Cock O' The North (Mitchell)

Scottish Country Dance Instruction

1- 4 First and third couples cross over giving right hand in passing and cast off, second and fourth couples step up on bars 3 & 4.
5- 6 First and third couples set advancing to join right hand with partner, first man and third lady join left hand.
7- 8 First and third couples balance in line.
9-16 First and third couples dance a complete reel of four passing own partner by the right to commence.
17-20 First lady dances left hands across with second couple, first man and third lady dance left hands across with fourth couple, at the same time third man dances left hands across with fifth couple.
21-24 First man dances right hands across with second couple, first lady and third man dance right hands across with fourth couple and third lady dances right hands across with fifth couple. First and third couples finish back to back with own partner facing own side of the set, side couples facing in and all join hands in triangle formation.
25-26 All set in triangle formation.
27-28 Releasing left hand first and third men turn the man above them with the right hand.
 Meanwhile first and third ladies release right hands and turn the lady above them with the left hand.
29-30 Rejoining hands all set in triangle formation.
31-32 Releasing right hands first and third men turn the man below them two thirds round with the left hand to finish in the sidelines, at the same time first and third ladies release left hands and turn the man below them two thirds round with the right hand to finish in the sidelines. Finish in the order 2, 4, 1, 5, 3.

Repeat with original first couple in third place and a new top couple.

(Dance crib reproduced from The Whetherly Book Of Scottish Country Dances, revised and republished by Alison Mitchell)

Keith Rose's Crib Diagram

Cock O' The North (Mitchell) - Full Size And Key To Symbols

Dance Information

Recommended tune: Cock O' The North.

The Cock O' the North is a nickname for The Chief of Clan Gordon. It was first used for the 4th Duke of Gordon, Alexander Gordon, who raised the 92nd Regiment of Foot in 1794. (This regiment became the Gordon Highlanders).

Cock O' the North is also a tune which is played as a military march by the Gordon Highlanders.

The Cock O' The North, Alexander Gordon, 4th Duke Of Gordon (1743-1827)

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