Scottish Country Dancing Dictionary

Les Ghillies à Crampons

Scottish Country Dance Instruction

Les Ghillies à Crampons (R5x40) 5C, Célie Marchand, Méaudre Reel 2014

1-4 1st and 5th couples advance and retire diagonally.
5-6 1st couple cast up (that is, 1st man pulls his right shoulder back, 1st woman pulls her left shoulder back) to finish in the middle in 1st place facing down, nearer hands joined, as 3rd couple dance up to finish between 2nd couple facing 1st couple, as 5th couple dance up to finish between 4th couple facing up.
7-8 All set.
9-10 2nd and 3rd men make an arch and 1st man dances underneath, as 2nd and 3rd woman make an arch and 1st woman dances underneath; 1st couple finish in the middle facing down, nearer hands joined.
11-12 1st couple set to 4th and 5th couple (who set back), as 2nd couple dance up to 1st place and as 3rd couple cast out (3rd man pulling his right shoulder back, 3rd woman pulling her left shoulder back) to 2nd place.
13-14 1st couple cast down to 5th place as 4th couple dance up to 3rd place and as 5th couple cast out (5th man pulling his right shoulder back, 5th woman pulling her left shoulder back) to 4th place.
15-16 1st couple cross right hand, finishing facing out. The order is now 2 3 4 5 1, with 1st couple on opposite sides. 2345(1)
17-18 1st couple cast up to 3rd place as 4th and 5th couples step down.
19-22 1st couple dance half a figure of 8 to their left (1st man round 4th couple, 1st woman round 3rd couple). The order is now 2 3 1 4 5.
23-24 All set.
25-28 1st couple cross giving right hands and cast round the person to their right (1st man round 4th woman, 1st woman round 3rd man) to finish with 1st man between 4th couple facing up, 1st woman between 3rd couple facing down; as 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th couples set to their partner and cross with their partner giving right hands.
29-32 1st couple cross giving right hands and cast round the person to their right (1st man round 3rd man, 1st woman round 4th woman) to finish in 3rd place on opposite sides; as 2nd and 3rd couples, also 4th and 5th couples, set to each other on the sidelines and cross on the sidelines giving right hands. The order is now 3 2 1 5 4, with all the couples on opposite sides. (3)(2)(1)(5)(4)
33-36 1st couple Do-si-do as 3rd and 2nd couples, also 5th and 4th couples, dance set and link for two couples.
37-38 1st couple cast off to 5th place as 4th and 5th couples, giving hands on the lines, step up.
39-40 All cross with their partner giving right hands. The finishing order is 2 3 4 5 1.

Repeat from new positions.

(Dance crib compiled by the deviser, Célie Marchand, 2014)


Dance Notes

1-4: rugby ball shape
8-16: pyramid: rugby exercise: you are alone facing all the others and you have to pass throw
25-32: 'la mélée' or ready for rugby scrum
37-38: the first couple has just scored a try, a new first couple is now ready to make his show

Keith Rose's Crib Diagrams


Dance Instruction Videos

Les Ghillies à Crampons - Scottish Country Dancing Instruction Video

Dance Information

This reel, Les Ghillies à Crampons, was devised by Célie, a 13 year-old Méaudre Reel dancer, who after 8 years of Scottish Country Dancing, decided to play rugby!

Célie enjoys these 2 sports, rugby and Scottish Country Dancing, which are both first of all precision team work.

The suggested tune for this dance, Les Ghillies à Crampons, is Bin There Done That - 40 Bar Reel By Roddy Johnston - Music Full Size

(Dance information by Sophie Marchand)



Here is the original crib for Les Ghillies à Crampons, published in Méaudre Reel 2021, also available as a .pdf Les Ghillies à Crampons (Portable Document Format).

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