Mirror Reels Of Three

The loops at the adjacent Ends are in opposite directions.

In its simplest form, all Dancers Start from their Original Places and stay on their Own sides, as in bars 9-16 of the Scottish Country Dance Sands of Morar and, from different Places, in bars 9-16 of Helen's Reel.

More commonly, as in bars 1-8 of The Gates of Edinburgh and West's Hornpipe, 1st Couple Cross Down from 1st place to Start the Mirror reels on the Opposite sides; the diagram shows the first ²⁄₃ of the 3rd bar, by which time the Dancers are all evenly spaced. This 8-bar Figure is often, as in both these examples, followed by Mirror reels of three in which 1st Couple Cross Down from 1st place on Opposite sides to Start the Mirror reels on their Own sides; this combination is sometimes known as Gates of Edinburgh reels or Crossover reels.

Mirror Reels Of Three

These Mirror reels of 3 on the Sides show the movements in ¹/₁₂ of the full Figure, all having Started from Original Places in the Sidelines. In 8-bar Reels of 3, it is the Dancers' Positions which show the end of the 2^nd bar; in 6-bar Reels of 3, it would be the arrow heads.

As with the mirror form of Figures of eight on the sides, the Dancers can, especially in a Strathspey, Take Nearer hands briefly where they meet on the Centre line of The set; in the diagram, 3rd Couple will be Taking Nearer hands, 2nd Couple will be preparing to do so and 1st Couple will just have released Nearer hands (but Right hands if they have just Crossed down from Own sides, Left hands from Opposite sides).

Balquidder Strathspey
Crathes Castle
Hamilton Welcome
Jennifer's Reel
Maxwell's Rant
Miss Johnstone Of Ardrossan
Miss Milligan's Strathspey
Reverend John MacFarlane
Silver City

Dance Video Clip Which Demonstrates Mirror Reels Of Three

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

Back to the top of this Scottish Country Dancing 'Mirror Reels Of Three' page