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Dance The Foula Reel 2302

Jig · 48 bars · 4 couples · Longwise - 4   (Progression: 2341)

Devised by
Unknown
Intensity
8000/8220/8002/8888/8888/8888 = 48% (1 turn), 66% (whole dance)
Formations
Steps
  • Running
Published in
Recommended Music
Extra Info
This dance comes from Shetland.

The combined edition of RSCDS Books 1–6 notes that “The number of bars in this …

This dance comes from Shetland.

The combined edition of RSCDS Books 1–6 notes that “The number of bars in this dance is flexible. It has also been published as a 40 bar [sic] dance”.

The Foula Reel

Foula is an island that gives the impression of having strayed, like a chick, so far from the brood of the Shetland islands that it has become lost in the North Atlantic. A tiny island, only three and one half miles long by two and one half miles broad, girded with sheer cliffs rising high above the often raging sea and studded with five cone-like hills, Foula lies sixteen miles west of Mainland, the major island of Shetland.

Shetland, a cluster of one hundred and seventeen islands and islets, some of them uninhabited, forms the most northerly part of the United Kingdom. Originally settled by the Norse, Shetland, with Orkney to the south, came into Scottish possession as an unredeemed dowry pledge after the marriage in 1468 of Margaret, daughter of Christian I of Denmark, Sweden and Norway, to James III. (See “The Axum Reel”)

From the Norse “fuglo”, Foula means “bird island”, an accurate description, for Foula’s bird population is enormous. Arctic skuas, bonxies or great skuas, red-throated divers and kittiwakes make the island an ornithologist’s paradise. The human population of Foula is very small and consists chiefly of fishermen who also maintain small crofts.

“The Foula Reel”, or to use its old name “The Shaalds o’ Foula” is a version of the Shetland “Auld Reel”.

The Foula Reel 4/4L · J48

Running step used throughout, 2 steps per bar

1–
1c lead down the middle and up
9–
1c turn RH | 1M+2W & 1W+2M turn LH ; 1c turn RH | 1M+3W & 1W+3M turn LH
17–
Repeat 4 bars with 4c ; 1c cast to top behind own line
25–
2c+3c+4c kneel down and clap while 1c (NHJ) dance down one on each side of W line, and up one on each side of M line
33–48
All C joining BH with partners, 1c dance out to M side and back to centre, weaving down one place each time between 2c+3c+4c till 4pl, while 2c+3c+4c dance out to W side and back, weaving up, (choose phrasing freely) (2,3,4,1).

this dance can be adapted to be danced in 40 bars.

The Foula Reel 4/4L · J48

Running step, 2 steps per bar

1-8
1s lead down the middle & back
9-24
1s turn RH, 1M turns 2L LH as 1L turns 2M LH, turn partner, turn 3s, turn partner, turn 4s (as Strip the Willow) & cast up own side to top
25-32
2s+3s+4s kneel & clap as 1s with nearer hands joined dance down Ladies’ side & up Men’s side making arch over the kneeling dancers
33-48
All join 2H with partner & 1s dance in & out to bottom as 2s+3s+4s in unison shuttle first to Ladies’ side & back to Men’s side moving up as 1s pass

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Dundee U3A Party

Added on: 2021-01-31 (Murrough Landon)
Quality: Informal/Social (RSCDS)

NameDateOwnerLast changed
Budapest Local Club 28.03.2017 2017-03-28 Zsofia Jozsef April 6, 2017, 5:45 p.m.
Newcastle & St Petersburg dancing 2020-02-08 Taisiia Demicheva Feb. 1, 2020, 6:51 p.m.
Budapest Club Summer School 27.07.2018 2018-07-27 lldikó Szakolczai July 29, 2018, 9:27 a.m.
RSCDS Beginners Framework 1A Rachel Pusey Aug. 11, 2019, 10:42 p.m.
Level 1 Formations and beginners dances 2023-09-01 Iris Ronayne Oct. 3, 2023, 5:53 p.m.
Level 1 Formations 2023-11-15 Ted Randolph Nov. 15, 2023, 9:54 p.m.
RSCDS Book 4 Jane Rose March 6, 2018, 7:19 p.m.
Budapest Dance House for beginners 2014.02.01 2014-02-01 Zoltán Gräff Feb. 2, 2014, 7:54 p.m.
RSCDS London: AGM and End of Season Dance Saturday 8 June 2024 2024-06-08 Willie Lawrence Feb. 8, 2024, 5:35 p.m.
Hogmanay 2021 Ufa 2021-12-25 Oleynikov Pavel Dec. 3, 2021, 2:31 p.m.
Tag der Vereine 2019 2019-05-31 Michael Däther May 14, 2023, 7:56 p.m.
Beginner Dances Emma Sellke Sept. 23, 2023, 2:19 p.m.
Dances Taught at Pinewoods 2022 Lydia Hedge July 29, 2022, 1:43 a.m.

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IdSubjectDateSubmitterAssigned toPriorityDisposition
1364 Dance intensity Jan. 29, 2018, 9:43 a.m. Sean Goddard Eric Ferguson Normal Fixed