West's Hornpipe
Scottish Country Dance Instruction
WEST'S HORNPIPE (R4x32) 4C set 5 Traditional SCDs 19651- 8 1s cross down and dance reflection reels of 3 on opposite sides
9-16 1s cross down to dance reflection reels of 3 on own sides
17-24 1s lead down the middle and back to top (1s end facing 2s diagonally)
25-32 1s set to 2s and dance down to 4th place (2s+3s+4s step up 27-28), 4s+1s circle 4H round to left
(MINICRIB. Dance crib compiled by Charles Upton, Deeside Caledonian Society, and his successors)
West's Hornpipe
Anon 5 Traditional Scottish Country Dances 1965
Hornpipe 4 x 32 bars 4 Couple Repeat 4 Couple Set Longwise Set
1-8 1s cross down into mirror reels of 3 with 2s3s on opposite sides;
9-16 1s cross down into mirror reels of 3 with 2s3s on own sides;
17-20 1s lead down;
21-24 1s lead up finishing facing down with 2s facing up;
25-26 1s take nearer hands and set to 2s (no hands);
27-28 retaining nearer hands, 1s lead down quickly to the bottom, finishing facing up;
29-32 4s1s four hands round to the left.
(MAXICRIB. Scottish country dancing instructions compiled by Reuben Freemantle)
Dance Notes
1- 3s must make it easy for the 1s to pass outside them at the start and so should take nearer hands.
1-16 3s and 2s take nearer hands when meeting at the top and bottom; 1s take nearer hands at the bottom, right hands at the top when crossing down from own sides, left from opposite sides.
-24 1s finish in original places - it's very easy to move too far up!
27-28 2s3s4s step up.
-32 4s, now in 3rd place, must be ready to change to nearer hands and dance in and up as 3s for the next repeat.
Keith Rose's Crib Diagrams
Dance Instruction Videos
West's Hornpipe - Scottish Country Dancing Instruction VideoDance Information
Also see the derivative dance West's Hornpipe (3-Couple Version) by Anon, adapted for 3 couples by Reuben Freemantle.The Ladies Pocket Book (1797) contained the original dance, to the tune called "West's Hornpipe".
However the R.S.C.D.S. prefered another tune for the dance, 'Robertson's Hornpipe' but retained the original title as though it belonged to the figures.
The term hornpipe refers to any of several dance forms played and danced in Britain and elsewhere from the late 17th century until the present day. It is said that hornpipe as a dance began around the 16th century on English sailing vessels. Movements were those familiar to sailors of that time: "looking out to sea" with the right hand to the forehead, then the left, lurching as in heavy weather, and giving the occasional rhythmic tug to their breeches both fore and aft.
West's Hornpipe Crib - Before Minicrib
Dance information licensed under this Creative Commons Licence 3.0.
Text from this original Hornpipe article on Wikipedia.
Image copyright Scottish Country Dancing Dictionary.
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