The Spread Eagle

Scottish Country Dance Instruction

The Spread Eagle (R8x32) 3C (4C set) Lewis N Derrick 1988

1- 4 The 1st and 2nd couples dance four hands round to the left
5- 6 Facing diagonally inwards, the 1st and 2nd couples set
7- 8 While the 1st man and 2nd woman set advancing, pulling back their right shoulders to end back to back facing their original positions, the 1st woman casts down one place and the 2nd man casts up one place to face in on the diagonal
9-16 The 1st and 2nd couples dance a diagonal reel of four, to begin 1st and 2nd men and the 1st and 2nd women pass right shoulders, on the last two bars the 1st man and 2nd woman turn three-quarters round by the left hand to end with the 2nd couple in top place facing in and the 1st couple in second place facing down; the 3rd couple face up
17-24 The 2nd, 1st and 3rd couples dance a grand chain
25-28 Giving right hands, the 1st and 3rd men and 1st and 3rd women turn once round on own sides
29-32 Retaining right hands, the 1st and 3rd couples dance right hands across once round

Repeat having passed a couple

(Dance crib compiled by the deviser, Lewis N Derrick 2020)

Dance Information

This reel, The Spread Eagle, was devised by Lewis Derrick to Commemorate William Pirie (1856-1905) from Banff, sometime policeman in Creetown and Dumfries, who in later life was the innkeeper of the Spread Eagle Inn in Maxwelltown, Dumfries.

Suggested tune: The Peeler's Jacket.

Devised 1988, revised 2020, first published electronically 2020.

(Dance information from The McGhie Scottish Country Dance Sheets #24, reproduced here with the kind permission of the deviser, Lewis N Derrick)

Published in The McGhie Scottish Country Dance Sheets, Collection 3, reproduced here with the kind permission of the deviser, Lewis N Derrick.

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