Reel Friends
Scottish Country Dance Instruction
REEL FRIENDS (R5x40) 5C Set Hilary Richardson Southsea 501- 8 2s dance LSh round 1s while 4s dance LSh round 5s; 2s+4s dance RH across
9-16 2L followed by 2M dance tandem reel of 3 on Ladies' side (LSh to 1L) while 4M followed by 4M dance tandem reel of 3 on Men's side (LSh to 5M)
17-24 2s dance tandem reel of 3 on Men's side (RSh to 1M) while 4s dance tandem reel of 3 on Ladies' side (RSH to 5L). 2s and 4s finish in original places
25-28 Top 3 Men (1M+2M+3M) also bottom 3 Ladies (3L+4L+5L) dance set and link for 3
29-32 Top 3 Ladies (1L+2L+5L) also bottom 3 Men (1M+4M+5M) dance set and link for 3, End Ladies' side: 5L 1L 2L 3L 4L, Men's side: 2M 3M 4M 5M 1M
33-40 All set, all turn new partner RH and set
Repeat with new partner
(MINICRIB. Dance crib compiled by Charles Upton, Deeside Caledonian Society, and his successors)
Reel Friends
Hilary Richardson Southsea 50
Reel 5 x 40 bars 5 Couple Repeat 5 Couple Set Longwise Set
1-4 Giving left shoulder, 2M dance around 1M, 2L around 1L, 4M around 5M, 4L around 5L, finishing 2s 4s facing clockwise;
5-8 2s4s right hands across, finishing in tandem with partners (2M following 2L, 4L following 4M), 2s facing the Ls' side, 4s the Mn's;
9-16 1L(2s)3L 3M(4s)5M tandem reels of three on the sides, 2s giving left shoulder to 1L, 4s left shoulder to 5M to start;
17-24 1M(2s)3M 3L(4s)5L tandem reels of three on the sides, 2s giving right shoulder to 1M, 4s right shoulder to 5L to start, all finishing in original places;
25-28 1M2M3M 3L4L5L set and link (starting and finishing in the side lines):
25-26 1M2M3M 3L4L5L take hands on the sides and set;
27-28 1M dance down two places, inside the set, WHILE 5L dance up two places, inside the set, WHILE 2M 3M cast up one place WHILE 3L 4L cast down one place, finishing 2M3M1M4M5M 1L2L5L3L4L on own sides;
29-32 1M4M5M 1L2L5L set and link (starting and finishing in the side lines):
29-30 1M4M5M 1L2L5L take hands on the sides and set;
31-32 1M dance down two places, inside the set, WHILE 5L dance up two places, inside the set, WHILE 2M 3M cast up one place WHILE 3L 4L cast down one place, finishing 2M3M4M5M1M 5L1L2L3L4L on own sides;
33-34 all take hands on the sides and set;
35-38 all turn new partner by the right;
39-40 all take hands on the sides and set, finishing 2M3M4M5M1M 5L1L2L3L4L on own sides.
(MAXICRIB. Scottish country dancing instructions compiled by Reuben Freemantle)
Dance Notes
1-40 2s 4s are the dancing couples.
9- 2L 4M give the same shoulder to the same dancer as on bar 1.
-24 2s 4s must be quick to get back to original places, facing in.
25-32 The dancers do not progress around the corners' square as in the standard set and link for 3.
35-38 a slow turn, with careful covering.
-40 Do not expect to finish facing original partners.
Keith Rose's Crib Diagrams
Reel Friends
YWCA Clubs - The Work Of The Young Women's Christian Association In Wartime, Norfolk, England, UK, 1944
Image copyright Ministry of Information Photo Division Photographer, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
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