Dubh Gall
Scottish Country Dance Instruction
Dubh GallMaggie and Duncan Keppie Gaelic College SCD Book 11: Three Dozen
Strathspey n x 32 bars 2 Threesome Repeat 2 Threesome Set Progressive Round the Room Set
Line of 3 facing line of 3 as in The Dashing White Sergeant.
1-8 SET, CROSS AND ½ CHASE: with nearer hands joined, all set, then cross right hands with opposite and chase clockwise halfway around;
9-16 TURN 2ND CORNER, PARTNER, 1ST CORNER, PARTNER: centre people turn with 2nd corner with right hands, then each other with left hands, turn with 1st corner with right hands, and each other with left hands (end facing right hand partner);
17-24 SET AND TURN PARTNERS: centre people set and turn right hand partner with right hands, then set and turn left hand partner with left hands ending facing right hand partner;
25-32 REEL OF 3: centres dance a 6-bar right shoulder reel of 3 with partners ending facing other line of 3, then on bars 31-32 all pass the opposite person by the right shoulder (end facing next line of 3).
Repeat with next line of 3.
(Dance crib compiled by the devisers, Maggie and Duncan Keppie)
Dance Notes
As with all dances having this format, the number of repeats is not fixed.The three partners are not specifically men or women.
(Dance notes by Reuben Freemantle)
Dance Information
In Gaelic, "Dubh Gall" means "Dark Stranger", usually referring to Danes but also more generally and pejoratively to Lowlanders. It should be pronounced as "Doo Gahl" in English where "oo" is as in "noon" and "ah" is as in "shah".See Gaelic Dance Names for more information on Gaelic spelling and pronunciation.
Line of 3 facing line of 3 appears to have been introduced into Scotland from Scandinavia by the Vikings, hence the name of this dance.
Back to the top of this Scottish Country Dancing Instructions 'Dubh Gall' page