Niols’s Collection of (Mostly Unpublished) Scottish Country Dances

The Reel of the 51st Confusion

32-bar reel for three couples in a three-couple longwise set

Get the description of the dance as PDF.

See this dance in the Scottish Country Dance Database.

1–8
1st couple set, cast off two places and lead up, finishing back to back facing first corners. 2nd couple step up on bars 3-4.
9–16
1st couple set to first corners and turn by the right halfway with them. First corners give left hands in the middle and 1st couple and first corners balance in line; first corners turn by the left three quarters to end up back to back in the middle, facing second corners.
17–24
Repeat with first and second corners. On bars 23-24, second corners turn by the left one quarter to opposite sides, finishing with 1st, 2nd and 3rd women on opposite lines in 1st, 2nd and 3rd positions and 2nd, 3rd and 1st men on opposite lines in 1st, 2nd and 3rd positions.
25–32
All dance six hands round and back.
Repeat from new positions.
Devised by Anne Lanvin, Corentin Lefèvre, Isabelle Herlant, Louise Baltera, Nicolas “Niols” Jeannerod and Victor Lanvin on 8 August 2021. This dance is a variation of one of the most popular Scottish country dances, “The Reel of the 51st Division”.
Note: Remember the person that is at the left of your partner from your point of view: First, third and fifth times, you will start dancing with your partner on your original lines; Second, fourth and sixth times, you will start dancing with that other person on the opposite lines.

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