Virginia Reel (dance)
Encyclopedia
The Virginia reel is a folk dance
that dates from the 17th century. Though the reel
may have its origins in Scottish country dance
and the Highland reel, and perhaps have an even earlier influence from an Irish dance
called the Rinnce Fada
, it is generally considered to be an English country dance
. The dance was most popular in America from 1830–1890.
The Virginia reel was a popular dance, and in each area there would be slight differences. This has given rise to a large number of dances called the Virginia reel. All of the versions have certain similarities, such as the reel figure.
The dancers line up in two lines of 5-7 couples, partners facing each other. Traditionally men would line up on one side, and women on the other, but that is not necessary. The lines have a head and a foot, with the head couple being the nearest the band or music source and the foot couple at the other end of the line. This formation is the same for any version of the Virginia reel.
Head lady and foot gentleman forward and back.
Head gentleman and foot lady forward and back.
Forward and turn with the right hand round.
Forward again with both hands round.
Do-si-do
Head couple down the centre and back.
Right arm to partner and reel. (Right to centre, left to the side.)
The march
When the head couple reach the foot of the set, they stop, join both hands to form an arch while the couples who are behind them join hands and go under the arch and up the centre toward the head position. This leaves the original head couple at the foot and the second couple now becomes the head couple.
Folk dance
The term folk dance describes dances that share some or all of the following attributes:*They are dances performed at social functions by people with little or no professional training, often to traditional music or music based on traditional music....
that dates from the 17th century. Though the reel
Reel (dance)
The reel is a folk dance type as well as the accompanying dance tune type. In Scottish country dancing, the reel is one of the four traditional dances, the others being the jig, the strathspey and the waltz, and is also the name of a dance figure ....
may have its origins in Scottish country dance
Scottish country dance
A Scottish country dance is a form of social dance involving groups of mixed couples of dancers tracing progressive patterns according to a predetermined choreography...
and the Highland reel, and perhaps have an even earlier influence from an Irish dance
Irish dance
Irish dancing or Irish dance is a group of traditional dance forms originating in Ireland which can broadly be divided into social dance and performance dances. Irish social dances can be divided further into céilí and set dancing...
called the Rinnce Fada
Rinnce Fada
The rince fada, the long dance, country or field dance goes back to the sixteenth century Ireland. During this period, visitors to Ireland described the dance consisting of a row of men facing a row of women. Beginning at one end of the line, the couples start dancing one by one until all have...
, it is generally considered to be an English country dance
English Country Dance
English Country Dance is a form of folk dance. It is a social dance form, which has earliest documented instances in the late 16th century. Queen Elizabeth I of England is noted to have been entertained by "Country Dancing," although the relationship of the dances she saw to the surviving dances of...
. The dance was most popular in America from 1830–1890.
The Virginia reel was a popular dance, and in each area there would be slight differences. This has given rise to a large number of dances called the Virginia reel. All of the versions have certain similarities, such as the reel figure.
The dance
Described below is one version of the Virginia reel.The dancers line up in two lines of 5-7 couples, partners facing each other. Traditionally men would line up on one side, and women on the other, but that is not necessary. The lines have a head and a foot, with the head couple being the nearest the band or music source and the foot couple at the other end of the line. This formation is the same for any version of the Virginia reel.
Head lady and foot gentleman forward and back.
- The head lady and the foot man advance diagonally toward each other four steps, the lady curtsey and the gentleman bow, and retire four steps backward into place.
Head gentleman and foot lady forward and back.
Forward and turn with the right hand round.
- The head lady and the foot man advance, join right hands (shoulder high), make one complete turn and return to places. The head man and foot lady do the same.
Forward again with both hands round.
- The head lady and foot man advance, join both hands straight across and make one complete turn, then return to places. The head man and foot lady do the same.
Do-si-do
Dosado
Dosado or Dos-a-dos or do-si-do is a basic dance step in such dances as square dance, contra dance, polka, various historical dances, and some reels....
- The head lady and foot man advance, pass each other right shoulder to right shoulder, and without turning, go around each other back-to-back and retire backwards to places. The head man and foot lady do the same. Repeat the Do-si-do by left shoulder.
Head couple down the centre and back.
- The head couple join both hands and chasse (side slip and close) down inside of the lines four steps and return to the head position.
Right arm to partner and reel. (Right to centre, left to the side.)
- The head couple link arms and turns around once and a half. (This leaves the lady facing the men's line and the man facing the ladies line). The head lady turns the second man (the second man from the head of the line) once around in his place with left arms linked, while the head man does likewise with the second lady.
- Head couple then returns to the middle and turns each other again (once around) with right arms linked, and move on to the third couple.
- This is continued until they reach the foot of the lines, where they turn half way around only, instead of a full turn, so that the lady ends up on her side and the man on the men's side. The head couple then join hands across and chasse (side slip and close) with side steps back to the head of the set. They drop hands and turn out ready for the march.
The march
- The head couple separate. The man turns outwards and walks toward the foot directly behind the men's line, followed by all the men in single file. At the same time the head lady does the same thing on her side of the set.
- Then the head couple meet at the foot of the set and walk together to the head of the set, followed by the other couples. When all have reached their original places, all the partners, except the head couple, join hands and hold them high to form a long archway under which the head couple, with hands joined, walk quickly to the foot, where they remain. The original second couple now become head couple and the whole pattern is repeated until all have been head couple.
Variations
As said above, there are many variations. One of the most common is this:When the head couple reach the foot of the set, they stop, join both hands to form an arch while the couples who are behind them join hands and go under the arch and up the centre toward the head position. This leaves the original head couple at the foot and the second couple now becomes the head couple.