Rye Twist

Scottish Country Dance Instruction

RYE TWIST (R5x32) 5C set Sue McKinnell RSCDS Book 48

1- 4 1M+2s dance ½ reel of 3 across (1M+2L pass LSh). 1M finishes between 2s facing down
5- 8 1M+3s dance ½ reel of 3 across (1M+3M pass RSh), 1M finishes between 3s facing down while 1L+2s dance ½ reel of 3 across (1L+2L pass RSh). 2L finishes between 2s facing down. 2s finish in 1st place
9-12 1M+4s, 1L+3s repeat bars 5-8 (1M+4L, 1L+3M pass LSh). 3s finish in 2nd place
13-16 1M+5s, 1L+4s repeat bars 5-8 (1M+5M, 1L+4L pass RSh). 4s finish in 3rd place
17-20 1M dances out of end, casts round 5L place, crossing to 4M place while 1L+5s dance ½ reel of 3 across (1L+5M pass LSh). 1L finishes in 4L place, 5s in 5th place
21-24 1s+5s dance ½ LH across, cross LH with partner
25-32 All couples set, cross RH with partners, all set, cross RH with partners. 23451

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

Rye Twist 5x32 Reel for 5C by Sue McKinnell

1-4 1M dance a half LS reel of three with 2C, starting by passing 2W LS and ending between 2C facing down.
5-8 1M dance a half RS reel of three with 3C, starting by passing 3M RS and ending between 3C facing down, WHILE 1W dance a half RS reel of three with 2C, starting by passing 2W RS and ending between 2C facing down. 2C end in 1st place.
9-12 1M dance a half LS reel of three with 4C, starting by passing 4W LS and ending between 4C facing down, WHILE 1W dance a half LS reel of three with 3C, starting by passing 3M LS and ending between 3C facing down. 3C end in 2nd place.
13-16 1M dance a half RS reel of three with 5C, starting by passing 5M RS and ending between 5C facing down, WHILE 1W dance a half RS reel of three with 4C, starting by passing 4W RS and ending between 4C facing down. 4C end in 3rd place.
17-20 1M dance out the end of the set, cast up behind 5W's place and dance across the set to 4M's place WHILE 1W dance a half LS reel of three with 5C, starting by passing 5M LS and ending in 4W's place. 5C end in 5th place.
21-24 1C and 5C dance ½ LHA, then cross LH with partners. Ending order is 2, 3, 4, 5, 1.
25-32 All five couples take hands on the sides and set, cross RH with partners, take hands on the sides and set, and cross RH with partners.

Repeat 5 times.

(Dance crib compiled by the deviser, Sue McKinnell, Apr 2018)

Dance Notes

1-20 This is elegantly fugal: 1M dances a half reel of three across with 2s, 3s, 4s and 5s, successively, WHILE 1L dances a parallel half reel of three with the couple with whom her partner danced 4 bars earlier; note that she starts each half reel by giving, alternately, right shoulder to the L and left shoulder to the M who, in each case, is on the opposite side of the set.

1-8 2s dance a full reel of three across but finish in 1st place.

5-12 3s dance a full reel of three across but finish in 2nd place.

9-16 4s dance a full reel of three across but finish in 3rd place.

13-20 Note that 5s dance a normal, full reel of three across, finishing in own places.

17-20 As an aide-mémoire, 1L starts her final half reel across by following partner as he casts up on the Ls' side; 1s finish on own side in 4th place.

Keith Rose's Crib Diagrams

Rye Twist - Full Size And Key To Symbols

Dance Instruction Videos

Rye Twist - Scottish Country Dancing Instruction Video

Dance Information

The figure in bars 1-20 is taken from the dance Coming Through The Rye by Carolyn Hunt. I liked the figure and wanted to use it in my own dance.

Suggested music: Hoedown Reel Set from The Music Makars.

(Dance information by the deviser, Sue McKinnell)

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