The Work Of The Weaver
Scottish Country Dance Instruction
The Work Of The Weaver A one hundred and ninety-two bar Reel for four couples in a square set. First Figure Devised by John W Mitchell, Published in Whetherly Book 12.First Figure
1- 4 First couple advance to face third couple, both couples set.
5- 8 First couple retire to place and set.
9-16 Repeat bars 1-8, third couple advancing and retiring.
17-20 First man and third lady dance back to back, first lady and third man do the same.
21-24 First and third couples dance right hands across in a wheel.
25-32 First and third couples set, advance and retire and set. Meanwhile second and fourth couples advance and retire on bars 25-28, then advance and retire again on bars 29-32. Chorus
Chorus
33-34 All turn right hand with partner, keep right hand and then give left hand to corner.
35-36 All set, then release right hand.
37-38 All turn corner left hand.
39-40 All turn partner right hand.
41-48 Eight hands round in a circle to the left and back to the right.
Second Figure
1- 2 The men dance right hands across in a wheel half way.
3- 4 The men turn opposite lady three quarters with the left hand to face own corners.
5- 8 The men turn their corners one and a half times with the right hand to place.
9-16 The ladies dance in front of their partners, cast behind the next man (first lady behind
17-18 The ladies dance left hands across half way.
19-20 The ladies turn opposite man three quarters with the right hand to face own corners.
21-24 The ladies turn their corners one and a half times with the left hand to place.
25-32 The men dance in front of their partners, behind the next lady (first man behind fourth lady
33-48 Repeat Chorus.
Third Figure
1- 4 First man and third lady dance a half figure of eight crossing through fourth couple whilst
5- 8 Repeat, first man and third lady through second couple and first lady and third man through
9-10 First and third couples turn partner with right hand.
11-14 First and third couples dance round their corners passing by the left (men in front of their
15-16 First and third couples turn partner with right hand.
17-32 Second and fourth couples repeat bars 1-16 round standing first and third couples.
33-48 Repeat Chorus.
Fourth Figure
1- 8 Second couple advance, set, retire and set.
9-16 Fourth couple repeat.
17-24 Back to back and right hand wheel.
25-32 Set, advance, retire and set, whilst first and third couples advance and retire twice.
33-48 Repeat Chorus.
(Dance crib reproduced from The Whetherly Book Of Scottish Country Dances, revised and republished by Alison Mitchell)
Keith Rose's Crib Diagram
Published in The Whetherly Book Of Scottish Country Dances Number 12, by John W Mitchell, revised and republished by Alison Mitchell. Instructions reproduced under the Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International Licence (CC BY-ND 4.0).
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