Mirror, Mirror
Scottish Country Dance Instruction
Mirror, Mirror 5X32 Reel for 5C set Dance by Sue McKinnell1- 4 1C, 2C, 3C ½ mirror reels of 3 on sides, 1C dancing in and down to start.
5- 8 1C turn RH once round WHILE 3W and 2W turn LH 1½ WHILE 3M and 2M turn RH 1½.
9-16 1C, 4C, 5C crossover mirror reels of 3, 1C crossing down to 4th place to start.
17-24 2C, 3C, 1C crossover mirror reels of 3, 1C crossing up to 2nd place to start.
25-28 1C turn RH once round WHILE 4W and 5W turn RH 1½ WHILE 4M and 5M turn LH 1½.
29-32 1C, 5C, 4C ½ mirror reels of 3 on sides, 1C dancing in and down to start. Ending order is 2, 3, 4, 5, 1.
Repeat 5 times.
(Dance crib compiled by the deviser, Sue McKinnell, May 2006)
Keith Rose's Crib Diagrams
Dance Instruction Videos
Mirror, Mirror - Scottish Country Dancing Instruction VideoDance Information
Suggested music is 5x32 Reels from Gang on the Same Gate by Green Ginger.(Dance information by the deviser, Sue McKinnell)
The phrase "Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the fairest of them all?" is widely associated with the fairy tale Snow White.
The story originated in German folklore and was first published by the Brothers Grimm in 1812 as part of their Grimm's Fairy Tales. In the original German version, the line reads, "Spieglein, Spieglein an der Wand, wer ist die Schönste im ganzen Land?" which translates to "Little mirror, little mirror on the wall, who is the most beautiful in the whole land?" Over time, this has been reworded in various retellings and adaptations.
One of the most well-known versions of Snow White was produced by Walt Disney in 1937 as the animated film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. In this adaptation, the phrase was changed to "Magic mirror on the wall, who is the fairest one of all?" This slight difference means that the well-known "Mirror, mirror" wording does not actually come from the Disney film but from other versions of the story.
The idea of a talking mirror reflects historical beliefs in divination and magic. Throughout history, mirrors have been linked to supernatural concepts, including scrying, a practice in which people attempted to see visions or predict the future using reflective surfaces. The phrase itself has since become a common cultural reference, often used in a humorous or exaggerated way when talking about beauty, vanity, or self-reflection.
Today, the line is frequently quoted (and misquoted) in books, films, and everyday conversation. It has inspired numerous adaptations, parodies, and variations, often used as a way to question or comment on appearances. The phrase remains one of the most recognisable from fairy tale tradition, reinforcing the long-standing human fascination with beauty and perception.
Mirror Mirror...
The Queen Asks The Magic Mirror, Franz Jüttner (1865–1926), c. 1905-1910
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Text from this original Mirror article on Wikipedia.
Image from (cropped) Franz Jüttner, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
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