Scottish Country Dancing Dictionary

Hands Round

Sometimes called 'circle', Hands round is the formal expression for joining hands and dancing clockwise or anticlockwise round in a circle, using the Strathspey travelling step in a Strathspey or the Slip step in a Quick tempo dance. When not qualified, Hands round to the left is implied.

Taking hands in the circle should follow the standard rules: when a Man and an adjacent Lady Take hands, the Man should Hold the Palm upwards, the Lady downwards; where there are three adjacent Men or Ladies Taking hands in a line, the Middle one Holds both Palms according to the previous rule, the others the opposite; and where these rules are insufficient, the Dancing man or Lady applies the first rule, with the other dancers following appropriately.


Here are examples of those Scottish Country Dances for which we have instructions on this site and in which the term, Hands round, 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:

Aurora Australis
Baldyquash
Balmullo Reel
Barmkin
Cape Breton Island
Code Breaker
Consumption Dyke
Good Hearted Glasgow
Silver Grey
Sleeping Warrior


Dance Video Clip Which Demonstrates Hands Round

Hands Round Video Clip

Links To Pages Related To 'Hands Round'

Figures

Additional search terms: H round.

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