Quote Originally Posted by londonpiper View Post
Just a quick update to let you all know that we danced Andrewson's XS reel tonight ...
As always when a new dance is danced for the first time it becomes obvious where greater clarity in the instructions is needed and where changes have to be made. So here, for the record, is the tried and tested version of The XS Reel:

The XS Reel
A 32 bar reel for 3C in a 4C set
Music: Any good 32 bar Reel; suggest Track 9 on RSCDS Book 41 The Blackwater Reel (David Cunningham and his Scottish Dance Band)

Bars 1-4
1st couple set and cast off one place to face 1st corners
Bars 5-16
Dance to corners and set, 1st couple end facing 1st corners in 3rd corner position
5- 6 1s change places with 1st corners passing RSh & 1st corners pass RSh with a ¼ turn to right in centre to face 2nd corners (as 2nd corners set),
7- 8 Original 1st corners change places with 2nd corners passing RSh & 2nd corners pass RSh with a ¼ turn to right to face 1s in 3rd corner (position) as 1C set
9-10 Original 2nd corners change places with 1s passing RSh & 1s pass RSh with a ¼ turn to right to face 2nd corner (position) as orig 1st corners set
11-16 Repeat this Fig once more until 1C end in centre facing 3rd corner positions with 3s & 2s in 1st & 3rd places opposite sides

Bars 17-24
1M picks up 3L in normal promenade hold (1M with 3L on his RHS) and dances a figure of eight round 3M and 2L giving RS to 3M to begin and ending by returning 3L to her original position, while 1L picks up 2M in a promenade hold in which 1L has 2M on her RHS and dances a figure of eight round the same two standing couples (1M&3L pass 1L&2M LS in the middle) returning 2M to his original position
Bars 25-28
1C dance ½ reel of 4 with 3M & 2L giving RS, 1M to 3M, 1L to 2L, to begin and ending in 2nd place
Bars 29-32
All turn partner to end 2,1,3 on own sides

Repeat having passed a couple.

I am very grateful to Martin in Grenoble for his suggestions on bars 17-32. It saved me great embarrassment at the debut where we did, as londonpiper has kindly said, have great fun (and only a little confusion) with it. I only regret that I missed doing the dance because I was calling it.