Ceilidh Dance instructions

This is a collection of ceilidh dances I know, saying how to dance them and what music they need.

This is by no means exhaustive yet, but I welcome suggestions, comments and further tips. Just drop me a mail at ian@scottishdance.net .

I explain some of the terminology below .

See also Animated Gay Gordons from the BBC Celtic Roots web site. Also The Military Twostep .

At the moment I have the following dances:

You may also like to try the following dances:

The Britannia Twostep

Formation: in threes around the room facing anti-clockwise, man between two ladies.

Music: 6/8 pipe march.

Bars:	Description
1:	Nearer hands joined, touch the left heel then the left toe to the floor, bouncing on the right foot with each touch.
2:	All skip to the left for one step.
3-4:	Repeat 1-2 with the opposite feet.
5-8:	Skip forward for two steps, then backwards for two steps.
9-10:	Set on the spot facing forwards.
11-12:	Still setting, the man raises his arms and the ladies turn underneath.
13-16:	Skip forward for two steps, then backwards for two steps.

Repeat ad lib.

The Canadian or Highland Barn Dance

Formation: couples around the room facing anti-clockwise, ladies on the right.

Music: 2/4 or 4/4 pipe march (not 6/8) or scottische.

Bars:	Description
1-2:	Starting with the outside foot, walk forward for three steps and hop (or kick).
3-4:	Walk backwards for three steps and hop.
5-6:	Skip sideways away from your partner (men towards the centre of the room, ladies towards the edge) for two steps and clap.
7-8:	Return to partner and join in ballroom (waltz) hold.
9-12:	In ballroom hold, skip sideways to the man's left, lady's right for two steps then back again.
13-16:	Use four step-hops to polka anti-clockwise round the room.

Repeat ad lib.

The Circassian Circle

Formation: Large circle round the room, ladies on the right of their partner.

Music: 32 bar Reels.

Bars:	Description
1-4:	Hands joined in a circle, all advance for four steps, retire for four steps.
5-8:	Repeat.
9-12:	Drop hands, ladies advance and retire.
13-16:	Men advance, turn round and walk out to the next lady CW (the one who was on their left; the one who is now to the right of their partner as they view).
17-24:	All spin with new partners
25-32:	Hands crossed in front (right to right and left to left), ladies on the outside, promenade ACW around the room.

Repeat ad lib.

The Cumberland Square Eight

This is normally danced to tunes in common time (32 bar and the dance is 64 bars long) but can be and is sometimes done to jigs (6/8 tempo). I'll get round to adding the description at some point.

The Dashing White Sergeant

Formation: three facing three around the room, man between two ladies or lady between two men.

Music: The Dashing White Sergeant - 32 bar reels, starting and ending with "The Dashing White Sergeant".

Bars:	Description
1-8:	Join up in a circle of 6 and circle round to the left for 8 steps (4 bars) and back to the right.
9-12:	The person in the middle turns to the person on their right and sets to them, then turns them once round right hand (variation - both hands). The other partner stands still.
13-16:	Repeat with the other partner.
17-24:	Using elbow grip, turn 1st partner, then 2nd partner, then 1st partner, then 2nd partner. (Variation - dance a reel of three, giving left shoulder to 1st partner to start).
25-28:	In the lines of three, advance towards each other (two skip steps) and retire.
29-32:	Both lines dance forwards, one line raising their hands in an arch and the other line dancing underneath, and dance on to meet the next set of three coming in the other direction.

Repeat with new three.

The Eightsome Reel

Formation: four couples arranged around a square, lady on the right of the man. Couple with their backs to the music are couple number 1, couple on their left number 2, couple opposite number 3 and couple on the right number 4 (ie numbering clockwise).

Music: Lively reels, played 40 bars for the first time through, plus 8 lots of 48-bar repetitions, plus a final 40 bars. "The Deil Amagn the Tailors" is commonly used for the first and last 40 bars; other tunes often used include "Soldier's Joy", "Mrs MacLeod of Raasay", "The Fairy Dance", "The Mason's Apron".

