Scottish Country Dancing Dictionary

The Scallywag

Scottish Country Dance Instruction

THE SCALLYWAG (J8x40) 3C (4C set) Jennifer Kelly RSCDS Book 52

1- 8 1s dance in and cast (2s step up); 1s turn 1¼ LH to face 1st corners
9-16 1s set to corners, turn corner RH to end 1L between 2s facing 2L and 1M between 3s facing 3M. ½ LSh reels of 3 across ending in lines of 3 across facing down/up
17-24 All advance and retire; 1s dance RSh round each other to face 3rd corner positions
25-32 Repeat 9-16 ending with 2s+3s facing in and 1s facing each other up/down
33-40 1s set advancing joining RH, set with Lady turning under Man's arm. 1s face up RH joined, lead up, cross and cast. 213

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


The Scallywag
Jennifer Kelly RSCDS Book 52
Jig 8 x 40 bars 3 Couple Repeat 4 Couple Set Longwise Set

  1-4   1s cuddle cast;

  5-8   1s turn by the left to finish facing first corners;

  9-12 1s set to and turn first corners, finishing 2M1L2L  3M1M3L;

13-16 2M1L2L  3M1M3L half reels of 3 across, 1s giving left shoulder to partner's second corner to start, finishing 2L1L2M facing down, 3L1M3M up;

17-20 2L1L2M  3L1M3M advance and retire;

21-24 1s gypsy turn clockwise to finish facing second corner (in partner's first corner position);

25-32 1s repeat bars 9-16 from new positions:

25-28 1s set to and turn second corners, finishing 2L1M2M  3L1L3M;

29-32 2L1M2M  3L1L3M half reels of 3 across, 1s giving left shoulder to partner's first corner (in own second corner's position) to start, finishing 2M1M2L facing down, 3M1L3L up;

33-36 1s set advancing, take right hands and turn, L dancing under M's arm, to finish L on M's left, both facing up and retaining hold;

37-40 1s cross up and cast to 2nd place.

(MAXICRIB. Scottish country dancing instructions compiled by Reuben Freemantle)


Keith Rose's Crib Diagrams


Dance Instruction Videos

The Scallywag - Scottish Country Dancing Instruction Video

Dance Information

This jig, The Scallywag, was composed by Jennifer Kelly in 1997 to honour Mikkel Thompson for reaching the age of 50.

A Scallywag (In British English) is a disreputable person, a good-for-nothing.

Scallywag
Scallywag - Black-Beard


Published in folkdance.com
Image copyright David Ball, via Wikimedia Commons.

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