The Back Forty
Scottish Country Dance Instruction
The Back Forty 4x40-bar reel, 4-couple dance in a square set Circular Reels of 3, devised by Duncan and Maggie Keppie, Published in Keppie Scottish Dance Heritage1-8 ADVANCE and RETIRE, WOMEN AROUND MEN: all advance with partner, and retire with corner, then women dance clockwise around corner man;
9-16 ADVANCE and RETIRE, MEN AROUND WOMEN: all advance with corner, and retire with partner, then men dance clockwise around partner;
17-24 REEL OF 3: starting by passing partner by the right shoulder, all dance a reel of three around the set and back ending by passing partner by the right hand;
25-28 WHEEL/CHASE and TURN: men dance left hands across halfway AS women dance clockwise one place (2 bars), men change places with women with the right hand;
29-32 WHEEL/CHASE and TURN: women dance left hands across halfway AS men dance clockwise one place (2 bars), ½ turn partner right hands ending in promenade hold facing anticlockwise;
33-40 PROMENADE AND TURN: all promenade one place around the set, then face partner and turn once around with crossed hands, all promenade another place around the set, then face partner and turn once around with crossed hands - end one place clockwise from original place.
REPEAT three time
(Dance crib compiled by the devisers, Maggie and Duncan Keppie)
Dance Information
A dance to commemorate the 49th anniversary of Burns Night in the Annapolis Valley.Published in Keppie Scottish Dance Heritage, reproduced here with the kind permission of the deviser, Keppie, 2025.
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