Bars:	Description
Chorus:
1-8:	All join hands in a circle and circle round to the left for 8 steps (four bars) and back.
9-12:	Ladies join right hands in the middle, and hold partners around waist, and all dance right hands across in a star (wheel).
13-16:	Swing round (couples still holding around the waist) so the men join left hands, and dance back with a left hand star.
17-20:	Face partners and set twice.
21-24:	Spin partners (turn RH).
25-40:	Giving right hands to partner to start, dance a grand chain around the set (keep going in the same direction and give right hand, then left hand, then right hand, ... until you get back to place). If you get back early, spin until the end of the phrase.
Figure - repeat 8 times
1-8:	1st lady goes into the centre of the set and sets while the others circle round to the left and back.
9-16:	1st lady sets to partner, turns him, sets to opposite man and turns him.
17-24:	1st lady turns partner, opposite man, partner, opposite man (variation - dance a reel of three with partner and opposite man, giving left shoulder to partner to start).
25-32:	Repeat bars 1-8.
33-48:	Repeat bars 9-24 with side men.
		Repeat Figure with 2nd lady, 3rd lady, 4th lady, 1st man, 2nd man, 3rd man, 4th man in the centre.
Chorus:	Repeat the 40 bars of the start of the dance.

The Flying Scotsman

There are several versions of this, but one common one is:

Formation: Longwise sets of 4 couples, men on the right and ladies on the left as viewed from the band. Couples number from nearest the band.

Music: 32-bar Reels, either 4x32 or 8x32 - Freeland Barbour wrote "Duncan's Return" for it, but I don't think it's official.

Bars:	Description
1-8	1st lady, followed by 2nd and 3rd ladies, dances across the top of the set, behind 1st man, in front of 2nd man, behind 3rd man and across the bottom and back to place.
9-16	1st 3 men repeat around the ladies.
17-24	1st couple join both hands and side-slip (gallop) down the room for 8 slip-steps (4 bars), then back up again TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SET (4th place).
25-32	All join hands on the sides and sideslip down the room and back up again.

Finish in the order 2, 3, 4, 1, ready to start again.

The Gay Gordons

Formation: couples around the room facing anti-clockwise, ladies on the right.

Music: 2/4 or 4/4 march. E.g. "Scotland the Brave", "The Gay Gordons".

Bars:	Description
1-2:	Right hands joined over lady's shoulder (man's arm behind her back) and left hands joined in front, walk forward for four steps, starting on the right foot.
3-4:	Still moving in the same direction, and without letting go, pivot on the spot (so left hand is behind lady and right hand is in front) and take four steps backwards.
5-8:	Repeat in the opposite direction.
9-12:	Drop left hands, raise right hands above lady's head. Lady pivots on the spot. (The man may set).
13-16:	Joining hands in ballroom hold, polka round the room.

Repeat ad lib.

For scottish country dancers, the grip in the first eight bars is allemande hold.

See Animated Gay Gordons from the BBC Celtic Roots web site.

Highland Schottische

Formation: couples in a circle around the room, ladies on the outside, men on the inside, joined in ballroom hold with partners.

Music: Schottische.

Bars:	Description
1-2	Men with left foot, ladies with right, point toe in 2nd, bring foot up in front of shin (3rd aerial), point in 2nd and bring foot up behind calf (3rd rear aerial). Bounce on supporting foot on each of these four beats.
3-4	Step onto that foot, close other foot behind, step onto the original working foot again, and close original supporting foot behind calf.
5-8	Repeat 1-4 with other leg.
9-10	Repeat 3-4 (ie step, close, step, hop).
11-12	Repeat 7-8 (ie 9-10 in other direction).
13-16	Polka as in Canadian barn dance - step, hop, step, hop - rotating clockwise and following line of dance anticlockwise around the room.

Repeat ad lib.

There follow chapter, verse, chorus and encore on the "Schottische" (for whom it may concern !) from Charles Gore:

The Highland Schottische was introduced in 1855 and was known by the name of "the Balmoral Schottische"
(Robbie Shepherd, who knows all there is to know - and quite a lot besides - about Scottish Dancing)
Scott Skinner published a "Balmoral Schottische" in his Elgin Collection (1884); on the same page of this collection is a tune of his called "Glenlivet" which describes as Strathspey or Highland Schottische.
[From a Dictionary of Music]; "Schottische (English !), Schottisch (German "Scottish", a misnomer since there is no evidence of Scottish origin); the German Polka, a round dance of the mid-19th cent. Some books confuse it with the Ecossaise, which is a country dance and thus very different. Both are in simple duple time.
[From Caoimhin Mac Aoidh, "Between the Jigs and the Reels"]: The Berlin Polkey was a popular dance in Donegal maybe in the late 19th c. and up to 1930 or so. The Highland is special to Donegal; though universally so called "it appears to have originated from the Schottische, a dance of German origin". "The Highland as commonly performed throughout Donegal today is a couple dance (ie. a girl and a boy)", dancing first side by side, then face to face. The term "Highland Schottische" appears to have arisen to differentiate it from a "German Scottische". "A Barn Dance in Donegal has the unusual title of the "german". [Are you still with me ?]
There is no precise equivalent in Gaelic.
Highland Scottisches seem to have been danced (traditionally) to tunes like "Orange and Blue", "Lad wi' the Plaidie", "Cathkin Braes" and "John MacAlpine" (aka: Oft in thStilly Night). They all look like strathspeys to me!

