Cornwall RSCDS Core Dances 2024/25 Cribs & Diagrams
Each year the Cornwall Branch Committee with teacher input agrees a set of 12 dances; 4 Jigs, 4 Reels and 4 Strathspeys, to be taught in class between September and June of that year.
The Scottish Dance groups in Cornwall are encouraged to include at least 3 of these dances on any social dance programme they devise. The core dances include old favourites, a range of different formations and usually one or two dances from one of the latest RSCDS books.
Having Core dances hopefully encourages the less experienced dancers to come to a dance and enjoy the evening knowing that they can attempt several of the dances on the programme.
Please note that clicking on any diagram will take you to a YouTube video of that dance.
TOAST TO THE MOUSIES (R8x32) 3C (4C set) Sara Gratiot
1- 8 1s dance in & cast 1 place (2s step up), dance down between 3s & cast up to 2nd
place
9-16 2s+1L also 1M+3s dance RH across & 1s pass RSh to dance LH across with other
couple, 1s end back to back in the middle (1M facing up, 1L down) facing 2s/3s
(2s facing down, 3s up NHJ)
17-20 All set, 2s & 3s make arches, dance down/up to meet as 1s dance under arches.
Finish 1M in 1st place, 1L in 3rd place (facing down/up) & 2s & 3s back to back
in middle NHJ (2s facing up, 3s down).
21-24 All set, 2s & 3s making arches dance to ends & cast into reel while 1s dance
under arch passing LSh and finish between end couple facing 1st crnr
25-32 2s+1L also 1M+3s dance LSh reels across (2s+3s make loops into the reel)
to end 2 1 3. All set
Note: after 2nd time through 1s may repeat bars 1-4 to get to 4th place
PINEWOODS REEL (R8x32) 3C (4C set) John Bowie Dickson Yankee Sampler
1- 8 1s & 3s dance Figs of 8 round 2s (1s cast to start), 2s step up to top place &
1s end in 2nd place BtoB ready for Double Triangles
9-16 1s dance Double Triangles while corners set & petronella on 1 place to right,
set & petronella on 1 more place as 1s end facing 3rd corner (pstn)
17-24 1s dance 1/2 diagonal reel of 4 with 3rd corners, pass RSh & repeat with 4th
corners (pstn)
25-32 1L dances a reel of 3 across with 2s as 1M dances reel of 3 across with 3s
both passing 1st corner LSh & 1s end turn RH to 2nd place on own side
(facing out ready to cast)
THE PROVOST WYND (R8x32) 3C (4C set) Roy Goldring 24 G & S Dances
1- 8 1s+2s+3s dance RSh reels of 3 on own side
9-16 1M+2L turn RH, 1L+2M turn LH
17-24 1s cross RH, cast down 2 places, cross LH & cast up 1 place (2s step up 19-20)
25-32 1s+3s dance RH across. 2s+1s dance LH across
RYE TWIST (R5x32) 5C S McKinnell RSCDS Book 48
1- 4 1M+2s dance 1/2 reel of 3 across (1M+2L pass LSh). 1M finishes between 2s
facing down
5- 8 1M+3s dance 1/2 reel of 3 across (1M+3M pass RSh), 1M finishes between 3s
facing down while 1L+2s dance 1/2 reel of 3 across (1L+2L pass RSh).
2L finishes between 2s facing down. 2s finish in 1st place
9-12 1M+4s, 1L+3s repeat bars 5-8 (1M+4L, 1L+3M pass LSh). 3s finish in 2nd place
13-16 1M+5s, 1L+4s repeat bars 5-8 (1M+5M, 1L+4L pass RSH). 4s finish in 3rd place
17-20 1M dances out of end, casts round 5L place, crossing to 4M place while 1L+5s
dance 1/2 reel of 3 across (1L+5M pass LSH). 1L finishes in 4L place, 5s in
5th place
21-24 1s+5s dance 1/2 LH across, cross LH with partner
25-32 All couples set, cross RH with partners, all set, cross RH with partners 2 3 4 5 1
A JIG FOR JOAN (J8x32) 3C (4C set) Harry Richmond
1 – 8 1st, 2nd and 3rd couples dance mirror reels of three on the sidelines.
To begin 1st couple dance in and down.
1st couple finishes facing in and down and 2nd couple out and up.
9 – 12 1st couple giving right hands cross down to second place on the sidelines
and face out. 2nd couple dance to 1st place. 1st man with 2nd and 3rd women
and 1st woman with 2nd and 3rd Men, join hands on the sideline and balance
in line.
13 – 16 1st couple releasing right hands and retaining left hands with second corners
turn ¾ to face up and down the set (1st man facing down and 1st woman
facing up) 1st couple pass left shoulder to face first corners.
17 – 24 1st couple dance pass and turn with first corners then second corners,
finishing in second place on opposite sides facing their first corners.
25 – 30 2nd, 1st and 3rd couples dance reels of three on the sidelines. 1st couple pass
their first corners by the left to begin.
31 – 32 1st couple giving right hands cross to second place own side.
Repeat having passed a couple
Dance Note: At the end of the second repetition, 1st couple giving right hand cross
down to fourth position. The couple in fourth position step up ready to join in the
reel of three.
