Scottish Country Dancing Dictionary

The Powder Monkey

Scottish Country Dance Instruction

THE POWDER MONKEY (M-(S64+R64)) Sq.Set Sue Tyler RSCDS Exeter 40th Anniversary Book

Strathspey
1- 8 All dance interlocking reels of 4 (all pass partner RSh, next person LSh and following person RSh) and end with hands joined with corners
9-16 All set and link with corners, All advance 1 step with corner and retire 1 step with next person (to end in a square) and set
17-24 1s+3s (sides) dance ½ R&L, 2s+4s (top and bottom) dance ½ R&L
25-32 All set and link with corners, All advance 1 step with corner and retire 1 step with partner (to end in a square) and set
33-40 Ladies dance in front of partner and behind next Man, then dance ¾ RH across and turn partner LH into RH across joined nearer hands with partner
41-44 All dance RH across ¼ way then change places with partner and dance another ¼ RH across (Men in centre)
45-48 All dance another ¼ RH across then Men dance out followed by partners to end ½ way round set
49-56 All dance double Men's Chain and end Ladies facing out
57-64 All dance ½ Schiehallion reel and end in original places

Reel
Repeat in reel time but in bars 13-16 and 29-32 all advance 2 steps and retire 2 steps and omit setting

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


Keith Rose's Crib Diagrams


Dance Instruction Videos

The Powder Monkey - Scottish Country Dancing Instruction Video

Dance Information

The Powder Monkey manned naval artillery guns as a member of a warship's crew, primarily during the Age of Sail. His chief role was to ferry gunpowder from the powder magazine in the ship's hold to the artillery pieces.
Powder Monkey
Powder Monkey 1911
On A Union Vessel During The American Civil War


Dance information licensed under this Creative Commons Licence 3.0.
Text from this original Powder Monkey article on Wikipedia.
Image copyright The Review of Reviews Co., New York. 1911.

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