The Southern Cross

Scottish Country Dance Instruction

1- 8 1s+2s set, 1s cast to face up in centre while 2s turn LH ½ way moving up and face down, 2s+1s set and link with partner 2s end own sides and 1s face 2L
9-16 1s+2L RH across and LH across with 3M and end facing 1st corners
17-24 1s turn 1st corners RH, partner LH, 2nd corners RH and partner LH to end in centre facing up Man behind partner
25-32 1s+2M LH across and RH across with 3L, 1s end 2nd place own sides

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

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Dance Information

The Southern Cross is particularly prominent in the Southern Hemisphere, serving as a navigational aid for sailors and explorers for centuries. Due to its distinctive shape, with its four brighter stars forming a cross and the fifth one nearby, the constellation has been used as a celestial landmark. Sailors and navigators would use the Southern Cross to determine direction and latitude, making it an essential tool during voyages across the seas.

Culturally, the Southern Cross has symbolic significance in several Southern Hemisphere nations. In Australia, for example, it is featured on the national flag, symbolizing both geographical location and a sense of identity. The constellation has also been celebrated in literature, art, and indigenous cultures, contributing to its status as an emblem of the southern night sky.

Despite its cultural and navigational significance, the visibility of the Southern Cross is limited to latitudes below the equator, making it a celestial feature uniquely associated with the Southern Hemisphere.

Its presence in the night sky continues to captivate observers, serving as a reminder of the vastness of the cosmos and the shared celestial wonders that connect people across different cultures and geographical locations.