Braids Of The Waimak

Scottish Country Dance Instruction

1- 4 1C dance down and cast up to original place around 2C.
5- 8 1C set twice while 2C dance down and cast up to original place around 3C.
9-12 1C dance down to below 4C place and face out, while 2C set twice, while 3C dance down and cast up around 4C, while 4C set twice and on bars 11-12 turn to face out by pulling back the bottom shoulder.
13-16 3C set twice, while 4C casts up (leading the 1C) and dances around 3C down to 4th place, while 2C dances down around 3C and back to 2nd place, while 1C casts back up to first place (initially following 4C, and being trailed by 2C at the end).
17-20 2C and 4C set twice turning to face out on bars 19-20, pulling back bottom shoulder, while 1C dances down and cast up around 2C to first place, while 3C dance down around 4C and cast up to 3rd place.
21-24 1C and 3C set twice, while 2C and 4C cast up and dance down to 2nd and 4th places respectively and face out.
25-32 1C with 2C; 3C with 4C dance double figures of eight beginning with 1C and 3C crossing down and 2C and 4C casting up.
33-38 1C follows 3C who dance down the middle and cast up around 4C finishing with 3C in first place and 1C in third place.
39-40 3C with 2C; 1C with 4C turn ½, 1C and 3C dancing inwards to begin.
(That is LH on the ladies side and RH on the men's side.) (The order is now 2, 3, 4, 1.)
41-48 Reels of 4 on the sides, left shoulder on the ladies side and right shoulder on the men's. Begin with 3L giving LS to 2L, and 3M giving RS to 2M, for example.

(Dance crib compiled by the deviser Rod Downey, Johnsonville SCD Club Tutor, 2026)

Keith Rose's Crib Diagram

Braids Of The Waimak - Full Size And Key To Symbols

Dance Instruction Videos

Dance Information

The dance extends the fugal idea from a dance "Waves on the Waimak" by Julie Leith from the "Canterbury Tales" collection. Her theme was loop, set twice and loop.

The recommended tune is "Katie's Fancy" (traditional) and recommended recorded music is "O'Neill's 48" from the album "On Track" by The Sound Company.
Most of the dance is in four bar phrases, so alternative music should respect this.

The Waimak, that is, the Waimakariri River is one of the longest in the South Island of New Zealand, and is a classic braided river. It enters the Pacific Ocean just north of Christchurch.

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