The Piper's Cave
Scottish Country Dance Instruction
The Piper's Cave A thirty-two bar Reel for three couples in a longwise set, devised by John W Mitchell, published in Whetherly Book 7.1- 8 First couple dance down the middle for four steps, divide and cast up into second place on own side. Meanwhile second couple cast off for four bars, meet to dance up the middle to first place on own side. Note: The second couple meet below the first couple as the first couple splits on bar 5, both couples dance below the standing fourth couple.
9-12 First man dances a half a reel of three with third couple, crossing down to start.
13-16 First man picks up his partner in a promenade hold to dance second half of the reel with third couple.
17-20 First lady continues to dance a third half reel of three with third couple, whilst first man dances a half reel of three with second couple. Third couple finishes on opposite sides.
21-24 First man collects his partner on his left in a promenade hold and they complete the reel of three with second couple; at the end second couple dance in to face down in a promenade hold, first couple remain facing down and third couple steps in to face up in a promenade hold, each man with his partner on his left.
25-32 Promenade reel of three up and down the set, first and third couples pass by the right to commence. Finish on own sides with first couple in second place.
Repeat from second place.
Recommended tune: The Piper's Cave
Editor's note to the 2021 edition The original instructions stated "lead" rather than "dance" in bars 1-8; given the flow of the figure, we suggest that nearer hands joined in an "dance" down and up would be more appropriate. Bars 1-8 contained a note in the original edition, which we have modified here. The original note is reproduced below: Note: the change of direction occurs opposite first and second positions of the next set: i.e. below fourth place, or the standing first couple on the repeat.
(Dance crib reproduced from The Whetherly Book Of Scottish Country Dances, revised and republished by Alison Mitchell)
Keith Rose's Crib Diagram
Published in The Whetherly Book Of Scottish Country Dances Number 7, by John W Mitchell, revised and republished by Alison Mitchell. Instructions reproduced under the Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International Licence (CC BY-ND 4.0).
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