London Reel

Scottish Country Dance Instruction

LONDON REEL (R8x32) 3C (4C set) Hugh Foss Glendarroch SD Sheets

1- 8 1s cross down, dance out between 2s+3s and cast to 3rd place as 2s+3s step up, 2s repeat with 3s+1s stepping up
9-16 3s cross down to dance reel of 3 on sides to end 312 on opposite sides
17-24 1s dance out and up round 3s, cross down and dance ½ double Fig of 8 with 2s (dancing out and down to start)
25-32 3s cross down to dance ½ reel of 3 on sides, 1s turn 1½ times LH down into 3rd place and cast up to 2nd place

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

Dance Notes

As published in The Reel N^o 100, Hugh Foss specified the following for stepping up:

3-4 2^nd and 3^rd couples move up.

7-8 3^rd and 1^st couples move up.

For so accomplished, innovative and prolific a deviser, this seems perverse. Indeed, with halls often so crowded at the time of devising that there would barely have been enough space on the sidelines to accommodate another dancer between adjacent places, this would have dramatically exaggerated the difference in phrasing of the crossing down and the casting. The following is more intuitive and flows better:

1-2 2s step up.

3-4 3s step up.

5-6 3s step up.

7-8 1s step up.

(Dance notes by Reuben Freemantle)

Keith Rose's Crib Diagram

London Reel - Full Size And Key To Symbols

Dance Information

Hugh Foss devised this dance for the London branch of RSCDS to mark the occasion of the 100th issue of the branch magazine The Reel (Dec 1967-Jan 1968). The branch named it London Reel and printed the instructions on the front page of the 100th issue. The tune was Poldwilly Bridge.

The deviser was the chairman of the branch at the time of the first issue and took on the task of producing the magazine. The Reel is still alive and well today.

Tower Bridge, London

Image copyright Cmglee, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

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