Scottish Country Dancing Dictionary

Holly Rigg

Scottish Country Dance Instruction

Holly Rigg
J. Duncan Keppie
Strathspey or Reel 6 or 8 x 32 bars 2 Couple Repeat 3 or 4 Couple Set Longwise Set

  1-8   1st and 2nd couples dance a figure of 8 across the dance (start with 1st couple crossing downwards AS 2nd couple dance up the side);

  9-16 LEAD DOWN MIDDLE AND UP IN ALLEMANDE HOLD: 1st couple followed by 2nd couple lead down the middle, keeping right hands joined both swivel to their left into allemande hold, then dance up the middle staying in the centre;

17-24 RIGG: women unwind changing sides with partner (2 bars), 2nd and 1st couples chase clockwise halfway round to original places (4 bars), and petronella into a line in the centre (2 bars) joining both hands with partner;

25-32 ANCIENT POUSSETTE: 1st and 3rd couples dance anticlockwise 1½ times around each other on a diamond pattern finishing with ½ turn to end on own sides having progressed one i.e. dance out to side with ¼ turn clockwise at end (Bar 33), dance into middle with ¼ turn clockwise at end (Bar 34), dance out to side with ¼ turn clockwise at end (Bar 34), dance to opposite side with a ¼ turn clockwise at end (Bar 35), dance into middle with ¼ turn clockwise at end (Bar 36), dance out to side with ¼ turn clockwise at end (Bar 37), dance into middle with ¼ turn clockwise at end (Bar 38), continue turning halfway clockwise (Bar 39), and retire to own side in progressed places.

Repeat having passed a couple.

(Dance crib compiled by the deviser, J. Duncan Keppie)


Dance Notes

N.B. in strathspey tempo, the strathspey setting step is used throughout, whereas in the reel tempo a sideways polka step, or sideways skip-change of step, is used throughout

(Dance notes by J. Duncan Keppie)


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