Spurtle
An online definition may be found here.
Bars: 12.
The Spurtle provides a means of progressing in a 4 couple set. It consists of three consecutive half reels of four. The first man faces 2nd lady, and 1st lady second man, then pass right to start half a reel, after two bars the 1s meet and right turn half, moving down slightly as the 2s finish the half reel and move up.
The 1s are now in position to do the same thing with the 3s, and then the 4s. Everyone ends on the wrong sides, in order: 2 3 4 1.
History
The first use of this figure appears to be in the dance The Blue Mess Jacket from Douglas Henderson's Kinclaven Pocket Book of Six Scottish Country Dances, published in ~1960.
Some dances which (probably) use this figure
- Dances for which I have animations
- Dances in (R)SCDS Books
Note: This list may be incorrect or incomplete.
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My work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Most of the dances have more restrictive licensing, see my notes on copyright, the individual dance pages should mention when some rights are waived.