Suggested Tune – RSCDS Belfast Branch Diamond Jubilee Dances, CD track 10
“Set of Jigs”.
THE LUCKENBOOTH BROOCH (J8x32) 3C (4C set) John Bowie Dickson Glendarroch Sh28
1- 8 1s in prom hold (Lady on Man’s left) dance reel of 3 with 2s (RSh to 2M) & end
facing 3M
9-16 1s dance reel with 3s (RSh to 3M) ending with 1s dancing into centre facing
Men’s side
17-24 1M casts up & 1L dn into centre & dance out Ladies’ side, 1M cast up & 1L dn
to end 1M b’tw’n
2s facing dn & 1L+3s face up as 2s+3s dance R&L
25-32 2s+1s+3s set twice, 1s turn RH 1.3/4 times to 2nd places
THE WHITE HEATHER JIG (J4x40) 4C set James Cosh 22 SCDs
1- 8 1s turn RH & cast to 2nd place, turn 1.1/2 LH to end between 2s facing
opposite sides
9-16 1s+2s dance Reel of 4 across, 1s pass RSh to face 1st corners
17-24 1s turn corner, partner, corner, partner, to end between 3s facing opposite sides
25-32 1s+3s dance Reel of 4 across, 1s end in middle between 3s & 4s
33-40 1s turn LH, cast to 4th place on own side & turn RH
THE BRISK YOUNG LAD (J5x48) 5C set John Drewry Autumn Coll 84
1-12 1s+2s+4s+5s dance RSh reel of 4 on sides (3s stand)
13-16 1s+2s & 4s+5s turn RH on sides while 3s turn LH in centre to end facing
“1st corner couples” (Lady facing 1M+2M & Man facing 4L+5L)
17-24 3s dance RH across with 1st corners, pass RSh & dance LH across with
“2nd corners” (Lady with 4M+5M & Man with 1L+2L)
25-32 3s dance out centre of own sides & cast clockwise round 3rd corner couple,
dance in & pass partner RSh & dance out other end casting round 4th corner
couple to 3rd place own sides (corner couples Adv+Ret to allow 3s to dance
behind them)
33-40 All circle 10H round & back
41-48 2s+3s+4s+5s set & cast up 1 place while 1s set advancing & lead down to bottom,
all turn RH
THE SILVER STRATHSPEY (We Twa) (S8x32) 3C (4C Set) Moira Stacey RSCDS Bk 44
1- 8 1s set, cast 1 place; 2s+1s+3s set & circle 6H round to left 1/2 way (2 bars)
(3) (1) (2)
9-12 1s cross RH, cast right into centre while 2s+3s set (facing diagonally in) & dance
RH across 1/2 way
13-16 1s cross up/down RH & cast right to 2nd place own side while 2s+3s set & dance
RH across 1/2 way
17-24 1s dance 1/2 reels of 3 across (1M with 3s at top & 1L with 2s) & 1s turn 2H
1.1/2 times. 3 1 2
25-32 3s+1s+2s dance the Knot. End 2 1 3
THE ROSE OF THE NORTH (S8x32) 3C (4C set) Roy Goldring Leeds Silver Jubilee
1- 4 1s lead down below 3s, cross & cast up to 2nd place on opposite side
5-16 2s+1s+3s dance 3 couple R&L, 1s end facing 1st corners
17-24 1s set to & turn 1st corner 2H, set to & turn 2nd corner 2H. 1s finish
BtoB in centre, 1M facing up, 1L facing down
25-32 1M+2s & 1L+3s circle 3H round to left & on bar 4 1s pull back RSh to face each
other & set; 1s Petronella turn to 2nd place own side. 2 1 3
MATHILDE IS A DELIGHT (S3x32) 3C set Raphaëlle Orgeret RSCDS Bk 50
1- 8 1s+2s+3s dance Grand Chain
9-16 1L followed by 1M casts to 2nd place opp sides (2s step up). 1M followed by
1L casts to 3rd place own side (3s step up)
17-24 2s+3s+1s set, turn partners 1/2 RH, pull back RSh & dance out to opp sides. All set
25-26 2s+3s+1s circle 6H 1/2 round to Left . 1 3 2
27-32 1s+2s dance ‘The Capstan’
27-28 1s NHJ dance down 2 places while 2s cast up to 1st place
29-30 2s NHJ dance down 2 places while 1s cast up to 1st place
31-32 1s NHJ dance down 2 places curving into 3rd place while 2s cast up to first place
ASILOMAR ROMANTIC (S8x32) 3C (4C set) Tom Cuthbertson San Fransisco Coll 2
1- 8 1s+3s dance double Fig of 8 around 2s, 1s crossing down, 3s cast up to start
9-16 1s+2s dance Poussette
17-24 1s dance in & down between 2s (2s step up), set to each other & dance RSh
round 4th corner to face own 1st corner
25-32 1s dance ‘Hello-Goodbye’ setting ending with petronella turn to 2nd places. 2 1 3
Note: End of 2nd turn it may help if 1s step in & down to 4th place as 3s cast up into double Fig 8
