Scottish Country Dancing Dictionary

Vice Versa

Scottish Country Dance Instruction

Vice Versa (R4x40) 40 bar reel for four couples in a longwise set, Eddy West, 2001.

1- 4 First and second couples, and at the same time third and fourth couples, advance setting diagonally to touch hands in a square then petronella turn on to the next place on their right (first and fourth ladies, second and third men cross the set while first and fourth men, second and third ladies move up or down on the sides).
5- 8 All set to partners on the sides and turn with right hands a little over or under half way to finish in a St Andrews cross formation, ladies back to back in the middle.
9-24 All dance a double diagonal Celtic Reel:
 9-10 All change places with partner passing right shoulder.
 11-12 Ladies dance clockwise a quarter of the way round while men dance round one another passing left shoulder ¾ of the way to face partners.
 13-14 All change places with partner passing right shoulder.
 15-16 Men dance clockwise a quarter of the way round while ladies dance round one another passing left shoulder ¾ of the way to face partners.
 17-24 Repeat bars 9-16 back to position as at bar 8.
25-26 All change places with partners passing right shoulder, do not turn to face partners.
27-28 All set turning by the right, ladies move to the end positions of a longwise set, men stay close to one another, first and second men facing up, third and fourth men facing down.
29-32 Men dance out the end nearest and cast round into sidelines beside their partners.
33-36 First and second couples, and at the same time third and fourth couples, advance setting diagonally to touch hands in a square then petronella turn on to the next place on their right (first and fourth men, second and third ladies cross the set while first and fourth ladies, second and third men move up or down on the sides).
37-40 First and fourth couples set and dance half right hands across.

Repeat from new positions (2,4,1,3) second and fourth couples are on opposite sides. All will dance following instructions for opposite sex. The dance can be done two or four times through depending on taste and energy.

(Dance crib compiled by the deviser, Eddy West 2001)


Dance Information

This dance was devised as an item for a "Vice Versa" Ceilidh.

Suggested music for 4 times through: "Set of Reels" recorded by the Danelaw Band on the CD "Strictly Scottish Vol 1".

(Dance information by the deviser, Eddy West)


Published in (https://eddywest.nz), Vice Versa, reproduced here with the kind permission of the deviser, Eddy West.

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