The Exciseman (Rayner)

Scottish Country Dance Instruction

1- 4 5s dance LH across on sides (5L with 2s and 5M with 4s)
5- 8 5s dance ½ reels of 3 with Ladies [5L with 2L+3L (RSh to 3L) and 5M with 1L+4L (RSh to 1L)] note - 5L dances behind 3M and 5M behind 1M also 3L dances behind 2M and 1L behind 4M
9-12 5s dance ½ reels of 3 with Men [5L with 2M+3M (LSh to 2M) and 5M with 1M+4M (LSh to 4M)] note - 5L dances behind 3L and 5M behind 1L also 2M and 4M behind partners to end 4321 with 5s in middle
13-16 5s dance LH across on sides [5L with 3s (2nd place) and 5M with 1s (4th place)] and 5s end facing top/bottom couples (Man up)
17-24 All set as 5s dance Crown Triangles around set to end 5L facing 2s (3rd place) and 5M facing 1s (4th place)
25-32 5s dance out through facing couples dancing round to meet and dance between 2s/1s to face top couple while 3s+4s dance ½ R&L, 5s+3s dance ½ RH across and all set as 3s set turning out ready to start again. 5421 with 3s in middle

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

Keith Rose's Crib Diagrams

The Exciseman (Rayner) - Full Size And Key To Symbols

Dance Information

The title of this dance, The Exciseman, references the The Deil's Awa Wi' The Exciseman - Poem written by Robert Burns in 1792.

An exciseman or tax collector is a person who collects unpaid taxes from other people or corporations. Tax collectors are often portrayed in fiction as being evil, and in the modern world share a somewhat similar stereotype to that of lawyers and politicians.

The Exciseman Or Tax Collector At Work
Illustration By Henry Holiday In Lewis Carroll's "The Hunting Of The Snark" 1876

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