Dancing Fingers

4x32 Reel Step Dance for 2 Couples

Music: 4 Reels composed by Muriel Johnstone (Dancing Fingers, The Confluence, The Reversal, Tapsalterie) and available on the recording Dancing Fingers and sheet music from Scotscores.

Abbreviations: R=right, L=left, F=foot, S=shoulder, M=men, W=women, pdb=pas de basque.

Counts are given in parentheses with 2 counts (1 2) per bar of music.

Part 1. Begin with couples facing as in Fig. 1a. Bow/curtsey to partner on chord.

Bars	1-8:	Beginning w/ RF, W advance w/ 2 pdb (1&2 3&4) as M step diag. back into straight line as in Fig. 1b; W dance balance movement springing RF, LF (5 6) then 1 pdb (7&8). Beginning w/ LF W dance 2 skip change to cast around own spot by LS (1&2 3&4); W dance propelled pivot turn w/ L elbow hold (5&6&7&8) to face partner.
	9-16:	All dance 1/2 reel of four w/ 4 skip change [M use progressive reel step w/ arms in 3rd position] (1-8). Use 1 more step to achieve Fig. 1c (1&2) then cross LF over RF and pivot turn to R (3 4); dance propelled pivot turn w/ partner and R elbow hold (5&6&7) then step LF (8) back into the positions of Fig. 1c.
	17-24:	Repeat bars 1-8 with M active [using highland arm positions] and W stepping diagonally back w/ LF into straight line.
	25-32:	Repeat bars 9-16, except only dance 1 bar of propelled pivot turn (5&6), then hop RF (&) and dance 1 bar of skip change w/ LF (7&8) to the positions of Fig. 2a.

Part 2: Begin in square as in Fig. 2a (W are approx. facing their partner, M their opposite).

Bars	1-8:	Travelling to the R one place along square, dance hop&travel w/ RF (1&2), then step onto heel of RF toward 2nd pos. and close LF to 5th rear pos. (&3) and step onto RF toward 2nd pos. and close LF to 5th rear pos. (&4); at the new corner of square, dance 2 brushes w/ RF toward 4th int. aerial (5 6), then spring onto RF making 1/4 turn to R and taking LF to 3rd rear aerial (7) and hop RF extending LF to 2nd aerial (8) [(7 8)="follow thru"]. Repeat (1-8) w/ LF, travelling one more place along square (while facing out).
	9-16:	Repeat bars 1-8 back to original places. [M use 2nd pos. arms in bars 1-16.]
	17-24:	Using 4 skip change of step, dance into center to give RH across 1/4 way around, then retain RH w/ opposite and M turn W under RH's 1 1/2 times to face in the diagonal line of Fig. 2b (1-8); then travelling to R with the movement of bars 1-4 regain the square of Fig. 2a but now in the diagonally opposite position (1-8).
	25-32:	Beginning w/ LF, repeat bars 17-24 giving LH across, retaining partner's LH and turning to face in the diagonal line of Fig. 2b (w/ M in opp. places), and finishing in the square of Fig. 2a (1-8,1-8).

Part 3: Begin in square of Fig. 2a, facing partner.

Bars	1-8:	All dance the following setting step: Assemble RF in 5th pos.(1), spread both feet to 2nd pos.(&), assemble LF in 5th pos.(2), retiré skip onto LF in 5th rear pos. (&3), step RF toward 2nd pos. and close LF in 5th rear pos. (&4); hopping LF execute a shake with RF to 4th int. aer. pos. (5&6), then hop LF and bourree under w/ RF to finish w/ RF in 5th pos. (&7&8). Repeat contra (1-8). [Arms for M: 1st pos.(1-4), 2nd pos.(5&6), 3rd pos.(7&8).]
	9-16:	W use 2 skip change to change places RS while M do 4 highcuts making 1/2 turn to R (1-4), M use 2 progressive reel steps to change places RS while W do 4 rock steps springing RF to begin and making 1/4 turn to R (5-8); w/ 4 travelling steps dance around partner by LS to opp. pos. of square of Fig. 2a (1-8).
	17-32:	Repeat bars 1-16 from new positions to return to original places, and finish as in Fig. 1a, near hands joined w/ partner.

Part 4: Begin with couples facing as in Fig. 1a, near hands joined w/ partner.

Bars	1-8:	Assemble RF in 5th pos.(1), disassemble onto RF extending LF to 4th int. aer. pos. (2), hop RF and bourree under w/ LF to finish w/ LF in 5th pos. (&3&4); assemble RF in 5th pos.(5), disassemble onto LF extending RF to 2nd aer. pos.(6), hop LF and bourree w/ RF making a full turn to R and finishing w/ RF in 5th pos. (&7&8). Assemble LF in 5th pos.(1), disassemble onto LF extending RF to 4th int. aer. pos. (2), hop LF and bourree under w/ RF to finish w/ RF in 5th pos. (&3&4); dance hop-brush-beat-beat w/ LF (&5&6), beat-beat w/ L heel in 4th int. pos (&7), then beat-beat w/ LF in 5th pos. (&8). Note: On bars 1-6 couples will change places by travelling fwd to R on bars 1&2 and fwd to L on bars 5&6; bars 3&4 are in line and bars 7&8 are facing away from other couple.
	9-16*:	Step LF (1), shuffle RF (&a), and execute ball-change w/ RF in 5th pos.(2&),hold(3), retiré skip RF into 5th rear pos. displacing LF to 2nd aerial (&4) [during bars 1-4, W make 1/2 turn to L, M use 1st pos. arms]; dance sevens passing face-to-face w/ partner to change places (5&6&7&8) [M use 3rd pos. arms]. Repeat bars 9&10 contra (1-4) [both making 1/2 turn to R]; spring toward partner and dance propelled pivot turn w/ R elbow hold (5&6&7&8) to opposite positions of Fig. 1a, w/ near hands joined.
	17-32:	Repeat bars 1-16 contra (i.e. assemble LF in 5th, etc.) to regain original positions as in Fig. 1a.

* A simplified version of bars 9&10 and 13&14 is to omit the shuffle: Step LF(1), ball-change (2&), hold (3), and retiré skip (&4).

Devised by Robert McOwen,
Feb. 1991.

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Last modified 8-10-02 .

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