Napier's Index
Scottish Country Dance Instruction
NAPIER'S INDEX (J8x40) 3C (4C set) Brian Charlton RSCDS Book 451- 8 1s set and cast 1 place, turn LH 1¼ times to end in Balance-in-Line position between 1st corners
9-16 1s+1st corners Balance-in-Line and turn corners RH (4 bars) to Balance-in-Line again with 1st corners
17-24 1s dance reel of 3 on sides (LSh to 2nd corner) and end diagonally between 2nd corners
25-32 1s+2nd corners Balance-in-Line and turn corners RH (4 bars), Balance-in-Line again with 2nd corners
33-40 1s dance reels of 3 across (LSh to 3rd corners) and cross RH to 2nd places. 213
(MINICRIB. Dance crib compiled by Charles Upton, Deeside Caledonian Society, and his successors)
Napier's Index
Brian Charlton RSCDS Book 45
Jig 8 x 40 bars 3 Couple Repeat 4 Couple Set Longwise Set
1-4 1s set and cast;
5-8 1s turn 1¼ by the left, retain hold and take right hands with first corners;
9-10 1s balance in line with first corners;
11-14 1s turn first corners by the right;
15-16 repeat bars 9-10;
17-24 reels of three on the sides, 1s giving left shoulder to second corners to start, finishing in balance position with second corners;
25-32 1s repeat bars 9-16 with second corners;
33-38 reels of three across, 1s giving left shoulder to partner's first corners to start;
39-40 1s cross by the right to 2nd place.
(MAXICRIB. Scottish country dancing instructions compiled by Reuben Freemantle)
Napier's Index A 40 Bar Jig For 3 Couples In A 4 Couple Set.
1 - 8 The first couple set, cast off one place, first couple turn with left hand 1¼ times to finish in balance in line position between first corners.
9 - 16 First couple and first corners balance in line, first couple turn first corners once round with right hand (4 bars), then first couple and first corners balance in line
17 - 24 First couple dance reels of three on the sides with corners, first couple giving left shoulders to second corners to begin. First couple finish with left hands joined in balance in line position between second corners.
25 - 32 First couple and second corners balance in line, first couple turn second corners once round with right hand (4 bars), then first couple and second corners balance in line
33 - 40 First couple dance reels of three across the dance, first couple giving left shoulder to partner's first corner to begin. On bars 39-40, First couple cross giving right hand while second and third couples curve into place.
Repeat having passed a couple.
(Dance crib compiled by the deviser, Brian Charlton on 4 June 2001)
Keith Rose's Crib Diagrams
Dance Instruction Videos
Napier's Index - Scottish Country Dancing Instruction VideoDance Information
This is one of the most popular Scottish country dances. It has been in the top thirty most frequent dances appearing on dance programmes, for decades.Napier's Index is dedicated to Keith Napier (Five Dock, New South Wales), a long-serving member of the Sydney branch of the RSCDS in various capacities from Chairman, Winter School Convenor and Secretary. He is also the author of the world-famous The Napier Scottish Country Dance Index (ISBN 0959365001).
Recommended Music: A suitable recording is 'The Maid of the Mill' on Cairngorms CD.
This dance was published by the Royal Scottish Country Dance Society in Book 45; the recommended music in that publication is Juniper Jig, by C. Sherrit.
The music recorded by George Meikle and the Lothian Scottish Dance Band fits the dance very well, but I still prefer to dance it to The Maid of the Mill by Muriel Johnstone.
(Dance information by the deviser, Brian Charlton)
Great North Road - Nearby Keith Napier's Home In Five Dock, NSW, Australia
Image copyright Alexxx1 at English Wikipedia [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC-BY-SA-3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)], via Wikimedia Commons.
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