Scottish Country Dancing Dictionary

Midnight Oil

Scottish Country Dance Instruction

MIDNIGHT OIL (J5x48) 5C set John Drewry Bankhead Book 3

1- 8 1s and 3s lead down and ¾ turn RH to L facing down and M up, retaining hold of RH set and L turns under partners Rt arm to dance up (Men follow partner)
9-16 1s and 3s dance RH across with 2L/4L, 1s and 3s dance LH across with 4M/5M to end facing 1st corners
17-24 1s also 3s dance pass and turn with 1st corners and pass RSh to face 2nd corners, dance pass and turn with 2nd corners and into centre facing partner (L facing down M up)
25-32 1s+3s dance reel of 4 up and down centre of dance and end in centre holding partner's nearer hand (1s face Ladies' side and 3s face Men's side)
33-40 1s also 3s dance out sides and cast, dance in to meet partner (1M and 3L pass LSh) to dance out other side and cast back to middle (1M and 3L pass RSh and face each other)
41-48 1L also 3M set twice while 1M+3L turn RH, 1s and 3s turn partner LH and cast down 1 place on own sides. 24153

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


Midnight Oil
John Drewry Bankhead Book
Jig 5 x 48 bars 5 Couple Repeat 5 Couple Set Longwise Set

  1-4   1s 3s lead down and turn by the right ¾, finishing on centre line, Mn below Ls, retaining hold;

  5-8   1s 3s set (1L 3L turning under partner's arm) and dance up one place (still retaining hold) with L leading;

  9-12 2L1s 4L3s right hands across;

13-16 1s4M 3s5M left hands across, 1s finishing facing first corners;

17-20 1s 3s pass and turn with first corners (1M 1L 3M 3L pass corners giving right shoulder and cast to the right, finishing in the centre of the dance WHILE corners turn by the right quickly back to places);

21-24 1s 3s pass partners right shoulder and then pass and turn with second corners, finishing 1L1M3L3M on the centre line;

25-32 1s3s reel of 4 up and down the centre line, finishing 1L1M facing out towards 2L's place, 3L3M facing out towards 4M's place;

33-40 1s 3s dance out, cast away from partners, meet, dance out the opposite side and cast again, finishing 1L between 2s facing down, 3M between 5s facing up, 1M3L taking right hands;

41-44 1L 3M set twice WHILE 1M3L turn by the right;

45-48 1s 3s turn by the left and cast, finishing 2s4s1s5s3s.

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


Keith Rose's Crib Diagrams


Dance Instruction Videos

Midnight Oil - Scottish Country Dancing Instruction Video

Dance Information

Burning The Midnight Oil is an expression known from mid 17th century, originally referring to the act of burning oil in lamps for light and safety and latterly meaning "to work late into the night".
Oil Lamp
Oil Lamp


Dance information licensed under this Creative Commons Licence 3.0.
Text from this original Burn The Midnight Oil article on Wikipedia.
Image copyright Free4freedom (Own work) Creative Commons Licence 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

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