REELS OF THREE

A favorite pattern or figure that is an important feature of many Scottish Country Dances is a “reel”. A reel of three means you have three dancers in a line, two facing and one on the end who is facing someone’s back. Each dancer is dancing a “figure eight” pattern just like the number eight (8) or the figure eight in ice skating but all move at the same time; in other words they are weaving in and out, each time allowing one person to pass between the other two. (see diagram below and also link below to article by Torf Torfason for additional description of reels).

REELS OF THREE
Can be reel, jig or strathspey time and usually takes eight traveling steps in eight bars of music for the standard reel.
All reels of three are variations of the standard reel of three and can be danced on the side lines or across the dance.

STANDARD REEL OF THREE ON THE SIDELINES
The figure is similar to a figure of eight on the sidelines. The reel, if drawn on the floor, forms a figure of eight with well rounded loops at each end. The pattern is described here as three women dancing on their own side (however, the three men dance the same pattern on their side at the same time).

1st woman faces down; 2nd and 3rd women face up.

1 1st and 2nd women dancing to the left on a curve, pass right shoulders while 3rd woman curves to the right and dances up.
2 1st and 3rd women pass left shoulders while 2nd woman dances up and round the loop to face down
3-4 2nd and 3rd women pass right shoulders while 1st woman dances down and round the loop to face up
5 1st and 2nd women dancing to the right on a curve pass left shoulders while 3rd woman curves to the right and dances down.
6 1st and 3rd women pass right shoulders while 2nd woman dances down and round the loop to face up.
7-8 2nd and 3rd women pass left shoulders tofinish in original places while 1st woman dances up to original place.
Note: to finish, 1st man and 3rd woman pull back the right shoulder and 3rd man and 1st woman the left shoulder.

STANDARD REEL OF THREE ACROSS THE DANCE
Figure usually begins with 1st man between 3rd couple facing 3rd woman and 1st woman between 2nd couple facing 2nd man. Pattern is same as for reel of 3 on the sidelines but 1st couple begin the reel by giving right shoulder to the person they are facing (1st man to 3rd woman and f1st woman to 2nd man, and they finish in the same position. Described below is the pattern danced by 1st woman with 2nd couple (1st man and 3rd couple dance the same pattern at the same time).
Eight traveling step to eight bars of music.

1 1st woman and 2nd man dancing to the left on a curve pass right shoulders while 2nd woman curves to the right
2 2nd man and 2nd woman pass left shoulders while 1st woman dances round the loop by her right
3-4 1st and 2nd women pass right shoulders while 2nd man dances round the loop by his left
5 1st woman and 2nd man dancing to the right on a curve pass left shoulders while 2nd woman dances round the loop by her right
6 2nd man and 2nd woman pass right shoulders while 1st woman dances round the loop by her left
7-8 1st and 2nd women pass left shoulders to finish in starting place while 2nd man dances round the loop by his right. All finish in starting places.
Note: When the standard reel begins by passing a LEFT SHOULDER instead of a RIGHT SHOULDER the figure of eight pattern is still followed.

Notes:
Remember that:
The two end dancers are going the opposite direction from the center dancer in the reel and the end dancer who has just passed a shoulder with the center dancer is the next person to cross through the middle (ie between two people). If someone has just passed a shoulder with you, it is your turn to cross through the middle (and if someone has NOT just passed a shoulder with you it is NOT your turn to cross through the middle).