Reel (dance)

Form of Scottish folk dance and music

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The reel is a folk dance type as well as the accompanying dance tune type. Of Scottish origin, reels are also an important part of the repertoire of the fiddle traditions of Britain, Ireland and North America.[1] 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.

Hard shoes worn for Irish dance Soft shoes worn for Irish dance

In Irish dance, a reel is any dance danced to music in reel time (see below). In Irish stepdance, the reel is danced in soft shoes and is one of the first dances taught to students. There is also a treble reel, danced in hard shoes to reel music.

## History

[edit]

The reel is indigenous to Scotland. The earliest reference was in a trial of 1590, where the accused was reported to have "daunced this reill or short dance."[2] However, the form may go back to the Middle Ages. The name may be cognate with or relate to an Old Norse form, with Suio-Gothic rulla, meaning "to whirl." This became Anglo-Saxon hreol and Gaelic ruidhle or ruidhleadh, which is the origin of the word now.[3]

After being introduced to Ireland in the late eighteenth century it thrived.[3] Later it was introduced to North America by English, Scottish, and Irish colonists and immigrants. In the United States, reels remain central in the traditions of Anglo and African-American Old-time music and square dancing, as well as Cajun and Zydeco. In Canada, they are important parts of Cape Breton, Acadian, Québécois, and Métis repertoires.[4][1]

## Reel music

[edit]

The wind that shakes that Barley

A reel performed by Dancing Willow

* * *

Drowsy Maggie

A reel featuring viola da gamba and recorder, performed by Dancing Willow

* * *

Problems playing these files? See media help.

Reel music is notated in simple metre, most commonly either in 2
2 or 4
4. For example, the same reel Rakish Paddy is notated in a 2
2 time signature in O'Neill's Music of Ireland, New & Revisited,[5] but in 4
4 time in English, Welsh, Scottish & Irish Fiddle Tunes,[6] with no change to the note lengths.

All reels consist largely of quaver (eighth note) movement with an accent on the first and third beats of the bar. A reel is distinguished from a hornpipe in two ways. Firstly it is played with even beats, without swing or dotted rhythm. Secondly it is played twice as fast, implied by the 2
2 time signature. Like most dance music originating in the British Isles, reels are usually composed in binary form, meaning they have two parts (A and B); in most reels each part is repeated (AABB), but in others it is not (ABAB). Each part (A and B) typically has eight bars, which in turn are divisible into four-bar and two-bar phrases. (An exception is the "auld reel" of Shetland which tends to irregular structure and may have been influenced by the Norwegian halling.) A reel usually has 32 bars (with structure AABB), but there are other common structures such as 40 bar reels (often played for the introduction of the Eightsome Reel) and 64 bar reels (with structure AABBCCDD).

Reels are popular in the folk music of South West England. They crossed the Atlantic ocean with Irish and British immigration and thus entered the musical tradition of Atlantic and French-speaking Canada including that of Quebecers and Acadians. Reels are featured in many pieces by Quebec singers and bands, such as La Bolduc, La Bottine Souriante and even the more modern néo-trad group Les Cowboys Fringants.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b Haigh, Chris (2013). Exploring Folk Fiddle. London: Schott. p. 11.
2. ^ Newes from Scotland. Declaring the damnable life of Doctor Fian a notable sorcerer, who was burned at Edenbrough in Ianuarie last. London 1591. (Glasgow University Library: Sp Coll Ferguson Al-a.36)
3. ^ a b Norton, Pauline (2014). "Reel (USA)". Grove Music Online (8th ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.A2257178. ISBN 978-1-56159-263-0.
4. ^ Haigh, Chris (2009). The Fiddle Handbook. Hal Leonard.
5. ^ Krassen, Miles (1976). O'Neill's Music of Ireland, New & Revisited. p. 158.
6. ^ Williamson, Robin (1976). English, Welsh, Scottish & Irish Fiddle Tunes. p. 69.

