The Celtic Rover

Scottish Country Dance Instruction

1-4 First couple dance down between second and fourth couples with nearer hands joined and cast up round fourth couple on own sides
while
third couple dance down between fourth and fifth couples with nearer hands joined and cast up round fifth couple on own sides.
Second and fourth couples move up on bars 1-2.
5-8 First woman dances right hands across with second couple
while
first man and third woman dance right hands across with fourth couple while third man dances right hands across with fifth couple.
First and third couples finish facing 'first' corner positions.
9-12 First couple dance a half reel of four with 'first' corners - second man and fourth woman
while
third couple dance a half reel of four with 'first' corners - fourth man and fifth woman.
At the end of the half reels first and third couples pass partner by left shoulders to finish facing 'second' corner positions.
13-16 First couple dance a half reel of four with 'second' corners - second and fifth women
while
third couple dance a half reel of four with 'second' corners - second and fifth men.
At the end of the half reels first and third couples turn partner with left hands three-quarters round to finish facing 'first' corner positions.
17-24 First woman dances a reel of three across with fourth and fifth women in first place - first woman passing fourth woman by left shoulders to begin
while
first man and third woman dance a reel of four across with second woman and fifth man in third place - first man passing fifth man and third woman passing second woman by right shoulders to begin
while
third man dances a reel of three across with second and fourth men in fifth place - third man passing fourth man by left shoulders to begin.
First couple finish in second place on own sides while third couple finish in fourth place on own sides.
Second woman and fifth man complete the last loop of the reel of four to finish with second woman facing diagonally downwards and fifth man facing diagonally upwards.
25-28 Fourth and first women and first and fifth men dance half rights and lefts on the diagonal
while
second and third women and third and fourth men dance half rights and lefts on the diagonal.
29-30 First and third couples cross over giving partner right hands.
First couple finish facing down. On bar 30 fourth couple turn to face up.
31-32 First and fourth couples change places on the side-lines with left hands.
Dancers finish in the order - fifth, fourth, first, third and second couples.

Repeat from new positions.

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

Keith Rose's Crib Diagrams

The Celtic Rover - Full Size And Key To Symbols

Dance Information

The recommended tune is "The Irish Rover". There is no recording I am aware of played only 5 times through.

(Dance information from The Cane Toad Collection Of Scottish Country Dances, reproduced here with the kind permission of the deviser, Rod Downey)

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