Scottish Country Dancing Dictionary

The Atheist

Scottish Country Dance Instruction

The Atheist (R8x32) 32 bar reel for three couples in a four couple longwise set, Murrough Landon, 2022

1- 4 1st couple dance down, nearer hands joined, below 3rd couple and then cast up to 2nd place facing in.
 Meanwhile 2nd couple set and then dance up to 1st place facing out.
5- 8 2nd and 1st couples turn once round on the sides with the easiest hand, 1st couple starting up between 2nd couple. 1st couple end facing in and down, 2nd couple face out.
9-16 All dance mirror reels of three on the sides joining hands where possible. 2nd couple start out, 1st couple start in and down, 3rd couple start out and up. 1st couple end facing in, 3rd couple stay facing out.
17-20 1st and 3rd couples turn once round on the sides with the easiest hand, 1st couple starting down between 3rd couple.
21-24 All advance and retire.
25-32 All circle six hands round to the left and back ending in the order 2,1,3.

(Dance crib compiled by the deviser, Murrough Landon, CC BY-SA March 2022)


Keith Rose's Crib Diagrams


Dance Instruction Videos

The Atheist - Scottish Country Dancing Instruction Video

Dance Information

This dance was written in memory of Deborah Ainger who died in December 2021. Deborah was never seen without a badge proudly proclaiming herself as an atheist.

As a fellow non-believer I always liked to see her wearing this. She was one of those people who found it hard to distinguish right from left. So this dance tries to make all the directions and turning as obvious as possible.

Recommended music: Suggested tune The Sally Gardens (Traditional); suitable recording Set Of Reels (Marian Anderson and her Band: Diamond Jubilee Dances - Belfast Branch).

(Dance information by the deviser, Murrough Landon, CC BY-SA March 2022)


Atheism encompasses the absence of belief in deities. It can also be understood as rejecting the belief in any deities. In a more specific sense, atheism asserts the non-existence of deities.

A deity or god is a supernatural being revered and deserving of worship for its perceived authority over the universe, nature, or human life.

Theism, on the other hand, entails the belief in at least one deity.

Atheist Symbol
The Symbol Of Atheism
The Result Of A 2007 Atheist Alliance International Contest, Created By Diane Reed
Atheist Symbol
The Atomic Whirl - The Symbol Of Atheism
The Atomic Whirl Is A Symbol Of Science And Has Come To Be Used As A Symbol Of Atheism In General


Published in The Atheist, reproduced here with the kind permission of the deviser, Murrough Landon, CC BY-SA.
This page contains both original content, which is copyrighted, and excerpts from Wikipedia and other sources using the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Text from this original Atheism article on Wikipedia.
Text from this original Deity article on Wikipedia.
Upper image from Henri2008, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Lower image copyright J.delanoy, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

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