Dos-à-dos In Scottish Country Dancing

The dance term Dos-à-dos is usually pronounced in the anglicized form, "dozey-doe". It is similar to Advance and retire except that the two dancers pass each other, Giving right shoulders, pass back to back (whence the French name for the Figure) and Give left shoulders as they Dance backwards to where they started from.

When two or more pairs of dancers perform the Figure, they do not Take hands in line as they Dance forwards and backwards.

In Scottish Country Dancing four bars are normally allocated for this Figure.

For example, here are some Scottish Country Dances in which the term, Dos-à-dos, is used in either the Minicrib or the Maxicrib Dance instructions or both -
Baldooser
Callanish
Candle For Mary
Circle Of Cheer.
Clachan
Ellwyn's Fairy Glen.
Glentruim
Grant's Reel
Laird O' Thrums
Miss Nancy Arnott
Mr William Brown's Reel
Off To Speyside
Piper Of Dundee
Scottish Castle
Steppe Dance For Olga

Figures

Travelling

Advance
Advance and Retire
Dos-à-dos
Lead
Lead Down
Lead Down And Up
Lead Out Of The Side
Lead Out Of The Side, Crossing
Lead Up
Pass
Petronella Turn With Skip Change
Promenade Round
Retire
Slip Down
Slip Down And Up
Slip Up

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