End

The convenient expression End is used to indicate the relative Position of a Scottish country dancer when three or more Dancers are either actually in a line, as when three dancers are Leading Down, or approximately so as in a Reel of three or a Reel of four or a Reel for more than four Dancers. It is also used to refer to Positions within a Longwise set; here, the Ends are the Line across which joins the Original Places of the Top couple and the Line across which joins the Original Places of the Bottom couple. As an example of this usage, in bars 7-8 of Blooms of Bon Accord:

1s Cast to 2nd place WHILE 4s Cast up to 3rd place WHILE 2s 3s Dance to the Ends.

See also the complementary term, Middle, which is used to identify the Dancers or Positions between the Ends.

Often, especially in MiniCrib, the term End is used as a synonym for Finish; however, it is preferable to retain the distinction by which End is used to refer to a Position within The set or within a line of Dancers and Finishing is used to refer to the modification of the final part of a Figure so that the Dancers are in the correct Starting Positions for the succeeding Figure.

In the MiniCrib Dance instructions for the following Scottish Country Dances, the term, End, is used in both senses, sometimes even in the same sentence:
Braes Of Balquhidder (MacNab)
Cape Breton Hornpipe
Mercury
Miss Heather Bartel
Mornins' Awa'
Mosshouse
Oriel Strathspey
Over The Waves
Purple Heather Jig
Tying The Knot (Glasspool/Hall)

Links To Pages Related To 'Positions'

Set Structure

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