Scottish Country Dancing Dictionary

The Kaleidoscope Reel

Scottish Country Dance Instruction

The Kaleidoscope Reel (R1x80) 4C Sq.Set Sue Petyt

1-4 All four couples advance and retire
5-8 All set to partner and turn right hand three quarters of the way round, the lady dancing under her partner's arm to finish, ladies facing into the centre, and men facing clockwise on the outside
9-10 Ladies join hands in a circle and set, turning right about on the second step WHILE the men dance clockwise round the set, one place
11-12 Ladies dance out, as men dance in, passing each other right shoulder, the men finish facing the centre, ladies facing clockwise on the outside. (first lady passes fourth man, second lady passes first man, third lady passes second man, fourth lady passes third man)
13-14 Men join hands in the centre and set, turning right about on second step WHILE ladies dance clockwise round the set one place
15-16 Men dance out, as ladies dance in, passing each other right shoulder, the ladies finish facing the centre and men facing clockwise on the outside. (all pass partners)
17-24 Repeat bars 9-16. On the last bar the ladies pull right shoulder back and face out and the men face in (you should be facing partner)
25-32 First and third couples, and at the same time, second and fourth couples, dance right shoulder reels of 4 (up and down or across) joining left hands across in the centre, everyone finishing as at bar 24
33-48 Dance 16 bars of Petronella finishing as at bar 24 but ladies facing into the centre
49-56 Men dance setting steps of their choice while ladies dance right hands across and then left hands across. Ladies finish facing the centre, men facing clockwise round the outside
57-72 Repeat bars 9-24
73-76 Set to partner and turn left hand three quarters, to finish in original places
77-80 All 4 couples advance and retire

(Dance crib compiled by the deviser, Sue Petyt, 2002)


Dance Instruction Videos

The Kaleidoscope Reel - Scottish Country Dancing Instruction Video

Dance Information

A kaleidoscope is a cylinder with mirrors containing loose, colored objects such as beads or pebbles and bits of glass. As the viewer looks into one end, light entering the other creates a colorful pattern, due to the reflection off of the internal mirrors.

Kaleidoscope
Kaleidoscope Patterns


Published in https://suepetyt.e-cribs.org/
Dance information licensed under this Creative Commons Licence 3.0.
Text from this original Kaleidoscope article on Wikipedia.
Image copyright Svampen.

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