The Kenora Reel

Scottish Country Dance Instruction

THE KENORA REEL (R8x32) 3C (4C set) John Drewry Bankhead Book 2

1- 8 1s cross down and dance reflection reels of 3 on opposite sides, all giving nearer hands where possible. 1s+3s end in the middle (1s face down and 3s up)
9-16 1s+3s dance Ladies' Chain up/down middle of set, ending 1s facing down, 3s facing up, nearer hands joined with partners
17-24 1s+3s set and Petronella-in-tandem (skip change) to side as 2s cross RH and cast round to right; 1s+3s set and petronella to ends as 2s cross RH (up/down) and cast to right
25-32 1s+2s+3s chase clockwise ½ way, 1s cross RH and cast 1 place

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

The Kenora Reel
John Drewry Bankhead Book 2
Reel 8 x 32 bars 3 Couple Repeat 4 Couple Set Longwise Set

1-8 1s cross down into mirror reels of 3, 1s 3s finishing beside the centre line, (1L 3M facing down, 1M 3L up);

9-16 1s3s ladies' chain, 1s finishing facing down, 3s up;

17-20 1s 3s set and petronella turn in tandem, 1s to the Mn's side, 3s to the Ls', WHILE 2s cross and cast to the right;

21-24 1s 3s set and petronella turn in tandem to the ends WHILE 2s cross up and down and cast to the right, finishing 3s2s1s;

25-28 3s2s1s chase clockwise halfway to original places, 1s finishing on opposite sides;

29-32 1s cross by the right and cast to 2nd place.

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

Dance Notes

7-10 The natural finishing positions of 1s 3s in the reels are not convenient as starting points for the ladies' chain; the following is recommended:

7-8 Ls speed up slightly, dance outside their normal finishing positions (1L in 1M's, 3L in own) and pull right shoulder back to finish 1L halfway between 1M's place and the centre line facing down, 3L halfway between her own place and the centre line facing up WHILE Mn hold back to finish 1M facing up, 3M down, just outside their normal finishing positions (1M in 1L's, 3M in own);

9-10 1L 3L dance the first two bars of ladies' chain normally WHILE 1M 3M cast anticlockwise to finish in the places occupied by their partners at the end of bar 8.

-16 1M 3M make a polite turn to finish, nearer hands joined with partner, 1s (on opposite sides) facing down, 3s up.

-28 1L must hold back to arrive on time (or even slightly late) in 1M's place so that she can flow smoothly into crossing and casting.

31-32 At the end of the second, fourth and sixth repeats, 1s cast to 4^th place of the full set WHILE 3s take nearer hands and lead up one place, retaining the hold ready for the mirror reels in the next repeat.

Keith Rose's Crib Diagram

The Kenora Reel - Full Size And Key To Symbols

Dance Instruction Videos

Kenora Reel - Scottish Country Dancing Instruction Video

Dance Information

Kenora is a city in north-west Ontario, Canada, sitting on Lake of the Woods near the Manitoba border, approximately 208km east of Winnipeg by road. It functions as the administrative centre for Kenora District and lies within the Central Time Zone (UTC-6, shifting to UTC-5 in summer).

The settlement (nicknamed: K-Town) began as "RatPortage", a name derived from the Ojibwe term meaning "portage to the land of the muskrats", and was later adopted by fur traders in the mid-19th century. Incorporated as a town in 1882 under Manitoba jurisdiction, it was transferred to Ontario in 1889 following boundary decisions. In 1905, the names of neighbouring communities - Keewatin, Norman and RatPortage were merged into "Kenora." In 2000, the core of Kenora united with Keewatin and the Township of Jaffray Melick under the Municipal Act.

Kenora District spans Ontario's largest census division by land area - approximately 395,000km² - stretching from Lake of the Woods to Hudson Bay. It is sparsely populated, with around 66,000 residents in 2021 and a density of just 0.2 persons per square kilometre.

Historically, the region's economy was rooted in fur trading, gold mining (notably 20 mines by the 1890s), logging, and railway development, including the Canadian Pacific Railway route through the town. Kenora's strategic location on the CPR and later the Trans-Canada Highway established its place within transcontinental trade and transport networks.

In 1907 the Kenora Thistles hockey team from here won the Stanley Cup, making Kenora the smallest community to ever achieve that honour. A landmark concrete-and-stone railway station built in 1899, later recognised as a heritage site, featured a distinctive garden typical of Canadian Pacific Railway stations of the era.

Kenora Airport, located just northeast of the city, features a single 5,800-ft asphalt runway and operates as an airport of entry. It was shortlisted for a national tourism award in 2018.

Neighbourhoods within the city include former towns Keewatin, Norman and Jaffray Melick, as well as areas such as Rabbit Lake and Lakeside. The region experiences a humid continental climate, with warm summers averaging highs of 24°C in July and cold dry winters with average lows reaching -21°C in January.

Kenora serves as the seat for several First Nations band administrations and has evolved from its resource-based origins into a regional hub for healthcare, tourism and public services.

Kenora, Ontario, Canada

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