Celtic Square (Charlton)
Scottish Country Dance Instruction
CELTIC SQUARE (M-(S64+R64)) Sq.Set Brian Charlton (2001) Waratah CollectionStrathspey
1- 8 All Men dance Fig of 8 round partner and corner, finishing BtoB in centre facing partner
9-24 All dance Double Celtic Reels:
9-12 All pass partner RSh, Ladies dance ¾ LH across as Men dance 1 place clockwise round to face partner
13-16 All pass partner RSh, Men dance ¾ LH across as Ladies dance on 1 place clockwise round
17-24 Repeat 2 more times - back to positions as at end of bar 8
25-28 All Men dance out, taking partner by RH, then bars 27-28 promenade one place clockwise
29-32 All Ladies dance RH Across
33-40 All Grand Chain ½ way
41-48 All dance interlocking reels of 4, beginning RSh to partner
49-56 All Grand Chain ½ way
57-64 All Circle 8H round and back
Repeat in Reel time from new position
(MINICRIB. Dance crib compiled by Charles Upton, Deeside Caledonian Society, and his successors)
Celtic Square (Charlton) Medley for 4 couples in a square set. 64 bars Strathspey, followed by 64 bars Reel time.
1 - 8 All four men, passing behind their partners by the left to start, dance a figure of eight around their partner and corner to finish with the men back-to-back in the centre facing their partner.
9 - 16 All dance Double Celtic Reels.
To start, each couple passes their partner by the right shoulder to change places, the ladies dance left hands across ¾ round, while the men dance on one place clockwise round the dance. This is repeated with the men dancing left hands across ¾ round, while the ladies dance on one place clockwise.
17 - 24 Repeat bars 9-16 back to positions as at end of bar 8 (men back-to-back in the centre)
25 - 28 The men dance out, taking partners by the right hand as they dance towards them (bar 25) and all dance out (bar 26) and on one place clockwise in promenade hold (bars 27-28).
29 - 32 The Ladies dance right hands across once round finishing facing partners in the new places out on the square.
33 - 40 All dance a Grand Chain half way round the set (giving 2 steps to each hand)
41 - 48 All dance Interlocking reels of 4, all giving right shoulder to partner to start and finish facing partner again
49 - 56 All dance a Grand Chain half-way round the set (giving 2 steps to each hand). At the end the ladies dance a polite turn to finish facing into the set on the right of their partners.
57 - 64 All dance Eight hands round and back.
Repeat from new places in reel time.
(Dance crib compiled by the deviser, Brian Charlton, October 2001)
Dance Notes
The interlocking reels of four should be danced with the following phrasing for each bar:Pass right shoulder, pass left shoulder, pass right shoulder, turn back by the right to face the dancer just passed, pass right shoulder, pass left shoulder, pass right shoulder, turn back by the right to face partner again.
(Dance notes by the deviser, Brian Charlton)
Keith Rose's Crib Diagrams
Dance Instruction Videos
Celtic Square (Charlton) - Scottish Country Dancing Instruction VideoDance Information
Also see the dance Celtic Square (West) by Eddy West.This medley, Celtic Square (Charlton), arose from dancing The Celtic Reel by Barry Skelton and the idea that the so-called 'celtic reel' could well be done in a square set, with all four couples dancing the reel together. Other movements were added, each with celtic patterns in mind.
The dance was tried out at the Sydney Branch Advanced Class on Monday 15 October and was used as the theme dance for the 27th Australian Winter School in Sydney July 6-13th 2002, which had a celtic theme.
Celtic Square was first published in the Sydney 50th Anniversary Book of Dances in 2002.
Music: South of the Grampians, The Miller.
(Dance information by the deviser, Brian Charlton)
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