Scottish Country Dancing Dictionary

The Ambulance Drivers' Choreography

Scottish Country Dance Instruction

The Ambulance Drivers' Choreography (R8x32) Anne Dejean
32-bar reel for three couples in a four-couple longwise set

1 - 8 1st couple cast off, dance down behind own lines, turn away from partner and dance up to original places.
9 - 16 1st, 2nd and 3rd couples dance mirror reels of three on own sides, 1st couple dancing in and down to begin.
17 - 24 1st couple, dancing in to begin, turn 2nd couple halfway (1st man giving right hand to 2nd man and 1st woman giving left hand to 2nd woman), then balance in line with 2nd and 3rd couples, then, releasing 2nd couple hands and dancing out to begin, turn 3rd couple halfway, and again balance in line with other couples.
25 - 28 1st couple dance up to top and cast off one place, while 3rd couple turn around on the spot with two pas de basque, 3rd man pulling left shoulder, 3rd woman pulling right shoulder (mirror movement), and step down.
29 - 32 All, giving left hands, turn partners once round.

Repeat, having passed a couple.

(Dance crib compiled by the deviser Anne Dejean July 2021)


Keith Rose's Crib Diagrams


Dance Instruction Videos

The Ambulance Drivers' Choreography - Scottish Country Dancing Instruction Video

Dance Information

During the months I was ill, I was driven by ambulance quite a few times. Once I was struck by the well-coordinated, accurate and mirroring movements of the ambulance drivers as they pushed the stretcher I was lying on into the ambulance and secured it.

I found it interesting and beautiful and this title occurred to me.

Then I wanted to devise a dance containing only mirror movements to refer to this particular moment.

(Dance information with the kind permission of the deviser, Anne Dejean)


Published in The Ambulance Drivers' Choreography, reproduced here with the kind permission of the deviser, Anne Dejean.
Published in The Remission Book collection, reproduced here with the kind permission of the deviser, Anne Dejean.

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