## External links

[edit]

* Military Two Step
* Gay Gordons

Links to related articles

* v
* t
* e

Irish dance

Styles|

| Individual|

* Step dance
* Sean-nós dance (in the United States)
* Festival dance

|

Group|

* Ceili dance
* Set dance
* Rinnce Fada

Music|

| 2
2 and 4
4 dances|

* Reel
* Hornpipe

|

8 dances|

* Single and double jig
* Treble jig
* Haste to the Wedding

8 dances|

* Slip jig

8 dances|

* Slide

Mixed time|

* South Galway Set
* Clare Lancers Set

Organisations|

* An Coimisiún Le Rincí Gaelacha
* Conradh na Gaeilge
* An Comhdháil na Múinteoirí le Rincí Gaelacha
* World Irish Dance Association
* Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann

Events|

* Crossroads dance
* Feis
* Oireachtas
* Oireachtas Rince na Cruinne
* Céilí

Shows and groups|

* Riverdance
* Lord of the Dance
* Dancing on Dangerous Ground
* Feet of Flames
* The Keltic Dreams

Professional dancers|

* Cara Butler
* Jean Butler
* Tiana Coudray
* Dean Crouch
* Joanne Doyle
* Colin Dunne
* Michael Flatley
* Bernadette Flynn
* Dan Furey
* Breandán de Gallaí
* Graham Killoughery
* Tony Lundon
* Kevin McCormack
* Róisín Mullins
* Daire Nolan
* Gillian Norris

Miscellaneous|

* Public Dance Halls Act 1935
* Soft shoes
* Hard shoes
* Jig (2011 film)

* v
* t
* e

Irish music

General|

* Cèilidh
* Irish traditional music
* Irish dance
* Music of Ireland
* Sean-nós dance
* Set dance

Folk song|

* Sean-nós singing
* Traditional Irish singing
* Lilting

Instruments|

* Accordion
* Bodhrán
* Bones
* Bouzouki
* Concertina
* Fiddle
* Flute
* Hammered dulcimer
* Harp
* Lambeg
* Melodeon
* Tenor banjo
* Tin whistle
* Uilleann pipes

Tune types|

4 dances
Polka

2 and 4
4 dances
Barn dance
Fling
Highland
Hornpipe
Reel
Strathspey
Schottische

4 dances
Mazurka
Waltz

8 dances
Single and double jigs

8 dances
Hop and slip jigs

8 dances
Slide

Non-dance tunes
Marches and airs which exist in various meters.

Scales|

* Aeolian mode
* Dorian mode
* Ionian mode
* Mixolydian mode
* Pentatonic scale

Relations|

* Cape Breton fiddling
* English folk music
* Scottish folk music

Competitions|

* Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann
* Oireachtas na Gaeilge

Music Awards|

* Gradam Ceoil TG4
* RTÉ Radio 1 Folk Awards

* v
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* e

Scottish folk music

Folk song|

* Bothy ballad
* Cornkister
* Gaelic psalm singing
* Lilting
* Puirt à beul
* Waulking song

Folk dances|

* Cèilidh
* Dirk
* Highland
* Country
* Sword

Instruments|

* Accordion
* Acoustic guitar
* Bass drum
* Border pipes
* Cello
* Clàrsach (Harp)
* Fiddle
* Flute
* Great Highland bagpipe
* Low whistle
* Melodeon
* Piano
* Scottish smallpipes
* Side drum
* Tenor drum
* Tin whistle

Common forms
(by metre)

| Duple-time|

* Polka
* Highland Schottische

|

Duple / Quadruple-time|

* Barn dance
* Highland Fling
* Hornpipe
* Reel
* Strathspey

Triple-time|

* Waltz

Duple compound|

* Jig
* Two-step

Triple compound|

* Slip jig

Others|

* Marches

Modes|

* Aeolian
* Dorian
* Ionian
* Mixolydian
* Pentatonic

Characteristics|

* Scotch snap

Related music|

* English folk music
* Irish traditional music (particularly the Donegal fiddle tradition)
* Cape Breton fiddling

* v
* t
* e

Cape Breton folk music

Folk song|

* Lilting
* Puirt à beul
* Waulking song

Folk dances|

* Scottish highland dance
* Scottish sword dances
* Traditional square dance

Instruments|

* Accordion
* Fiddle
* Great Highland bagpipe
* Piano

Tune types|

2/4 dance
Polka

2/2 and 4/4 dances
Barn dance
Highland Fling
Hornpipe
Reel
Strathspey

3/4 dances
Waltz

6/8 dances
Jig
Two-step

9/8 dances
Slip jig

Non-dance tunes
Marches and airs which exist in various meters.

