Scottish Country Dancing Dictionary

Ca' Canny

Scottish Country Dance Instruction

CA' CANNY (S3x32) 3C set Jean Attwood

1- 8 1s cross RH and cast 1 place, 1s dance ½ reels of 3 across (1L with 2s, 1M with 3s) and end facing 4th corner position
9-16 1s set to corners and turn RH, 1s dance LH across with 3rd corner positions and end facing 3rd corner position while 2M+3L chase clockwise ½ way
17-24 1s set to corners and turn RH, 1s dance LH across with 4th corner positions and end facing 4th corner position while 1M+2L chase clockwise ½ way. 312
25-32 All set and turn 2H then all set. 312

(MINICRIB. Dance crib compiled by Charles Upton, Deeside Caledonian Society, and his successors)


Ca' Canny
Jean Attwood Leaflet
Strathspey 3 x 32 bars 3 Couple Repeat 3 Couple Set Longwise Set

  1-4   1s cross and cast;

  5-8   1L2s 1M3s half reels of 3 across (1L2L 1M3M give right shoulder to start), 1s pulling right shoulder back to finish facing partners' second corners' positions, 1L facing 2M, 1M facing 3L;

  9-12 1L2M 1M3L set and turn by the right, finishing with 2M 3L facing clockwise;

13-16 2M 3L chase halfway round the outside to exchange places WHILE 1L3M1M2L left hands across, 3M 2L finishing in starting positions, 1s pulling left shoulder back to finish facing partners' first corners' positions, 1L facing 3M, 1M facing 2L;

17-24 repeat bars 9-16 with the new corners, finishing 3s1s2s on own sides;

25-26 all set;

27-30 all turn both hands;

31-32 all set.

(MAXICRIB. Scottish country dancing instructions compiled by Reuben Freemantle)


Keith Rose's Crib Diagrams


Dance Information

Jean Attwood dedicated this dance to Connie Porter, a stalwart of Newbury and District Caledonian Society for over 40 years.

On 15 January 1988, the Society converted an already planned event with a band led by Ian Muir (now the leader of the Craigellachie Band) into a surprise 80th birthday party for her. The programme consisted of Ca' Canny and fifteen of her favourite dances; sixteen members of the Society colluded to partner her, one for each dance.

Connie was so delighted that she subsequently decided to fund a party every year, dancing initially to the Craigellachie Band and later to its offshoot, Sound Company, led by Ian Robertson. She invited members of the Newbury Society and of all the Scottish Dancing societies whose events she attended or who attended Newbury's Annual Dance.

By the time of her 90th birthday party in 1998 her eyesight was failing and so she danced only the strathspeys. The final party took place on 11 January 2003; Connie attended it in a wheelchair and, instead of dancing with her, "partners" sat and chatted.

"ca' canny" or "caw canny" is Scots for "be careful".



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