The Apple Tree (Mitchell)
Scottish Country Dance Instruction
The Apple Tree A forty-eight bar Reel for four couples in a longwise set, devised by John W Mitchell, Published in Whetherly Book 4.1- 8 All four couples join hands on the sides, fourth couple also join hands. First man dances under an arch made by first and second ladies, casts off to the foot of the set, crosses over and up on the men’s side to his original place, using slip step, the other dancers all follow until second lady turns under the arch on bar eight: first lady does not move.
9-16 First lady dances under the arch made by first and second men, casts off, crosses and dances up to her original place, using slip step, the other dancers all follow until second man turns under the arch.
17-18 First couple cross over passing by the right shoulder.
19-24 First man passes second lady by the right shoulder to commence a reel of three on the opposite side with second and third ladies, first lady passes second man by the left shoulder to commence a reel of three with second and third men.
25-26 First couple cross to own side passing by the right.
27-32 First, second and third ladies dance a reel of three on the side; first and second ladies passing by the right to start. First, second and third men dance a reel of three on the side, first and second men passing by the left to start.
33-34 All join hands on the side and set.
35-40 All four couples cast off, fourth couple followed by third, second and first couples lead up the middle.
41-48 First couple stop in fourth place. Fourth couple followed by third and second couples cast off below fourth place. Fourth couple lead up between first couple into third place; third couple, following fourth couple, dance up between first couple and continue to dance up between fourth couple into second place; second couple, following third couple, dance up between first, fourth and third couples to finish in first place.
Repeat with new top couple.
(Dance crib reproduced from The Whetherly Book of Scottish Country Dances, revised and republished by Alison Mitchell)
Keith Rose's Crib Diagram
Published in The Whetherly Book Of Scottish Country Dances Number 4, by John W Mitchell, revised and republished by Alison Mitchell. Instructions reproduced under the Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International Licence (CC BY-ND 4.0).
Back to the top of this Scottish Country Dancing Instructions 'The Apple Tree (Mitchell)' page