The Peterborough Reel

Scottish Country Dance Instruction

1- 8 1s set, cross RH, cast 1 place and turn LH to face 1st corners (2s step up bars 5-6)
9-16 1s dance ½ reel of 4 with 1st corners, pass RSh to dance ½ reel with 2nd corners, pass RSh to 2nd place own side.
17-24 1s cast down round 2s (in 3rd place) dance up to top, cast round 3s (in 1st place) to 2nd place own sides
25-32 3s+1s+2s dance Diagonal R&L (1M down, 1L up). 213

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

Dance Information

Peterborough is a city in the Canadian province of Ontario (Not to be confused with Peterborough, the cathedral city in the City of Peterborough district of Cambridgeshire, England.), serving as the seat of Peterborough County although it functions as an independent single-tier municipality.

The history of Peterborough begins with Indigenous usage of the area, including a portage route along the Otonabee River. European settlement began in the early 19th century when Adam Scott established a sawmill and grist mill in what was then called Scott's Plains. In 1825 an organised emigration of Irish Catholic families under the direction of Peter Robinson arrived and settled in the area; Scott's Plains was later renamed Peterborough in Robinson's honour. By 1850 Peterborough was incorporated as a town, and in 1905 it became a city.

The city lies approximately 125 kilometres northeast of Toronto. In the 2021 census the city had a population of 83,651, and its metropolitan area – the Peterborough Census Metropolitan Area – recorded 128,624 residents.

The city's nickname, "The Electric City", derives from its early adoption of electric street lighting, and it reflects the historical importance of manufacturing and technological industry in the area. Over time the economy has shifted more towards service industries and tourism, as large manufacturing operations have declined.

Geographically the city lies in Central Ontario, within the Kawartha Lakes region, on the Otonabee River just south of the Canadian Shield. Little Lake lies within the city and the Trent Canal follows part of the river's course. Much of the terrain was shaped by glacial action in the last ice age, and the southern and downtown parts of the city sit on a flat basin formed by a former glacial lake. Elevations rise to the north and west, reaching up to about 286 metres at the highest point. The climate is humid continental, with distinct seasons, and record temperatures for the area include a high of 38.9 °C and a low of −39.4 °C.

In terms of demographics in 2021, English was the mother tongue of 90.2% of residents. The visible minority population stood at around 9.4%, and Indigenous people comprised 5.0%. Among religious affiliations, 50.9% identified as Christian, 43.7% reported no religious affiliation, and other religions accounted for 5.5%.

Notable sites within Peterborough include the Peterborough Lift Lock on the Trent-Severn Waterway, which opened in 1904 and was for many years the highest hydraulic lift lock in the world. The Canadian Canoe Museum is another significant attraction; it relocated to a new facility in 2024 housing hundreds of watercraft and associated artefacts.

Jackson Park contains an old-growth forest of trees up to 250 years old, and the Riverview Park and Zoo offers both animal exhibits and recreational facilities. In sports, the Peterborough Petes junior hockey team, established in 1956, remains the longest continuously operating franchise in the Ontario Hockey League and has produced numerous players who advanced to the NHL.

The Robinson Settlement 1825 Plaque - Victoria Park, Peterborough, Ontario

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