Charlie

The Military Twostep

Formation: couples around the room facing anti-clockwise, ladies on the right.

Music: 6/8 pipe march.

Bars:	Description
1-2:	Lady with hand on man's shoulder, man with arm around waist, touch heel then toe of outer foot to ground twice, bouncing on the inner foot with each touch.
3-4:	Walk forward for three steps then turn towards each other to face in the opposite direction.
5-8:	Repeat in the opposite direction.
9-10:	Facing partner and joining both hands, bounce on both feet, then kick the right foot across the body (to the left), followed by the left foot across the body (to the right).
11-12:	The man raises his left hand and the lady turns underneath (dropping the other hand).
13-16:	Polka around the room.

Repeat ad lib.

See Animated Military Twostep from the BBC Celtic Roots web site.

The Pride of Erin Waltz

Formation: couples around the room facing anti-clockwise, ladies on the right.

Music: 32 bar waltzes.

Bars:	Description
1-4:	Nearer hands joined, swing the inner leg (and joined hands) forward and back, then walk forwards.
5-8:	Repeat in the opposite direction.
9-10:	Facing partner, both hands joined, and heading clockwise, cross trailing leg over leading leg (ie right over left for ladies, left over right for men), then point with leading leg.
11-12:	Repeat in opposite direction.
13-16:	Take four steps anti-clockwise, pulling leading shoulder back to face alternately away from and towards your partner with each step.
17-24:	Joining both hands, swing together (slightly to the right of partner) and away, then change places, turning the lady under the man's left arm while doing so. Repeat.
25-28:	In ballroom hold, take two steps anti-clockwise, then two clockwise.
29-32:	Waltz round the room.

Repeat ad lib.

The St. Bernard's Waltz

Formation: couples around the room in ballroom hold heading anti-clockwise, ladies on the outside.

Music: waltzes.

Bars:	Description
1-4:	In ballroom hold, take three steps sideways towards the lady's right, man's left, then stamp both feet.
5-6:	Take two steps sideways in the opposite direction.
7-8:	Take two steps towards the centre of the room (lady heading forwards with right foot then left foot, man backwards with left foot then right).
9-10:	Take two steps back out (same feet).
11-12:	Lady turns about on the spot under the joined hands.
13-16:	Waltz onwards round the room.

Repeat ad lib.

Strip the Willow

Formation: Longwise sets of 4 couples, men on the right and ladies on the left as viewed from the band. Couples number from nearest the band.

Music: 6/8 or 9/8 double jigs. E.g. "The Irish Washerwoman", "The Curlew", "The Jig of Slurs" for 6/8 and "Drops of Brandy" for 9/8.

Bars:	Description
1-8	1st couple spin RH.
9-20	1st lady turns 2M LH, partner RH, 3M LH, partner RH, 4M LH.
21-24	Spin with partner RH to the end of the phrase.
25-36	1st man turns 4L LH, partner RH, 3L LH, partner RH, 2L LH.
37-40	Spin with partner RH to the end of the phrase.
41-52	1st lady works down men, while 1st man works down ladies, turning 2C LH, partner RH, 3C LH, partner RH, 4C LH.
53-56	Spin with partner RH to the end of the phrase.

Repeat ad lib.

Orcadian (or Shetland) Strip the Willow

Formation: Couples in a long line down the room, men on the right and ladies on the left as viewed from the band. Couples number from nearest the band.

Music: 6/8 or 9/8 double jigs. E.g. "The Irish Washerwoman", "The Curlew", "The Jig of Slurs" for 6/8 and "Drops of Brandy" for 9/8.

Bars:	Description
1-8	1st couple spin RH.
9-...	1st couple work down the opposite line (ie of the people of the opposite sex) turning side person LH, partner RH, next side person LH, ...

When 1st couple reach the bottom, they spin to the end of the phrase, then join the side lines.

