The Glacier Express

Scottish Country Dance Instruction

1- 8 1s dance down the middle, cast up round 3s back to their places, and set to each other
9-16 1s, 2s and 3s dance mirror Reels of 3 on the side lines, 1s starting in
17-24 1s and 3s turn partner RH; repeat LH
25-28 1M and 2L change places, giving RH, 1L and 2M repeat
29-32 1s and 2s set and cross over RH

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

1 - 8 1s dance down the middle, cast up round 3s back to their places, and set to each other.
9 - 16 1s, 2s and 3s dance mirror Reels of 3 on the side lines, 1s starting in.
17 - 24 1s and 3s turn partner RH; repeat LH.
25 - 28 1M and 2L change places, giving RH, 1L and 2M repeat;
29 - 32 1s and 2s set and cross over RH.

(Dance crib compiled by the deviser, Hans Prade)

Dance Information

The train is not an "express" in the sense of being a high-speed train, but rather, in the sense that it provides a one-seat ride for an eight-hours-long journey, and omits stops made by local trains. The Glacier Express is known as the slowest express train in the world.

The Glacier Express - Information Video

The Glacier Express

A glacier forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation (melting and sublimation) over many years, often centuries. Glaciers slowly deform and flow due to stresses induced by their weight, creating crevasses, seracs, and other distinguishing features. They also abrade rock and debris from their substrate to create landforms such as cirques and moraines.

Glaciers form only on land and are distinct from the much thinner sea ice and lake ice that form on the surface of bodies of water.

Glacial ice is the largest reservoir of fresh water on Earth, about three-quarters of Earth's freshwater is stored in glaciers. Many glaciers from temperate, alpine and seasonal polar climates store water as ice during the colder seasons and release it later in the form of meltwater as warmer summer temperatures cause the glacier to melt, creating a water source that is especially important for plants, animals and human uses when other sources may be scant. Within high-altitude and Antarctic environments, the seasonal temperature difference is often not sufficient to release meltwater.

Since glacial mass is affected by long-term climatic changes, e.g., precipitation, mean temperature, and cloud cover, glacial mass changes are considered among the most sensitive indicators of climate change and are a major source of variations in sea level.

It has been estimated that if all of the glaciers on earth were to melt, global sea level would rise approximately 70 metres (approximately 230 feet), flooding every coastal city on the planet.

Glaciers - Information Video

Perito Moreno Glacier, Patagonia, Argentina

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