risk.

In Scotland, the population has declined greatly since the 1960s because of deer fencing, predation and lack of suitable habitat (Caledonian Forest). The population plummeted from a high of 10,000 pairs in the 1960s to less than 1000 birds in 1999. It was even named as the bird most likely to become extinct in the UK by 2015. However, due to the hard work of the RSPB and other organisations it may now be making a modest recovery.

Also spelt Capercailzie, this species' name is derived from the Gaelic capull coille, meaning "horse of the woods". Understandably so, as males can weigh in at 7.2 kg. (15 lbs), up to 1.2 m (46 inches) in length with a similar wingspan.

Capercaillie Singing And Dancing - Video On YouTube

Capercaillie

Dance Information licensed under this Creative Commons Licence.
Text from this original Capercaillie article on Wikipedia.
Image Copyright Richard Bartz.

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