Leap Year

Scottish Country Dance Instruction

1- 8 1s+2s dance RH across and LH back to places
9-16 1s lead down for 3 steps, back to top and cast to 2nd places on own sides
17-24 2s and 1s turn partner RH, turn partner LH

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

Keith Rose's Crib Diagrams

Leap Year - Full Size And Key To Symbols

Dance Instruction Videos

Dance Information

This additional day is added to the calendar on 29 February, which is known as Leap Day. Leap years are necessary to keep our calendar aligned with the Earth's orbit around the Sun. Since a full orbit takes approximately 365.2422 days, adding an extra day every four years helps compensate for the small fraction of time lost each year. However, leap years are not observed every four years without exception; a year must be divisible by four, but if it is divisible by 100, it must also be divisible by 400 to be a leap year. This rule ensures long-term accuracy in our calendar system.

Leap years play a significant role in ensuring that seasonal events, such as solstices and equinoxes, occur at roughly the same time each year. Without the leap year system, our calendar would gradually drift out of sync with the Earth's natural cycles.

People born on 29 February, known as leap day babies, only celebrate their birthdays once every four years, though many choose to celebrate on 28 February or 1 March in non-leap years.

Leap years also have cultural significance in various traditions and are sometimes linked with special customs, such as the tradition of women proposing marriage on Leap Day, a custom with roots in ancient Ireland.

Leap Year - Unsafe For A Poor Lone Bachelor! c. 1908

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