Four-Hand Reel
A reel for two couples
(264 bars)
BA (leading couple)
CD (opposite couple)
A & C are men; B & D are women.
BARS-----------A. Lead Round
16-------------Dancers half right turn and lead around a complete circle. Release hands, turn about inwards. Man takes partners right hand in his left and both lead back to place.
---------------B. Body
16-------------(a) The Square: Men side-step a square in an anticlockwise direction while the women sidestep a square in a clockwise direction, all finishing with two short threes after each side. Ends with dancers in original places.
8--------------(b) Four sevens: Men side-step to the right behind partners as women side-step to the left in front of their partner. Side-step back to original place with man crossing in front of his partner. Repeat (Threes are not danced after the sevens.)
8--------------(c) Hands across: All four dancers give right hands across the center, shoulder high, and dance around clockwise. Release hands, turn, give left hands and dance back to place in an anticlockwise direction.
16-------------(d) Down the center: Leading couple turns to face each other, takes right hands and side-steps through the center to the place occupied by the opposite couple, while the opposite couple sidestep separately up the outside to the leading couple's place. Leading couple does a half turn in place and releases hands while opposite couple takes right hands and half-turns in place. The opposite couple side-steps back toplace through the center, in the manner of the leading couple as the leading couple side-steps back to place separately on the outside; Each couple takes right hands and half-turns back to original position.
16-------------(e) Right and left chain: The man gives his right hand to opposite woman and both move forward in a semi-circle, men clockwise, women anticlockwise. They continue to meet their partner with the left hand, opposite partner again with right hand, and then their own partner with the left hand to finish circular chain.
---------------C. 1st Figure
32-------------(a) Figure of eight and Rings of three: Leading couple takes inside hands, advances to opposite couple and releases hands. The man retires to place and remains idle while his partner performs the figure of eight by dancing between the opposite couple, going first round the woman and then around the man. Both women now advance to leading man and take hands in a ring of three, dance the side-step to the right, ending with two short threes, and dance a side-step to the left; meanwhile, the opposite man sidesteps to the right and left. Leading couple arch arms to allow oppostie woman to pas under to the leading woman's orignal place, and then adcvance and form a ring of three with opposite man. The three dance the side step to the left and right as the opposite woman dances a side-step to the left and right on her own. Leading couple arch arms to allow oppostie man to pass under to his partner. Both couples swing arond anticlockwise to original places.
32-------------(b) Repeat: Opposite couple dance (a).
---------------D. Body
48-------------Repeat B.
---------------E. 2nd Figure
16-------------Women's chain: Women advance, give right hands in the center and continue to the opposite man, giving left hand. both turn in place and the women return to their own partners, both making a full turn in place. both couples dance a complete circle around each other.
---------------F. Body
48-------------Repeat B.
---------------G. Lead around
16-------------Repeat A and finish.
