Scottish Country Dancing Dictionary

MacPherson's Jig

Scottish Country Dance Instruction

MACPHERSON'S JIG (J3x32) 3C Triangular set Roger Bestwick Rannoch Sheets

1- 8 1s cross out through sides cast down and dance up centre, 1L dances RH across with 2s and 1M dances LH with 3s and all end prom hold
9-16 All dance full reel of 3 across set (1s pass 2s RSh to start)
17-24 1s dance out through side couples (1M through 3s, 1L through 2s) and cast back to places, all turn partners LH (1s turn 1½ times)
25-32 1s+3s dance ½ R&L, 3s+2s dance ½ R&L all ending 1 place round anticlockwise with 2s at top. 231

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


MacPherson's Jig
Roger Bestwick Rannoch Sheets 5
Jig 3 x 32 bars 3 Couple Repeat 3 Couple Set Triangular Set
Numbered clockwise from the top.

  1-4   1s cross down (passing 1L between 2s, 1M between 3s), cast and meet facing up;

  5-8   2s1L right hands across WHILE 1M3s left hands across;

  9-16 all take promenade hold for reel of 3 across (1s giving right shoulder to 2s to start);

17-20 1s cross out (passing 1M between 2s, 1L between 3s) and cast up to places;

21-24 all turn by the left (1s 1½ times) to finish in original places;

25-28 1s3s half rights and lefts diagonally;

29-32 3s2s (3s at top) half rights and lefts diagonally, finishing 2s3s1s.

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

Dance Notes

    -0   All take hands in a circle to make the dancers evenly spaced in the set: 1M at 1 o'clock, 2L at 3 o'clock, 2M at 5 o'clock, 3L at 7 o'clock, 3M at 9 o'clock, 1L at 11 o'clock.

21-24 All take advantage of the turn so as to finish evenly spaced in original places in the triangular set.

25-32 Diagonal half rights and lefts are unsymmetrical in a triangular set; take particular care to finish correctly in the new places.


Keith Rose's Crib Diagrams


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MacPherson's Jig - Scottish Country Dancing Instruction Video
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