Scottish Country Dancing Dictionary

The Plantation Reel

Scottish Country Dance Instruction

THE PLANTATION REEL (R5x32) 5C set Tony Moretti Pinewoods Collection 2

1- 8 1s and 3s cross RH and cast down 1 place, lead down between the couple below and cast back to 2nd/4th place (opposite sides)
9-16 2s+1s and 4s+3s dance ½ R&L and Petronella turn 2 places anticlockwise round square (end in same places as at bar 8)
17-24 All dance RH across (1M with 2s, 1L+3M with 4s, 3L with 5s) and 1s and 3s change places with partners to dance LH across
25-32 1s and 3s cross RH cast down 1 place and all turn RH

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


The Plantation Reel
Tony Moretti Pinewoods Collection 2
Reel 5 x 32 bars 5 Couple Repeat 5 Couple Set Longwise Set

  1-4   1s 3s cross by the right and cast;

  5-8   1s 3s lead down one place and cast up on opposite sides;

  9-12 2s1s 4s3s half rights and lefts;

13-16 2s1s 4s3s petronella turn to next place anticlockwise, then repeat one more place;

17-20 2s1M 1L4s3M 3L5s right hands across;

21-24 2s1L 1M4s3L 3M5s left hands across;

25-28 1s 3s cross by the right and cast;

29-32 2s 4s 1s 5s 3s turn by the right.

(MAXICRIB. Scottish country dancing instructions compiled by Reuben Freemantle)


Keith Rose's Crib Diagrams


Dance Instruction Videos

The Plantation Reel - Scottish Country Dancing Instruction Video

Dance Information

This energetic reel is part of Tony Moretti Pinewoods Collection. Pinewoods is a traditional dance and music camp in Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA. Initially known as "Pine Tree Camp", it was founded in 1919 by Helen Osborne Storrow as the first National Girl Scout Leadership Training School. In 1933, the facility was converted for use as a dance camp. The name was changed to Pinewoods Camp in 1935. Royal Scottish Country Dance Society, Boston Branch is one of their Program Providers.

The work Of Plymouth Plantation was written over a period of years by William Bradford, the leader of the Plymouth Colony in Massachusetts. It is regarded as the most authoritative account of the Pilgrims and the early years of the colony they founded. Written between 1630 and 1651, the journal describes the story of the Pilgrims from 1608, when they settled in the Dutch Republic on the European mainland through the 1620 Mayflower voyage to the New World, until the year 1647. The book ends with a list, written in 1651, of Mayflower passengers and what happened to them.

This reel was dedicated to Andrew Rankine (1930-1985) for his contributions to Scottish country dancing.
Andrew was born in Aberdeen and was an accordionist, composer and band leader.

Andrew Rankine
Andrew Rankine Album Cover


Text from this original Pinewoods Dance Camp article on Wikipedia.
Text from this original Plymouth Plantation article on Wikipedia.
Image copyright Andrew Rankine.

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