Eight Hand Reel

Advance and Retire

Leading and opposite tops take inside hand of partner, with promenade step, advance towards each other (2 bars). Retire to place (2 bars). Repeat above movement (4 bars). Partners face each other, take two hands crossed, swing around each other, in an anti-clockwise direction, revolving clockwise back to original position (8 bars). Total 16 bars.

Lead Around (order)

#1

Extended Sides (order)

#2

Skip Across (order)

#3

Return Chain (order)

#4

Back to Back (order)

#5

Advance and Retire (order)

1st Figure

Ladies Chain (order)

2nd Figure

The Finish

All join hands in a ring, with promenade step advance to center (2 bars). Retire to place (2 bars). Repeat the movement (4 bars). All sidestep anti-clockwise finishing with two threes (4 bars). Sidestep clockwise (4 bars). Advance and retire as before (8 bars). All sidestep clockwise, finishing with two threes (4 bars), sidestep back to place ending in two threes (4 bars). Release hands, partners take both hands crossed, swing around to the right to finish off (8 bars). Total 40 bars.

Eight Hand Reel

Eight hand dance in reel time for four couples.

Extended Sides

Partners exchange places with sidestep, gents behind, finishing with two threes (4 bars). All sidestep on in the same direction finishing as before (4 bars). Gents take right hand of lady on right, turn once (2 bars), all chain back towards own place to meet partner with right hand and turn into own place (6 bars). Total 16 bars.

Return Chain

Partners face each other, take right hand in right. With promenade step, gents going in an anti-clockwise direction, ladies clockwise, gents advance take left hand of lady on right. Continue the chain movement, giving right and left hand alternately of oncoming ladies, until meeting partner at opposite side of circle with right hand, make half turn (8 bars). All chain back (gents clockwise) to own place, meeting partner with right hand turning into own place (8 bars). Total 16 bars.

Lead Around

Partners take inside hands, with gent's hand underneath the lady's. With promenade step, all couples dance a complete circle around anti-clockwise back to place. release hands, turn inward, take other inside hands (8 bars). All couples dance a complete circle clockwise back to place. Release hands, turn into original position (8 bars). Total 16 bars. [as in Cross Reel]

Back to Back

Partners take right hand in right, gent sidestep on left foot towards left of contrary lady [top couple is contrary to couple on their right], while ladies sidestep on left foot towards left of contrary gent (2 bars). On the two threes, gents take left hand of contrary lady, to form a ring of four, with gents facing outward (back to back), ladies facing each other (2 bars). Gents release right hand o partner, make full turn with contrary lady (2 bars). Release hands, gents return to partner, passing right shoulder to right. Take right hand in right and turn clockwise into original position (2 bars). Partners face each other, take both hands crossed. With promenade step, top couples swing around with couple n left in an anti-clockwise direction, revolving clockwise back to own place (8 bars). Total 16 bars. [as in Morris Reel]

Ladies Chain

Top Ladies advance towards each other to center, take right hand in right, release, advance to opposite gent, take left hand in left, both turn in place (4 bars). Release hands, ladies return to partner, passing right shoulder to right, take right of partner and turn into own place (4 bars). Both couples take two hands crossed, swing around each other in an anti-clockwise direction, revolving clockwise, back to own place (8 bars). Total 16 bars.

Skip Across

With ladies standing still, top gents exchange places with sidestep on right foot finishing with two threes, passing face to face (4 bars). Side gents now do likewise (4 bars). Gents take right hand in right of lady beside him, make full turn in place, on to lady on left of original position (4 bars). Take left hand of lady, make full turn into new position (4 bars) [explain positions based on drawing]. The four gents exchange places as at start of movement [original top gents begin again], with ladies standing (8 bars). Gents take left hand in left of lady, make full turn in place, and on to partner (4 bars). Take right hand in right of partner, make a half turn into original position (4 bars). Total 32 bars.