Scottish Country Dancing Dictionary

Anne's Dancing Duster

Scottish Country Dance Instruction

Anne's Dancing Duster (R4x32) 4C set Lewis N Derrick 1986

1-4 The 1st and 3rd women turn the 2nd and 4th men once round by the right hand while the 1st and 3rd men and 2nd and 4th women cast (men down, women up) one place on own sides and cross to opposite sides
5-8 The 1st and 3rd men turn the 2nd and 4th women once round by the left hand while the 1st and 3rd women and 2nd and 4th men cast (men up, women down) one place on own sides and cross to opposite sides
9-12 The 1st woman turns the 4th man once round by the left hand while the 1st man and 4th woman cast (man down, woman up) one place on opposite sides and cross to own sides
13-16 The 1st man turns the 4th woman once round by the right hand while the 1st woman and 4th man cast (woman down, man up) one place on opposite sides and cross to own sides
17-20 The 2nd man and 1st woman turn the 4th man and 3rd woman once round by the right hand while the 2nd and 4th women and the 1st and 3rd men cast (4th woman and 3rd man up, 2nd woman and 1st man down) one place on sides and all cross over (4th woman and 1st man to opposite sides, 2nd woman and 3rd man to own sides)
21-24 The 2nd woman and 1st man turn the 4th woman and 3rd man once round by the left hand while the 2nd and 4th men and 1st and 3rd women cast (4th man and 3rd woman up, 2nd man and 1st woman down) on the sides and cross over (4th man and 1st woman to opposite sides, 2nd man and 3rd woman to own sides), to end 4231 with 4th and 1st couples on opposite sides and 2nd and 3rd couples on own sides
25-26 The 4th and 2nd couples dance half right hands across (the two women doing a polite turn to begin after their last left-hand turn)
27-28 The 4th and 3rd couples dance half left hands across (the 4th man dancing straight from one half wheel to the next with no polite turn), to end 2341 all on opposite sides
29-32 With hands joined on sides, all set and cross over giving right hands to partners

Repeat with a new top couple

(Dance crib compiled by the deviser, Lewis N Derrick 2020)


Dance Notes

During bars 1-24 of this dance only two routines are possible: Either turn for four, cast for two and cross for two or cast for two, cross for two and turn for four.

For each repetition of the dance these are continuous and dancers do not change from one routine to the other, even the 2nd and 3rd couples, who stand out bars 9-16, begin again on bar 17 with the same sequence they began on bar 1 (but on different sides of the dance).

It is advisable to walk this dance, the most difficult one I've ever devised, from every position before attempting to dance it. It's a 'reel challenge'!

(Dance notes by the deviser, Lewis N Derrick)


Keith Rose's Crib Diagrams


Dance Information

This reel, Anne's Dancing Duster, was devised for Anne Walker, the pattern simulates her dusting activities: swirl, swirl, swirl, swipe!

Suggested tune: Jumping Geordie.

Devised April 1986; first published 1987; republished electronically 2020.

Copyright 1986, 1987, 2020 Lewis N. Derrick.

(Dance information reproduced here with the kind permission of the deviser, Lewis N Derrick)

Feather Duster
Dancing Dusters
"Feather Duster" Dagobert Peche (1887-1923), Watercolour On Paper, c. 1922


Published in The McGhie Scottish Country Dance Books, Volume 2, McGhie the Moudie Catcher and Other Scottish Country Dances, reproduced here with the kind permission of the deviser, Lewis N Derrick.
Image copyright (cropped) Dagobert Peche / CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.

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