Scottish Country Dancing Dictionary

Half Reel Of Three

A Half reel of three in Scottish Country Dancing is exactly half of a Reel of three, taking 4 bars and proceeding for six of the sections identified in Diagram 44.
Diagram, Reel Of Three Idealized

A dancer starting at one End Finishes at the other End; the dancer starting in the Middle Gives right or left shoulder to the dancer whom s/he is Facing, makes a loop around him/her and Finishes in the Middle.

Clearly, the considerations of starting the Reel from, and Finishing in, stationary Places (as shown for a full Reel in Diagram 45) have a greater effect than in the full Reel since so little Time is left for the evenly spaced Reeling between getting started and preparing for the ending. However, most Half reels of three are preceded and/or followed by Figures which match a more ideal beginning and ending of the Half reel of three.

Diagram, Reel Of Three Beginning And Ending


Here are examples of those Scottish Country Dances for which we have instructions on this site and in which the term, Half reel of three, either appears explicitly or is implied; note that for a common term these will be a small selection; for a rare term, these may be all that exist:

Devorgilla's Delight
Didgeridoos Of Dunvegan
Doune Ferryman
Dunbuy
Fort Beauséjour
Geordies' Diamond Reel
Ptarmigan
S-Locomotion
Southern Cairn
Thro' The Sma' Glen


Links To Pages Related To 'Reel(s) Of Three'

Figures

Additional search terms: Half reel of 3, ½ Reels of 3.

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