A new couple starts every 16 bars.

The Swedish Masquerade

Formation: couples around the room in heading anti-clockwise, nearer hands joined, ladies on the outside.

Music: That tune...

Bars:	Description
Slow march
1-8	With nearer hands joined, walk slowly along the line of dance
9-16	With nearer hands joined, walk slowly against the line of dance back to starting point
Waltz
17-20	With nearer hands joined, facing along line of dance, balance away from partner and back towards partner twice.
21-24	Waltz along line of dance.
25-32	Repeat bars 17-24.
Polka
33-36	With nearer hands joined, facing along line of dance, balance away from partner and back towards partner twice.
37-40	Polka along line of dance.
41-48	Repeat bars 33-40.

The Virginia Reel

This seems actually to be a family of similar dances - probably word-of-mouth having lead to variations. One variety is:

Formation: Longwise sets of 4 couples, men on the right and ladies on the left as viewed from the band. Couples number from nearest the band.

Music: "Hoedown" reels, e.g. "Turkey in the Straw".

Bars:	Description
1-8	All advance and retire, then turn partners RH.
9-16	All advance and retire, then turn partners LH.
17-24	All advance and retire, then turn partners BH.
25-32	All advance and retire, then dance back to back with partners (do-si-do).
33-40	1st couple join both hands and side slip down the middle and back.
41-48	1st couple, followed by 2nd, 3rd and 4th couples cast off to the bottom; 1st couple make an arch and the other three couples dance up to new positions.

Finish 2,3,4,1, ready to start again.

One variation has bars 33-40 expanded - slip down to the bottom (4 bars) and strip the willow back up again (12 bars), followed by the cast and arch figure on bars 49-56. Another has two advance and retires to start, followed by the three turns and do-si-do all together in 16 bars (9-24). Another is advance and retire, turn RH, turn LH, back-to-back, followed by 33-48. There is also a 64-bar version which I can't remember at the moment.

The basic shape seems to be:

Start with advancing/turning/do-si-do with partners (in various amounts)
1s solo (various different versions)
1s lead cast to the bottom, make an arch and everyone else dances up under the arch to progress (2341).

Terminology

Up/Down In a longwise set, the couple nearest the band is numbered 1, and the other couples are numbered 2, 3, 4 (and 5, ... if appropriate) working down the line. "Up" is towards the band, and "down" is away from the band.

Ballroom hold has the man facing the lady, lady's right hand in man's left, man's right hand on lady's waist, and lady's left hand on man's right shoulder.

Line of dance (LoD) : the direction a normal waltz (polka or whatever) moves around the floor (anti-clockwise around the room).

Anti-line of dance (Anti-LoD) : the opposite to LoD.

Setting

The basic idea of a setting step is to spend two bars admiring your partner (or someone else) while shifting the weight from foot to foot. To be more precise (something alien to the ceilidh dance ethos, but hey!) the step is the pas de basque:

Bar 1:

step onto the right foot
beat with the left foot in third position (a "T" formation with your feet, left heel in right instep), bringing the right foot off the ground
step back onto the right foot
pause (if you're feeling ambitious, go for the jette' at this point) Bar 2: Repeat with opposite feet.

Note the phrasing with 4 beats in the bar, even though you only do things on three of them. Best practised to a reel (4/4 - "egg and mustard") rather than a jig (6/8 - jiggety jiggety).

cast off or "cast to 2nd place"

A cast takes you behind the standing person/people (or where they would be if they were standing) - "off" takes you "down" the set (away from the band, towards the higher numbers), up takes you "up" the set. Unless otherwise stated, you only move one place down or up. eg:

 /--1M 1L--\ | | \->2M 2L<-/ 3M 3L 4M 4L

Cast off one place (also in this instance cast off to second place) - note if 2nd couple are still there they will get run over.

Reel of 3 Reel of 4

Think of a reel of three with an extra person and an extra loop. Four dancers in a line, middle dancers facing out, outer dancers facing in.

 / / Out1 Mid1 Mid2 Out2 / /

Bar 1: Out1 & Mid1, and Mid2 & Out2 Pass RS.
Bar 2: Out1 and Out2 pass LS _while_ Mid1 and Mid2 turn around to face in.
Bar 3: Mid1 & Out2, and Out1 & Mid2 Pass RS.
Bar 4: Mid1 and Mid2 pass LS _while_ Out1 and Out2 turn around to face in.
Bars 5-8: Repeat (heading in opposite direction) back to place.

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