Scottish Country Dancing Dictionary

The Outer Circle

Scottish Country Dance Instruction

THE OUTER CIRCLE (R8x48) 3C (4C set) Kenneth Reid Birmingham Diamond Jubillee Book

1- 8 1s cross RH and cast 1 place, dance ½ Figs of 8 (1M round 2s and 1L round 3s) and end facing 1st corners
9-16 1s+1st corners dance diagonal Chain:
 9-10 1s ½ turn 1st corners RH
 11-14 1s chase clockwise ½ way round outside of set while 1st corner persons turn LH 1½ times
 15-16 1s ½ turn original 1st corner persons RH to face them
17-24 1s dance reels of 3 on own sides (RSh to 3rd corner position) and end facing 2nd corners
25-32 1s+2nd corners dance diagonal Chain to end facing 4th corner (position)
33-40 1s dance reels of 3 across (1L with 3s at top and 1M with 2s giving RSh to 4th corner position) and end looping round to face 1st corners (position)
41-48 1s dance ½ diagonal reel of 4 with 1st corners, pass LSh and dance ½ reel with 2nd corners with 1s end passing RSh to 2nd place own side

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


Keith Rose's Crib Diagrams


Dance Instruction Videos

The Outer Circle - Scottish Country Dancing Instruction Video

Dance Information

Since this dance appears in the Birmingham Diamond Jubillee Book there is a good chance that the title of the dance references The West Midlands Bus Route 11, also recognized as the Birmingham Outer Circle.

The Birmingham Outer Circle is a 27-mile (43 km) circuit around Birmingham, primarily following the A4040 with a minor detour through the B4182 and A4030 in Bearwood. National Express West Midlands operates this route (2023). Originally, it functioned in both clockwise and anti-clockwise directions, identified as routes 11C and 11A. However, a change in operation occurred in July 2021, resulting in the division of the service.

Buses on the 11A route now terminate at Perry Barr, returning as an 11C to Acocks Green. Simultaneously, 11C buses terminate at Erdington and return as an 11A service to Acocks Green.

A full circuit can take up to three hours to complete, with the service carrying 50,000 passengers each day. There are 266 bus stops on the route. The route serves 233 schools, colleges or universities, 69 leisure and community facilities, 40 pubs, 19 retail centres, six hospitals, and one prison. It also links some 15 commercial centres, and passes Cadbury's in Bournville, one of the world's largest chocolate factories.


Birmingham Outer Circle Bus - The West Midlands Bus Route 11


Dance information licensed under this Creative Commons Licence 3.0.
Text from this original West Midlands Bus Route 11 article on Wikipedia.
Image copyright Claydermanliang, Creative Commons Licence 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

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