The Old Waterwheel
Scottish Country Dance Instruction
The Old Waterwheel 8x32 Reel for 3C by Sue McKinnell1-8 1C cross RH, cast to 2nd place, and dance a ½ figure eight up around 2C, who stepped up on bars 3-4.
9-12 1W dance RH across with 2nd couple WHILE 1M dance RH across with 3rd couple.
13-16 1W dance out men's side through 2nd place, cast up behind 2M and dance in the top of the set
WHILE 1M dance out women's side, cast down behind 3W and dance in the bottom of the set. 1C end LS to LS in the center of the dance at 2nd position: 1W facing down; 1M facing up.
17-20 1W dance RH across with 2M and 3M WHILE 1M dance RH across with 3W and 2W.
21-24 1W dance out the bottom of the set, cast up behind 3M and into the center of the set through 2nd place
WHILE 1M dance out the top of the set, cast down behind 2W and into the center of the set through 2nd place. 1C end LS to LS in the center of the dance at 2nd position: 1W facing women's side; 1M facing men's side.
25-28 1W dance RH across with 3C WHILE 1M dance RH across with 2C.
29-32 1C turn 1¼ by LH to own sides in 2nd place.
Repeat.
(Dance crib compiled by the deviser, Sue McKinnell, Nov 2000)
Keith Rose's Crib Diagrams
Dance Information
Suggested music is The Reel of the Gordon Highlanders from Gang on the Same Gate by Green Ginger.(Dance information by the deviser, Sue McKinnell)
A waterwheel is a mechanical device designed to harness the energy of flowing water and convert it into useful work, typically in the form of rotational motion. It is a historic technology that has been employed for various applications, such as milling grain, sawing wood, and powering other industrial processes.
The fundamental principle behind a waterwheel involves the transfer of kinetic energy from flowing water to the wheel's paddles or buckets. The force of the moving water causes the wheel to turn, and this rotational motion can be utilized to drive machinery or generate electricity.
Waterwheels come in different designs, but the two primary types are undershot and overshot wheels. Undershot wheels are positioned with their paddles facing downstream, and the water flows beneath the wheel, impacting the lower portion of the paddles. Overshot wheels, on the other hand, are positioned with their paddles facing upstream, and the water is channeled to flow over the top of the wheel, maximizing the use of gravitational potential energy.
Historically, waterwheels played a crucial role in powering various industries during the pre-industrial and early industrial eras. Mills, particularly grain mills, sawmills, and fulling mills, extensively relied on waterwheels to drive their machinery. The technology was widely adopted in regions with abundant water resources, contributing to the economic development of those areas.
While waterwheels have largely been replaced by more modern and efficient forms of energy conversion, they still hold historical and cultural significance. Some preserved waterwheel installations serve as educational attractions, demonstrating the engineering ingenuity of past centuries. Using waterwheels today, especially in small hydropower setups, shows that they still matter for tapping into renewable energy.
The Old Snuff Mill Waterwheel (Undershot Example)
Dance information licensed under this Creative Commons Licence 3.0.
Text from this original Water wheel article on Wikipedia.
Image copyright Ian Yarham under this Creative Commons Licence 2.0.
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