Scales|

* Aeolian mode
* Dorian mode
* Ionian mode
* Mixolydian mode
* Pentatonic scale

Relations|

* Music of Canada
* Irish traditional music
* English folk music
* Scottish folk music
* Folk music of Wales

* v
* t
* e

English folk music

Folk music by era|

* 1500–1899
* 1900–1949
* 1950–1959
* 1960–1969
* 1970–1979
* 1980–1989
* 1990–1999
* 2000–2009

Subgenres and fusions|

* British folk rock
* Folk baroque
* Folk punk
* Folk metal
* Medieval folk rock
* Progressive folk

Dance forms|

| General|

* Abbots Bromley Horn Dance
* English country dance
* Furry Dance
* Garland dance
* Long Sword dance
* Maypole dance
* Morris dance
* Rapper dance

|

2/4 Dance|

* Polka

2/2 and 4/4 Dances|

* Hornpipe
* Reel

3/4 Dance|

* Waltz

3/2 Dance|

* Triple Hornpipe

6/8 Dance|

* Jigs

9/8 Dance|

* Slip jig

Song forms|

* Ballads
* Carols
* Children's songs
* Protest songs
* Sea shanties
* War songs
* Work songs

Instruments|

* Accordion
* Concertina
* Crowdy-crawn
* Fiddle
* Fife
* Flute
* Lancashire bagpipe
* Lincolnshire bagpipes
* Melodeon
* Northumbrian smallpipes
* Tabor
* Tin whistle
* Yorkshire bagpipe
* Half-long pipes

Regional traditions|

* Cornwall
* Northumbria
* Somerset
* Sussex

Related articles|

| External relations|

* Scottish folk music
* Folk music of Denmark

|

Miscellaneous|

* Folk clubs
* Folk festival

* Portal:England
* Portal:Music

* v
* t
* e

Welsh folk music

General|

* Eisteddfod
* Noson Lawen
* Twmpath

Folk song|

* Cerdd Dant
* Cymanfa Ganu
* Cynghanedd
* Men's chorus

Instruments|

* Crwth
* Fiddle
* Flute
* Pibgorn
* Triple harp
* Tabwrdd
* Welsh bagpipes

Dance & Tune Types|

General
Clogging

2/4 Dance
Polka

2/2 and 4/4 Dances
Barn dance
Hornpipe
Reel

3/4 Dances
Waltz

6/8 Dances
Jig

Non-dance Tunes
Marches and Airs which exist in various meters.

Scales|

* Aeolian mode
* Dorian mode
* Harmonic minor scale
* Ionian mode
* Mixolydian mode
* Pentatonic scale

Relations|

* Cape Breton fiddling
* Folk music of England
* Folk music of Ireland
* Folk music of Scotland

* v
* t
* e

Icelandic folk music

General|

* Gammaldans
* Music of Iceland
* Nordic folk music
* Rímur
* Traditional Nordic dance music

Tune Types|

2/4 Dances
Polki

2/2 Dance
Ræll

3/4 Dance
Marsúrki
Vals

4/4 Dance
Skottís

Miscellaneous
Wedding march

Instruments|

* Accordion
* Fiðla
* Harmonium
* Langspil
* Violin

Scales|

* Aeolian mode
* Dorian mode
* Harmonic minor
* Ionian mode
* Lydian mode
* Mixolydian mode

Relations|

* Danish folk music
* Finnish folk music
* Norwegian folk music
* Swedish folk music

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