Scottish Country Dancing Dictionary

Diagonal Line

A Diagonal line is a line from a Place on one Side line of a Longwise set to a Place one or more Places Up or Down on the Opposite Side.

The line joining the First corner positions is called the First corners' Diagonal and the line joining the Second corner positions is called the Second corners' Diagonal.

Shallower Diagonal lines, for example between 1st Lady's Place and 2nd Man's Place, are also important in some Scottish Country Dance Figures, notably the Strathspey poussette.

Diagram, Structure Of 3 Couple Longwise Set Scottish Country Dance
Structure Of 3 Couple Longwise Set - Full Size
For example, here are some Scottish Country Dances in which the term, Diagonal line, is used in either the MiniCrib or the MaxiCrib Dance instructions or both -
ABC Jig (Burnell)
Because He Was A Bonnie Lad
Drummer
Katrelian Strathspey
McNichol Of The Black Isle
Monifieth Star
New Scotia Quadrille
Queen's Quadrille
Shooglie
Staffin Harvest

Links To Pages Related To 'Positions'

Set Structure
Positions
Back To Back
Bottom
Centre
Centre Line
Corner Position
Corners' Square
Diagonal Line
End
First Corner Position
Foot
Fourth Corner Position
Line Across
Middle
Music
nth Couple Place
nth Couple Position
nth Place
nth Position
Opposite Side (Line)
Original
Outside (The Set)
Own Side (Line)
Place
Position
Second Corner Position
Side
Side Line
Standing Places
Starting
Third Corner Position
Top
Wrong Sides
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