Dancing - Learn Scottish Country Dance with Videos

Scottish country dance is great fun, but many people turn up at 'Scottish' events where there is a band ready to play and very few know how to dance, so I hope this hub will be of interest to them.

First of, you do not need any special clothes to dance in. A man always looks great in his kilt, but he can dance just as well in a suit or even casual wear. While ladies can wear casual, a dress or a skirt is always better, though stay away from mini-skirts if you don't want everyone to see your bum when you are being whirled around the place.

Scottish traditional music is toe-tapping-good, so trust me, buy yourself some music and get practising. You will LOVE going to a ceilidh and getting some practise in.

Ceilidh's are not 'dry' affairs, so you don't need to feel shy about joining in. In fact, the more you have to drink, the more you will want to join in. So let's get started!

Canadian Barn Dance - 2/4 or 4/4 music beat.

Lady on the outside, man on the inside, hold each other as in video. Count the beats in your head so it's 1,2,3,4. 1,2,3,4.

1. Starting with outside foot, step forward for three steps (1,2,3) and on the 4th beat, hop.
2. Go backwards for three steps and on the 4th beat, hop.
3. Step sidewards away from your partner for two steps, clap your hands
4. And return together two steps, then hold each other in a waltz hold.
5. Step together for two steps forward, then two steps back
6. The in clockwise direction waltz in a skip hop round for 4 beats.
7. Repeat.
   

Strip the Willow 6/8 or 9/8 time

4 couple together dance this. Men on right, ladies on left as viewed from the band. If there is not band, just imagine there is.

It is danced exactly as shown below. The lady twirls down all the men, and in between twirls with her partner, then at the other end of the line, they twirl again, before the man starts to twirl with each lady and his partner and when they reach the top, they each twirl with the opposite sex until they have reached the bottom, then the top couple repeats the exercise and so on.

In this video it looks like a gentle exercise but in a ceilidh situation, clear a wide space because bodies could go flying! Great fun!

Dashing White Sergeant.

In this dance, you have a group of three, normally two girls and one boy or two boys and one girl. All six hold hands to form a circle, and all six skip sideways to the beat of 8, then back to the beat of 8. Then they let hands go and the person in the middle twirls the person on his right, then turns and twirls the person on his left, then in a figure of 8 they double twirl. Then the three whole hands and skip the other three who are also holding hands, then back, then one side holds up their arms to form an arch to let the other three go through where they meet up with another three dancers, and they form a circle and the whole thing repeats.

The person in the middle pas-de bas between twirls, but I had trouble finding a video that actually showed the dance correctly. Everyone it seems is learning! This one starts off pretty badly but by the end of the dance nearly everyone has a good idea of what to do.

Music 2/4 or 4/4 time.

Couples, lady on the outside. His right arm round her shoulder, her right hand holding his right hand. Left hands joined in front.

Walk 4 steps forward, starting out on right foot, then both turn without letting go of hands, and go backwards for 4 steps.

Repeat in opposite direction.

Then drop hands and both hold right hand above ladies head while she pivots.

Join together as in ballroom waltz and polka round to the beat of 8.

Repeat.

Music 6/8 pipe march

Couple, ladies on the outside. Her left hand on is shoulder, and his right arm round her waist.

Touch heel then toe of outer foot to floor, twice. Meanwhile bounce other foot with each connection the first foot makes to floor.

Walk forward together three steps, turn.

Repeat the above in this new direction.

Face partner and join hands, bounce on both feet then kick right foot to left, then left foot to right.

Then let go hands, man's right hand hovers above lady while she pivots once, then come together and waltz round to the beat of 8.

Repeat.

Music - Lively Reels

4 couples make up the 8. Hold hands and form a circle, and skip round to the beat of 8 in one direction, then change and skip to another 8 beats.

After that it gets much too complicated to explain in writing, so I invite you to watch these videos to see how it is done. The video immediately below has a whole group of linked videos for you to look through.

In waltz hold, take three steps to the right and stamp both feet, then two steps to the left, then a third and fourth towards centre of room. Two steps back to outside, then lady turns on spot with one hand hand still joined to partner. Come together and waltz round room to beat of 4.

Repeat.

Schottische - pronounced Scot - eesh.

Couples, lady on outside, held together in waltz position. Again the video here explains it so much better than I could, so I advise you to watch and learn. Lively dance.

Nice slow one to finish off with, seeing as you'll be tired out from tyring out all the dances above.

Music 32 bar.

Couples, ladies on the outside.

Standing side by side, hold hands and slide slowly forwards 4 steps.Turn and repeat in opposite direction.

Face partner, hold hands and cross trailing leg over leading leg, then point with leading leg.

Repeat in opposite direction.

Then do a slow half-turn to your back are two each other, then turn back together.

Then step back from each other, while still holding hands, then forward and lady goes under man's right arm. Repeat. Turn and hold. Step together twice to right, then twice to left, then waltz to beat of 4.

Repeat.

I hope you've enjoyed reading this hub, half as much as I have enjoying putting it together. Why explain all the steps when there are videos out there doing that for me? And the thing with videos - they do a much better job than words ever could. Especially when learning to dance.