New Dancers

If you are new to dancing and want to learn more about the steps and how to dance, here are some resources for you.


Here is a video to give you an introduction to the community of Scottish Country Dancing


– Steps and Holds –

Skip change

Skip change is a step used in reels and jigs to travel in the dance.

pas de basque

In reels and jigs, this step is often used for setting and/or sometimes for travelling short distances.

promenade hold

A promenade hold is similar to an allemande hold, and are sometimes used together in a dance.

slip step

Slip step is used in reels and jigs to travel sideways.

Allemande hold

The allemande hold is used most commonly for dancing an allemande in dances.

others

The RSCDS website is a great place to visit to get instructions on these steps and holds.

Formations

Most Scottish country dances are mostly made up of different formations, which have special terminology so that dancers can understand the dance easier and faster without lots of explanation. You don’t need to have them all memorized, but it would be helpful to look through them to understand more.

Scottish Country Dance Database

The SCDDB is a website that has all the dances of the Royal Scottish Country Dance Society. This website contains the music, instructions, and music of all the dances we perform. Our group utilizes this website to share the dance programs for our parties and social dances. You’ll notice the link to this in our event listings as well as a 5-digit code you can use to find these dances in the mobile app.

Database on web Download Mobile APp

Helpful Resources

RSCDS Videos

The Royal Scottish Country Dance Society has a YouTube channel with lots of useful videos that can give you some visuals and tips on how to be a better dancer

Scottish Country Dancing Dictionary

This is a comprehensive SCD dictionary that tells you all about different terms, dances, footwork, and more

Scottish Country Dance Etiquette

It is important to have good etiquette when dancing, especially during formal dances, so here is a good resource to learn proper SCD etiquette