Culla Bay
Scottish Country Dance Instruction
CULLA BAY (S4x32) Sq.Set Ann Dix RSCDS Book 411- 4 1s and 3s advance and ½ turn opposite partner RH and cast out to opposite side
5- 8 1s and 3s chase ¼ round set clockwise and dance in passing 2s/4s RSh curving in to face 2s/4s as 2s and 4s repeat bars 1-4 and turn right about to face 1s/3s
9-16 All dance parallel reels of 4 across set
17-24 2s+1s also 4s+3s circle 4H once round to left, set and dance RH across ½ way
25-32 2s+4s dance LH across once round, 2s and 4s dance out through sides passing opposite partner RSh and chase round set clockwise to next place. 2341
(MINICRIB. Dance crib compiled by Charles Upton, Deeside Caledonian Society, and his successors)
Culla Bay
Ann Dix RSCDS Book 41
Strathspey 4 x 32 bars 4 Couple Repeat 4 Couple Set Square Set
1-2 1M3L 1L3M turn by the right halfway;
3-4 1M 1L 3M 3L pull right shoulder back and dance out to opposite side;
5-8 1M 1L 3M 3L cast to the right, dance one place clockwise round and cast inwards to face out WHILE 2M 2L 4M 4L repeat bars 1-4 and face in;
9-16 2L1L3M4M 2M1M3L4L reels of 4 across;
17-20 2s1s 3s4s 4 hands round to the left;
21-22 2s set facing 1s WHILE 3s set facing 4s;
23-24 2s1s 3s4s right hands across halfway;
25-28 2s4s left hands across;
29-32 2M passing 1M, 2L passing 1L, 4L passing 3L, 4M passing 3M (all right shoulder) dance out and cast clockwise one place, finishing 2s3s4s1s.
(MAXICRIB. Scottish country dancing instructions compiled by Reuben Freemantle)
Dance Notes
5- 1s 3s should not be starting to cast to the right before 2s 4s start their repeat of bars 1-4.
-8 2s 4s should finish on the opposite side, facing in; 1s 3s should finish back to back, facing out.
9-16 Cover in the reels of 4 across.
23-24 Only halfway.
25-28 All the way.
30-32 Ls follow their partners.
-32 On reaching 1st and 3rd places, 2s and 4s must be ready to start immediately in the next Repeat.
Keith Rose's Crib Diagrams
Dance Instruction Videos
Culla Bay - Scottish Country Dancing Instruction VideoDouble Culla Bay - Scottish Country Dancing Instruction Video
Dance Information
Ann Dix composed "Culla Bay" for Sheila Jupp (née Macaulay), who spent part of her childhood on Benbecula during World War II.Evacuated there for safety, Sheila embraced island life, helping on the family croft and forming lasting memories that drew her back often, including for her 80th birthday.
A passionate Scottish country dancer, Sheila co-founded clubs like the St John's Scottish Country Dance Club and the RSCDS Berks/Herts/Surrey and Border Branch. She travelled widely to dance and was known for hosting musicians and teachers in her home. Dancing well into her eighties, Sheila was a beloved figure in the dance community.
Accordionist and band leader Frank Reid dedicated the tune "The Macaulays of Benbecula" to Sheila Jupp.
This is one of the most popular Scottish country dances. It has been in the top thirty most frequent dances appearing on dance programmes, for decades.
Culla Bay is a small bay on the island of Benbecula.
Benbecula is an island of the Outer Hebrides in the Atlantic Ocean off the west coast of Scotland and lies between the islands of North Uist and South Uist, to which it is connected by road causeways.
Culla Bay - West Coast Of Benbecula, The Outer Hebrides (Na H-Eileanan An Iar) Of Scotland
Dance information licensed under this Creative Commons Licence 3.0.
Text from this original Benbecula, Culla Bay article on Wikipedia.
Image copyright Anne Burgess under this Creative Commons Licence 2.0.
Back to the top of this Scottish Country Dancing Instructions 'Culla Bay' page