An Cailin Dhu
Scottish Country Dance Instruction
An Cailin Dhu (S4x32) 32 bar strathspey for four couples in a square set, Eddy West, 19911- 4 Face partners and set, then dance a petronella turn to finish with the ladies back to back in the middle, the men facing them.
5-12 Dance double reels of four, giving left hands across in passing in the middle, eight bars.
13-16 Give right hands to partners and turn to original places facing in.
17-20 Set and link with partners.
21-24 Set and link with corners, men do not curl round but remain facing anti-clockwise round the set.
25-28 First and third couples together, second and fourth couples together dance half ladies chains, ladies give right hands across in passing.
29-32 Pass partner left shoulder, next person right shoulder etc. to meet partner again on the opposite side (do not give hands).
Finish in 4,1,2,3 order, facing partners ready to start again
(Dance crib compiled by the deviser, Eddy West 1991)
Dance Information
This dance was devised for Gillian Taylor.Suggested music: The Dundee Whaler, Andrew Rankine on Selected Scottish Country Dances Vol 1.
(Dance information by the deviser, Eddy West)
"An Cailín Dubh" is an Irish Gaelic phrase that means "The Black-haired Girl" or "The Dark-haired Girl" in English.
"An" means "The".
"Cailín" means "Girl".
"Dubh" (pronounced "doo") means "Black" or "Dark".
In Scottish Gaelic, it would be "An Caileag Dhubh", though the Irish phrase is more commonly known.
An Cailín Dubh - Black Haired Girl
Published in (https://eddywest.nz), An Cailin Dhu, Friends And Family, reproduced here with the kind permission of the deviser, Eddy West.
Image copyright Ilovechisato, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
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