Simon Barbour's Ramble

Scottish Country Dance Instruction

Simon Barbour's Ramble (R5x32) An 5 x 32 bar Reel, for 5 couples in a longwise set, Ruary Laidlaw, Kihikihi

1- 8 First and second couples, joining inside hands, set once on the side and half right hand wheel to the opposite side. They set once again and cross with the left hand to their own side of the dance with the first couple now in second place and the second couple at the top.
Giant Teapots
9-12 The first lady, dances a RH wheel once round with the second couple above her. The first man dances a RH wheel once round with the third couple below him, The fourth man dances a RH wheel once round with the fifth couple below him, The fourth lady dances a RH wheel once round with the third couple and first man above her.
13-16 Then, the first man dances a LH wheel once round with the second couple, above him. The first lady dances a LH wheel once round with the third couple below her. The fourth man dances a LH wheel once round with the third couple and first lady above him. The fourth lady dances a LH wheel once round with the fifth couple below her
17-24 The first and fourth couples cross over with the right hand . The first man continues on to cast off behind the third lady, followed by his partner who has turned right about, and crosses over the dance to finish on his own side and turns right about to face his partner who finishes on her own side of the dance.
Meanwhile the fourth lady continues on to dance up behind the third man, followed by her partner who has turned right about, and crosses over to her own side of the dance and turns right about to face her partner, who finishes on his own side of the dance. The first and the fourth couples then set once to their partner
25-32 The first and the fourth couples then dance towards each other, and, touching inside hands, cast off one place and turn each other with the right hand for four steps. The third and fifth couple move up on bars 3 and 4 of the phrase.

(Dance crib compiled by the deviser, Ruary Laidlaw, 22nd August 2026)

Dance Information

Simon Barbour has been one of the personalities of the Lochiel club for at least ten years and has filled many of the offices of the club as well as being assistant tutor and tutor of the club at various times.

Both he and Glenys, his wife, co-organised the 200¾ Summer School in Hamilton at the University of Waikato.

Music: Track 7 on the CD, "Simon Barbour's Rant", Jig, 8x32

Simon Barbour

Published in Simon Barbour's Ramble, reproduced here with the kind permission of the deviser, Ruary Laidlaw.

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