Scottish Country Dancing Dictionary

The Weathercock

Scottish Country Dance Instruction

THE WEATHERCOCK (J4x32) 4C set Veronica Hughes Leeds Silver Jubilee

1- 8 All dance RSh reels of 4 on own sides
9-16 1s and 3s set advancing into centre (give RH to partner) and Balance-in-Line, 1s+2s and 3s+4s dance RH across once round
17-24 Centre couple (1L+3M) ¾ turn LH in centre while 1M and 3L dance round corner to meet partner in line across and set, repeat and set in line up/down dance
25-32 3s+2s and 1s+4s dance RH across once round, turn facing corner RH (2L+3L, 3M+2M, 1L+4L and 1M+4M) onto own sides (Ladies turn 1½ while Men turn once round) 2341

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


The Weathercock
Veronica Hughes Leeds Silver Jubilee Book
Jig 4 x 32 bars 4 Couple Repeat 4 Couple Set Longwise Set

  1-8   All reels of 4 on the sides;

  9-10 1s 3s set advancing;

11-12 1M1L3M3L balance WHILE 2s 4s step up;

13-16 1s2s 3s4s right hands across;

17-20 1M 3L chase clockwise ¼ way round WHILE 1L3M turn by the left ¾, meet and balance again (across the set);

21-24 repeat bars 17-20 (balancing up and down the set);

25-28 3s2s 1s4s right hands across to finish 2M3M4M1M in the Mn's sideline, 3L2L1L4L in the Ls';

29-32 2M3M 4M1M turn by the right WHILE 3L2L 1L4L turn by the right 1½ times, finishing 2s3s4s1s.

(MAXICRIB. Scottish country dancing instructions compiled by Reuben Freemantle)

Dance Notes

  1-8   Cover in the reels of 4.

  9-10 1M 3M advance straight, 1L 3L diagonally down.

11-12 2s 4s must be awake and step up only half a place.

29-32 To finish with 3s in 2nd place and 4s in 3rd is intuitive for the Mn; Ls need to think about the extra half turn.


Keith Rose's Crib Diagrams


Dance Instruction Videos

The Weathercock - Scottish Country Dancing Instruction Video

Dance Information

A weather vane or weathercock is an instrument for showing the direction of the wind. They are typically used as an architectural ornament to the highest point of a building.

Although partly functional, weather vanes are generally decorative, often featuring the traditional cockerel design with letters indicating the points of the compass. Other common motifs include ships, arrows and horses. Not all weather vanes have pointers.

The word 'vane' comes from the Anglo-Saxon word 'fane' meaning 'flag'.

Weathercock
A Weathercock


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Text from this original Weather Vane article on Wikipedia.
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