The Walnut Schiehallion Reel

Scottish Country Dance Instruction

1- 8 Ladies dance RH across to place facing out; All dance ¼ Schiehallion reel (1 place round). Men face in, Ladies out
9-16 Men dance RSh round partners*; All dance ¼ Schiehallion reel. Men face in, Ladies out
17-24 Ladies dance RSh round partners*; All dance ¼ Schiehallion reel. Men face in, Ladies out
25-32 Ladies chase clockwise round outside set while Men chase anticlockwise round inside set. 4123
33-40 Men dance LH across to place facing out; All dance ¼ Reverse Schiehallion reel (Ladies dance diagonal to left, Men start out and follow partner)
41-48 Ladies dance LSh round partners*; All dance ¼ Reverse Schiehallion reel
49-56 Men dance LSh round partners*; All dance ¼ Reverse Schiehallion reel
57-64 Ladies chase clockwise round inside while Men chase anticlockwise round outside set. 1234
65-72 All dance Double Men's Chain (Men LH across in centre, Ladies polite turn ** )
73-80 All dance Double Ladies' Chain (Ladies RH across in centre)
81-96 All dance complete Reverse Schiehallion reel (moving 4 places). 1234

Note * Bars 9-12, 17-20, 41-44 and 49-52 - standing partner may rotate with 4 pas-de-basque to follow dancing partner
Note ** Bars 71-72 - easier for couples to turn 2H and face in to avoid Ladies giving RH twice from 1 chain to other

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

1 - 4 Women dance right hands across once round and finish in original places facing out.
5 - 8 All dance ¼ schiehallion reel, finishing men facing in and women facing out.
9 - 12 Men dance around their partners, dancing in and behind them to begin.
13 - 16 All dance ¼ schiehallion reel.
17 - 20 Women dance around their partners, dancing out and behind them to begin.
21 - 24 All dance ¼ schiehallion reel.
25 - 32 All chase once round, women dancing clockwise and outside the set, as men dance anticlockwise and inside the set.
33 - 36 Men dance left hands across once round and finish in original places facing out.
37 - 40 All dance ¼ reverse schiehallion reel (women start facing center, and dance to the left into next man's place, as men start facing out and follow partner).
41 - 44 Women dance around their partners, dancing in and behind them to begin.
45 - 48 All dance ¼ reverse schiehallion reel.
49 - 52 Men dance around their partners, dancing out and behind them to begin.
53 - 56 All dance ¼ reverse schiehallion reel.
57 - 64 All chase once round, men dancing anticlockwise and outside the set, as women dance clockwise and inside the set.
65 - 72 All dance men's chain (left hands across for men in the middle of the set on bars 65-66 and 69-70), with a polite turn for women at the end.
73 - 80 All dance ladies' chain (right hands across for women in the middle of the set on bars 73-74 and 77-78).
81 - 96 All dance complete reverse schiehallion reel.

(Dance crib compiled by the deviser Anne Dejean)

Dance Notes

Note 2: As an alternative for the transition between the two chains (which is uneasy), on bars 71-72, all couples can turn both hands and open out to face in. It avoids taking right hands twice for women (before and after changing direction).

(Dance notes by the deviser, Anne Dejean)

Keith Rose's Crib Diagrams

The Walnut Schiehallion Reel - Full Size And Key To Symbols

Dance Information

I just love schiehallion reels.

It is definitely not for those who easily feel dizzy!

(Dance information from The Walnut Book, published 2018, reproduced here with the kind permission of the deviser, Anne Dejean)

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