The Riverside
Scottish Country Dance Instruction
The RiversideKarin Ingram and Tricia Matthews
Jig n x 32 bars n 4some Repeat n 4some Set Longwise Set
Each 4some consists of two Mn and two Ls: the first has 1MM in 1M's place of the lengthwise set; 1LL in 1L's place; 1LM in 2M's place; and 1ML in 2L's place. The second has 2MM in 3M's place and so on.
1-4 All take hands on the sides and advance and retire;
5-8 all advance and retire, finishing by releasing hands;
9-12 in each 4some, all right hands across;
13-16 in each 4some, all left hands across, finishing in places;
17-20 all dos-à-dos with partner on the sides;
21-24 all dos-à-dos with partner across the set, 1s finishing facing down and taking nearer hands, 1LM1MM making an arch over the Mn's side line, 1LL1ML making an arch over the Ls' side line, all others finishing in places;
25-32 2s 3s... face up and dance up two places on the sides under the arches WHILE 1s dance down to the places vacated by the bottom 4some, all finishing facing in.
(MAXICRIB. Scottish country dancing instructions compiled by Reuben Freemantle)
Dance Notes
This is a typical ceilidh dance; many variants exist as is clear from the videos.The 4some is the logical partner group; while dancers often join the set as couples, there must be an even number of these.
This jig, The Riverside, can be performed with any number of 4somes though it becomes rather rumbustious with more than four.
Dance Instruction Videos
The Riverside - Scottish Country Dancing Instruction Video
The Riverside, The River Cree
Image copyright Iain Thompson under this Creative Commons Licence 2.0.
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