Scottish Country Dancing Dictionary

Lead Down And Up

The dance term Lead down and up is simply a combination of Lead down and Lead up to Original Places. Depending upon the succeeding Figure, the Couple may Finish exactly where they Started, Facing In or Facing Out or on the Centreline, Facing Up or Facing each other.

It is a particularly common Figure in older dances such as Petronella and Cumberland Reel (both in RSCDS Book I).

Normally, 8 bars are allocated to this though there are many exceptions:


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

Airyhall Delight
Brechin Lassies
Caberfei
Clydebank Strathspey
Cumberland Jig
Findlay's Jig
Margaret Parker's Strathspey
Shiftin' Bobbins
Side By Side
Tomalena


Dance Video Clip Which Demonstrates Lead Down And Up

Lead Down And Up Video Clip

Links To Pages Related To 'Travelling'

Figures

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