Westcott Reel

Scottish Country Dance Instruction

Westcott Reel
John Fletcher
Reel 4 x 40 bars 4 Couple Repeat 4 Couple Set Longwise Set

1-4 Taking hands on the sides, all advance and retire;

5-8 all turn partner by the right;

9-12 repeat bars 1-4;

13-16 all turn partner by the left;

17-20 repeat bars 1-4;

21-24 all dos-à-dos with partner;

25-28 1s lead down to 4th place;

29-32 1s turn both hands;

33-40 2s3s4s1s 8 hands round and back.

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

In order to avoid having anyone sit out, this dance can readily be adapted for 3, 5 or more couples.

25-28 This is quite sedate for 1s (especially so in the 3-couple version) but more normal in the 5-couple version.

27-28 2s3s4s take hands on the sides and step up.

29-32 Again quite sedate for 1s but useful to recover the timing if started late in a ceilidh situation.

The dance is named after Westcott Infants' School in Wokingham, UK, for whose pupils it was originally devised.

Front Entrance Of Westcott School In Wokingham, Berkshire, England

Additional search terms: Ceilidh Dance.
Image copyright User: Dahliarose (Own work by the original uploader), public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.