Scottish Country Dancing Dictionary

The Flight Of The Falcon

Scottish Country Dance Instruction

THE FLIGHT OF THE FALCON (J8x32) 3C (4C set) Barry Priddey Anniversary Tensome

1- 8 1s set, cast 1 place (2s step up) and turn LH to 1M facing his 1st corner (3L) with his partner behind him
9-16 1M followed by partner dance a full RSh diagonal Alternating Tandem reel of 3 with 1st corners and end facing Ladies 2nd corner (3M)
17-24 1M followed by partner dance a full RSh Alternating Tandem reel of 3 with 2nd corners and 1s end facing own 1st corners
25-32 1s turn 1st corners RH, pass RSh, turn 2nd corner RH and pass RSh to 2nd place own sides (corners turn for 4 bars)

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


The Flight of the Falcon
Barry Priddey Anniversary Tensome
Jig 8 x 32 bars 3 Couple Repeat 4 Couple Set Longwise Set

  1-4   1s set and cast;

  5-8   1s turn by the left to finish 1M facing first corner with 1L following;

  9-16 1s, dancing in tandem and giving right shoulder to start, reel of 3 with first corners, 1s changing the lead at the corner positions (M leading while going down, L while going up), finishing with 1M facing 3M;

17-24 1s repeat bars 9-16 with second corners finishing facing first corners;

25-28 1s turn first corners by the right and pass right shoulder to face second corners;

29-32 1s turn second corners by the right and cross by the right to finish 2s1s3s on own sides.

(MAXICRIB. Scottish country dancing instructions compiled by Reuben Freemantle)


Keith Rose's Crib Diagrams


Dance Instruction Videos

The Flight Of The Falcon - Scottish Country Dancing Instruction Video

Dance Information

This dance is one of the first dances to feature Alternating Tandem Reels, a figure devised by Barry Priddey in which the dancer following in tandem overtakes the leader on reaching the end of the reel of three; on reaching the other end of the reel of three, the lead changes again.

The Alternating Tandem reel has also become known as a Dolphin Reel after it was used by Barry Skelton in several dances such as Pelorus Jack, Dancing Dolphins, Opo and Over The Waves published in The Dolphin Book in 1994.


A falcon is any species of raptor in the genus Falco. The word comes from their Latin name falco, related to Latin falx ("sickle") because of the shape of these birds' wings. Adult falcons have thin tapered wings, which enable them to fly at high speed and to change direction rapidly.

Peregrine Falcons have been recorded diving at speeds of 200 miles per hour (320 km/h), making them the fastest-moving creatures on Earth.

Falcons In Flight - Information Video

Flight Of The Falcon
Peregrine Falcon In Flight


Dance information licensed under this Creative Commons Licence 3.0.
Text from this original Falcon article on Wikipedia.
Image copyright Peregrine_Falcon_in_flight.jpg: Kevin Cole from Pacific Coast, USA derivative work: MPF Creative Commons Licence 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

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