Scottish Country Dancing Dictionary

May Johnston's Reel

Scottish Country Dance Instruction

MAY JOHNSTON'S REEL (R4x48) 4C set Ruary Laidlaw Dancing Feet

1- 8 Men pass partner RSh and 4M followed by 3M+2M+1M casts to Right and chase up Men's side to 1st place
9-16 All turn person opposite RH then LH
17-32 Ladies repeat bars 1-16. 4321
33-40 4s cast to bottom, followed by 3s+2s+1s who dance up sides to start (4 bars). All now in original places turn partner RH. 1234
41-48 1s cast to 4th place (2s+3s+4s step up 43-44) 1s turn RH (4 bars) 2341

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

May Johnston's Reel
A 4 x 48 bar Reel for four couples in a longwise set.
Cross and Chase
1 - 8 All four men pass their partners by the right shoulder and then "chase" the fourth man who casts to his right round the bottom of the set to cross over to his own side then up to first place. The other men finish in 2nd, 3rd and 4th places respectively.
9 -16 All four couples turn the person opposite with the right hand for four steps then the left hand for four steps to finish where they started on bar 9.
17-24 All four ladies pass the person opposite by the right shoulder and "chase" the first lady who casts up round the top of the set to finish at the bottom of the set. The other ladies finish in 3rd, 2nd and 1st places respectively.
25-32 All four couples turn their partners with the right hand for four steps and then with the left hand for four steps to finish where they started on bar 25, facing up towards the music.
33-40 The fourth couple at the top then cast off to the bottom of the set for four steps, followed by the other three couples. All four couples then turn their partners by the right hand to finish on their own sides in original places.
Cast Off
41-48 The first couple at the top then cast off and dance to the bottom of the set for four steps. The other three couples join hands on the sides of the set and move up on bars 43 and 44. The first couple then turn with the right hand for four steps to finish in fourth place on their own sides.

Repeat with a new top couple.

(Dance crib compiled by the deviser, Ruary Laidlaw, 2002)

Dance Instruction Videos

May Johnston's Reel - Scottish Country Dancing Instruction Video

Dance Information

May Johnston started dancing in 1965 at the Caledonian Society Club (later to be named "Lochiel SCD Club").

She has been a member of Lochiel Club for 37 continuous years!

(Dance information by the deviser Ruary Laidlaw, copyright 2002, All rights reserved)

May Johnston
May Johnston
Published in May Johnston's Reel, reproduced here with the kind permission of the deviser, Ruary Laidlaw.
Image copyright May Johnston, Ruary Laidlaw, all rights reserved, 2024.

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