Ciamar A Tha

Scottish Country Dance Instruction

1- 8 1s nearer hands joined dance down, turn 3s on side nearer hand to end in 2nd place (2s step up). 1s cross, passing RSh and turn 3s on sides (1M+3L RH, 1L+3M LH) 1s end in middle facing up
9-16 1s nearer hands joined dance up, turn 2s nearer hand and 1s end in 2nd place opposite sides. 1s cross passing RSh and turn 2s on sides (1M+2M RH, 1L+2L LH) 1s end in middle between 2s at top facing down
17-24 1s dance down below 3s, cast up to 2nd place and petronella turn into centre to 1L between 2s and 1M between 3s. All set
25-32 All change places RH with opposite person, set, change places again with opposite person; 1L casts down round 2L as 1M casts up round 3M into 2nd place own side

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

Keith Rose's Crib Diagrams

Ciamar A Tha - Full Size And Key To Symbols

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Dance Information

"Ciamar a tha" means "How are you" in Gaelic; it is the shortened form of "Ciamar a tha thu", the familiar singular form, and "Ciamar a tha sibh", the plural and polite form.

"Ciamar a tha" should be pronounced as "Kem~r ~ hah" in English, the full forms being "Kem~r ~ hah oo" and "Kem~r ~ hah sheev". The standard response is "Tha mi gu math, tapadh leat" ("Tha mi gu math, tapadh leibh" in the polite form) both of which mean "I am well, thank you"; these are pronounced as "Hah mee goo mah, tap~ le~t" ("Hah mee goo mah, tap~ leev). Stress is on the first syllable of the disyllables and for the pronunciation:
  "~" represents the very short, indeterminate, vowel sound;
  "ah" is as in "shah";
  "oo" is as in "noon"; and
  "ee" is as in "beet".
See Gaelic Dance Names for more information on Gaelic spelling and pronunciation.