The Rose

Scottish Country Dance Instruction

The dancers form up in a single line down the centre of the room with the men facing down and the ladies facing up, each lady being back to back with the man below her.

First figure: "Stem Thorns and Bud"
1-12 All five couples dance petronella three quarters round.
13-16 First, second, third and fourth couples all dance a petronella turn to their original places and set, the ladies all turning to face down on bar 16; meanwhile, fifth couple set twice, advancing to join hands and make an arch at the end of bar 16.
17-20 Fourth lady, followed by the seven other dancers, dances under the arch; she commences to dance round to her right into a anticlockwise circle; fourth man, following his partner, emerges from the arch and turns to his left to dance round in a clockwise circle; third, second and first ladies follow fourth lady, whilst their partners follow fourth man. Fourth couple meet below fifth couple at the end of bar 20.
21-24 Fourth couple give right hands in passing to commence a grand chain, one step to each hand. The men finish with a polite turn on bar 24.

Chorus: "Stamen"
1- 4 Each man sets to and turns the lady on his right with both hands.
5- 8 Each man sets to and turns the lady on his left with both hands.

Second figure: "Carpel and Peduncle"
1- 8 The five ladies dance right hands across in a wheel and back with the left hands.
9-16 The five men dance right hands across in a wheel and back with the left hands.
17-24 The five ladies dance five hands round to the left in a circle and back to the right, whilst the men set Highland Schottische for eight bars.

Chorus: "Stamen"
1- 8 As above.

Third figure: "Inner Petals"
1-20 Reel of ten: each man dances across to the opposite lady's place, giving left hands across half way in a wheel as they do so; at the same time, each lady casts clockwise into the place occupied by the man on her immediate left; the ladies then cross, following the same man and giving left hands in a wheel half way, whilst the men cast. These four bars are repeated four more times to return to places as at the beginning of the figure.
21-24 All set Highland Schottische.

Chorus: "Stamen"
1- 8 As above.

Fourth figure: "Outer Petals"
1-20 Reel of ten: each lady dances in and across to the place occupied by the second man to her right round the set (three places anticlockwise) without giving hands in a wheel, whilst each man casts clockwise to follow the lady on his immediate left; the men then dance across, following the same lady, whilst the ladies cast. These four bars are repeated four more times to finish in the same places as at the beginning of the figure.
21-24 All set Highland Schottische.

Chorus: "Stamen"
1- 8 As above.

Fifth figure: "The Bloom"
1- 8 Ten hands round to the left in a circle.
9-12 Each man gives right hand to the lady on his right to commence a grand chain, two steps to each hand.
13-14 Original first couple meet and turn with the right hand, the others continue to dance the chain.
15-16 First couple commence leading up to the top, second couple meet and turn with the left hand, the others continue to dance the chain.
17-18 First couple, followed by second, lead up to the top, third couple meet and turn with the right hand, fourth and fifth couples pass right hand to complete the chain.
19-22 First, second and third couples continue to dance up towards the top; fourth couple turn with the left hand on bars 19 & 20 and then follow third couple, whilst fifth couple turn one and a half times with the left hand to follow.
23-32 First couple, followed by the others, continue to dance off.

(Dance crib reproduced from The Whetherly Book of Scottish Country Dances, revised and republished by Alison Mitchell)

Keith Rose's Crib Diagram

The Rose - Full Size And Key To Symbols

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