Sixteen-Hand Reel

Another one that I learned ages ago but never got around to typing out. I'm going to test myself and do this solely from memory first, because it's the last book dance I learned so I haven't done as much in the way of revision as I've done for some of the others.

Lead Round
As always.

Body
Sides
Partners sidestep past each other and finish with two threes, then return to place as before. 8.

Hands Round
Leading and opposite tops, and leading and opposite sides, each form a ring of four with the couple to their right and dance sidestep and threes to the left and back. 8.

Sides
As above. 8.

Hand Round
As above, but forming the ring with the couple on their left. 8.

Half Chain
Partners take right hands and turn in place. Gents chain with left hand to lady on their right, ladies with left hand to gents on their left, and all continue chaining until they meet their partner in the opposite postition. Gents take partners two hands and lead round back to original position in the direction the gent was dancing (i.e. anticlockwise). 16.

Link Arms
Gents of leading and opposite tops and leading and opposite sides advance to gent on their right, link right arms and dance around clockwise. Give left hand to lady on right and turn in place, returning to partner and turning her with right hand. Partners take two hands and swing a complete circle around couple with whom they danced the second Hands Round (couple on left). 16.

First Figure - Advance & Retire
As always. Leading & opposite tops first, then leading and opposite sides, then second tops, then second sides. 16x4=64.

The clip starts at Advance and Retire and then continues into the body...



Second Figure - Right Hand to Opposite Lady
Gents of leading and opposite tops advance to opposite lady and give right hand to turn in place. Return to partner and turn in place with left hand. Gents take right hands in centre and turn in place, give left hand to opposite lady and turn in place, then give right hand to partner and turn in place. Couples swing around each other to finish. Repeated in the same order as above. 24x4=96.

Third Figure - Arch Arms
Leading and opposite tops take hands and turn into centre. Leading tops raise right arms to form an arch under which opposite lady passes. Lower hands, half turn, raise hands to form an arch under which opposite gent passes. All retake both hands and turn out to opposite position. Turn back into centre, this time opposite tops forming the arch for top lady to pass under, turn as before, reform arch for top gent to pass under, and swing back to original position. 16x4=64

Finish
As in Eight-Hand Reel; advance, retire, rings and swing. 40.

Total...536 bars.

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Apart from incorrectly saying that the couples swing around each other to finish Arch Arms, I actually got all of that right! :-O