Scottish Country Dancing Dictionary

Whigmaleeries

Scottish Country Dance Instruction

WHIGMALEERIES (R8x32) 3C (4C set) Derek Ivory Imperial 2

1- 8 1s set advancing and turn individually, slip step down below 3s and cast up to 2nd place
9-16 1M dances RH across with 3s and 1L with 2s, 1s dance round 2nd corners LSh to end in prom hold facing 3L
17-24 1s dance ½ RSh reel of 3 across with 3s, separate and dance ½ reels of 3 on own sides to end in prom hold with partner facing 3L (in 1M place)
25-32 1s dance ½ reel of 3 across with 3s (in 1st place), separate and dance ½ reels of 3 on own sides to end in 2nd place own side. 213

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


Whigmaleeries
Derek Ivory Imperial Book 2
Reel 8 x 32 bars 3 Couple Repeat 4 Couple Set Longwise Set

  1-4   1s set advancing and turn right about on the spot;

  5-6   1s (taking both hands) slip down below 3s;

  7-8   1s cast up on own sides to 2nd place;

  9-12 2s1L 1M3s right hands across;

13-14 1s cross (no hands) passing by the left;

15-16 1L cast down round 3M WHILE 1M cast up round 2L, finishing in promenade hold facing out on Ls' side;

17-20 1s promenade half reel of 3 across with 3s, giving right shoulder to 3L to start and finishing by releasing hands;

21-24 1M with 2M3L half reel of 3 WHILE 1L with 2L3M half reel of 3 (on own sides), finishing in promenade hold facing out on Mn's side;

25-28 1s (1L on 1M's left) promenade half reel of 3 across with 3s (in 1st place), finishing by releasing hands;

29-32 1M with 3M2M, 1L with 3L2L, half reels of 3 (on own sides), finishing 2s1s3s.

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

Dance Notes

17-32 The half reels must flow without a break for 3s, just as in Tambourine: on reaching a first corners' position, 3M must make a closed loop, 3L an open loop; on reaching a second corners' position, 3M must make an open loop, 3L a closed loop.

25-28 In the original instructions, 1L should be on 1M's right for this promenade half reel (as shown in one of the RSCDS Vienna Branch videos) but this requires an awkward entry to the reel and crossing on exit; the popular alternative specified above flows much better.


Keith Rose's Crib Diagrams


Dance Instruction Videos

Whigmaleeries - Scottish Country Dancing Instruction Video

Dance Information

Whigmaleeries - Noun - origin 1730 - chiefly Scottish, meaning whim or an odd or fanciful contrivance, gimcrack.

The late Ian Wilson, a stalwart of the Newbury and District Caledonian Society, knew it more specifically as a child's toy and especially the windmills made from paper and pinned to a stick.

How To Make Paper Windmills (Ian Wilson's 'Whigmaleeries') - Information Video


Whigmaleerie is also a five-piece ceilidh dance band based near Aberdeen.
Whigmaleeries Paper Windmills
Whigmaleeries - Windmills


Image copyright Fenerli 1978 (Own work), Creative Commons Licence 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

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