Rosss's Reel
Scottish Country Dance Instruction
ROSSS'S REEL (R8x32) 3C (4C set) Gaye Collin The Musicians' Wedding1-16 1s+2s dance The Rosss:
1-4 1M+2L cross RH, cast to their Left while partners step up/down and face out bars 3-4
5-8 1M+1L also 2L+2M turn LH on sides
9-12 1M+2L cross RH, cast to their Right while partners step up/down and face out bars 11-12
13-16 1M+1L also 2L+2M turn RH on sides
17-24 1s+2s+3s dance Rosss's Reel:
RSh reels of 3 except 1M dances ½ reel on own side, crosses set from 3rd place to briefly follow 1L (she frowns) and then crosses back and up to top place own side and 1s face out (2M+3M dance normal reel of 3 shape)
25-32 1s cast round 2s (2s step up 27-28), cross down between 3s, cast up to 2nd place and cross LH to own sides
Note: End of 2nd time through 1s remain in 3rd place, stepping down (bars 3-4) as new top couple start
(MINICRIB. Dance crib compiled by Charles Upton, Deeside Caledonian Society, and his successors)
Rosss's Reel
Gaye Collin
Reel 8 x 32 bars 3 Couple Repeat 4 Couple Set Longwise Set
1-2 1M2L cross diagonally by the right, finishing facing out;
3-4 2L cast WHILE 1M cast up WHILE 2M step up WHILE 1L step down, 2M 1L finishing facing out;
5-8 2s 1s turn by the left on the sides;
9-10 2L1M cross diagonally by the right, finishing facing out;
11-12 2L cast WHILE 1M cast up WHILE 2M step down WHILE 1L step up, 2M 1L finishing facing out;
13-16 1M2M 1L2L turn by the right on the sides;
17-20 giving right shoulder to 2s to start, 1s dance half reels of 3 on own sides, 1M crossing to finish behind 1L;
21-24 giving left shoulder to 2L to start, 1s dance tandem half reel of 3 on Ls' side WHILE 2M3M follow the path of a half reel of 3 on Mn's side (with a ghost third dancer), finishing with 1M crossing back to own side, all in original places, 1s facing out;
25-26 1s cast one place;
27-30 1s cross down into half figures of 8 across;
31-32 1s cross by the left to finish 2s1s3s.
(MAXICRIB. Scottish country dancing instructions compiled by Reuben Freemantle)
Dance Notes
3-4 In the 3rd, 5th and 7th repeats, the former 1s, still in 3rd place of the full set, step down WHILE 3s, in 4th place of the full set, step up.
17-24 2L 3L dance a normal full reel of 3; 2M 3M dance a normal half reel of 3 followed by the path of the second half reel as though 1M were still with them.
21- In the spirit of the dedicatee's wife's style, 1L should gently admonish 1M as he crosses to follow her.
25-26 2s step up.
-32 In the 2nd, 4th and 6th repeats, 1s remain in 3rd place of the full set until bar 3 of the next repeat.
These and the notes for bars 3-4 are the deviser's original instructions over dropping to 4th place; the dedicatee's widow suggests the following alternative:
31-32 In the 2nd, 4th and 6th repeats, 1s cross down by the left to 4th place of the full set WHILE 3s step up to 3rd place of the full set.
Keith Rose's Crib Diagrams
Dance Instruction Videos
Rosss's Reel - Scottish Country Dancing Instruction VideoDance Information
The music for this dance is on the CD, The Musicians' Wedding, by Marian Anderson and her Band.The dance was devised in memory of Ross Edwards, who died in November 2016.
Damon Collin has named the first formation (bars 1-16) "The Rosss".
Cath, Ross's wife, had great trouble at times dancing with his free-spirited approach on the dance floor and sometimes had to take him in hand for a few quiet words. His naughty ways were loved by many and we miss him dearly. Not many dancers could get away with this approach to Scottish Country dancing but Ross, with his twinkling eyes, could. Like a box of chocolates, you never knew when you danced with Ross quite how it would turn out. The Reel in this dance is an example of what he got up to.
The extra ssss in the title are because, when Ross emailed the deviser, he often signed off with:
Rossss staff to Catherine, or
Rossss on behalf of she who should be obeyed, another one was,
Rossss secretary to Catherine E Edwards, or just
Staffee.
(Dance information by the deviser, Gaye Collin)
Rosss, Like A Box Of Chocolates...
Image copyright (cropped) Vicki Nunn, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
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