Reel of Four ~ Wilson#2

This style of dance was probably danced for about a hundred years before anyone bothered to publish it. In 1808 Wilson published a reel of four which he appears to have devised, it contains partner/neighbor two hand turns rather that the usual setting, and is danced from facing couples rather than a line of four.

REEL OF FOUR

To be danced by two Gentlemen and two Ladies.

The Lady and gentleman at A C turn; then the Lady and Gentleman at B D turn; the Lady and Gentleman at A B turn, then the Lady and Gentleman at C D turn; the Lady at A and Gentleman at C cross over in the lines E F and hey with the Lady and Gentlemen at DB, which completes the figure. When it is repeated, the couple at A B strike the hey.

Note: When Wilson says "turn" he means two hand turn. When he says "swing" he means right hand turn. Only two bars are allowed for each turn. Wilson also doesn't say if the hey starts by the right or left. Either will be awkward for one of the crossing dancers. I assume right. The timing is very tight on these reels.

In Wilson's diagram the music is at the top of the page, in my animation the music is to the left.

Three years later, in 1811 he published another version which, presumably, he did not make up.

REEL OF FOUR

To be danced by two Ladies and two Gentlemen.

The Ladies and Gentlemen at A B C D move at the same time, in the direction shewn at a b c d, and hey round each other till they return to their places; they then set out the time, the Lady at A setting to the Gentleman at C, and the Lady at B to the Gentleman at D, which finishes the Reel.

On the other hand, the earliest Scottish source I can find is Smyth in 1830 who writes:

At the commencement, the Gentlemen place their partners at the end of the room, and stand either before or beside them. — If before them, all the four begin at once, but if otherwise the Ladies must begin first, each person describing the figure eight, and the Gentlemen set to the Ladies alternately.

Note that Wilson's picture shows a left shoulder hey, also Wilson has the ladies on the inside and the gents at the ends, while Smyth has the reverse. Smyth also has the gentlemen switch places each time through the reel.