A Wee Journey

32-bar jig for six couples in a six-couple longwise set

Get the description of the dance as PDF.

See this dance in the Scottish Country Dance Database.

Two chords. On second chord, 4th, 5th and 6th couples cross.

1–6

All couples dance twelve hands round halfway to the left for six bars.

7–8

5th couple in second place and 2nd couple in fifth place cross by the right hand, finishing in order 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 with 6th, 4th and 2nd couples on own sides facing down and 5th, 3rd and 1st couples on opposite sides facing up.

9–14

All dance reels of six on the sidelines for six bars, giving right shoulder to begin, finishing in order 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, facing in.

15–16

All turn by the right halfway to finish into allemande hold, 1st, 3rd and 5th couples facing up and 2nd, 4th and 6th couples facing down.

17–24

1st, 2nd and 3rd couples at the top and 6th, 5th and 4th couples at the bottom dance circulating allemandes towards the top and the bottom respectively, finishing in order 3, 2, 1, 6, 5, 4 with 2nd, 6th and 4th couples on opposite sides.

25–32

All set. 2nd couple cross up while 3rd couple steps down; 5th couple cross down while 4th couple steps up; 1st and 6th couples dance half right hands across. All turn by the right and finish in order 2, 3, 6, 1, 4, 5 with 1st, 4th and 5th couples on opposite sides.

Repeat from new positions.

Note: A reel of six is similar to a reel of four in that all dancers pass one other dancer at each bar and take one additional bar to turn around at the end. It takes twelve bars to dance a full reel of six, and six bars to dance one halfway.

Devised by Nicolas “Niols” Jeannerod in July 2022.

This dance is written as a gift for Rachel Shankland and George Meikle that took such good care of us during our Units 2 and 3. The changes of direction give many opportunities for the men to flash their underwear as the RSCDS demands for Unit 2.