The Shetland Reel Story

Here is a link to an interactive version of the film with dance tutorial of the Shetland Reel. video.helloeko...
In an earlier post, the Greenland Days and the Haaf Fishing, I mentioned the dance called the Shetland Reel. On my trip to Greenland I had played for dancers there, and I thought, when I get home I should take a look at our own indigenous dance, the Shetland Reel.
The backstep is well known in Shetland and often danced by folk, but not so many dance the full Shetland Reel. It is a great fun to be part of, both playing for it and dancing it - a tremendous energy and rhythm with the sound of the feet during the reeling, driven by the fiddle tunes, the stamping of feet, wild heuchs and skrechs from the floor as dancers backstep or shuffle.
I teamed up with local film maker Liz Musser, and we went on a tour around Shetland to see who was still dancing the reel and what variations there were in the different islands and districts.
In some districts they start with the reel, and in others the backstep. In Whalsay they have the lovely scruffle step, and the shuffle is danced in Out Skerries, fantastic to see this all in step, with calls for dooble time! In Unst and Burra there is a woman’s step and also front step. In Yell they have a special wedding version of the dance. Some districts hold hands across as they do the backstep. There is also a four couple and two couple version that came from Skeld, and out in Walls a step called ‘killing clocks’. In the past Burra had a daring barrel dance, and Whalsay the drunken skipper was danced by the men until they all fell doon at the end.
Watching the short film back it would be great to be back in the heart of a session like you see here in Voe, with a Shetland Reel in full flow. I fully intend when this time of isolation is past to get a dance floor filled with six to eight sets down the hall, all in step, just like the lady in Unst described. Feel the energy of the Shetland Reel again.
The film and interactive demo was nominated for a Celtic Media Award, in the Innovation Category, and also won an award at the Shetland Screenplay for best use of Shetland Dialect.
You can find more of Liz Musser's work on vimeo.com/user...
Liz is available to hire for film work, such as Director, Video Editor, Producer, Filmmaker and Cinematographer. Type of projects - Tutorial, Editing, Documentary, Short film, VR video

[@Swelkie]

Absolutely wonderful. I can't thank you enough for this, I think first, documentation of the tradition.

[@garyworrall3319]

Now that’s a lovely find on the inter web thingy……. Thankyou Maurice ❤

[@MauriceHendersonShetland]

Glad you enjoyed it, thanks for your comment 👍🏻

[@onlinemusiclessonsadamphil4677]

I'm from north Aberdeenshire, fit like to our Shetland cousins

[@onlinemusiclessonsadamphil4677]

Surely there must be a link with these and the Appalachian styles of dance and music

[@anitamead7614]

Stumbled across this video. Great work done on this. Use to do Scotish country dancing in western Australia. Grandparents from Shetland. My grandfather was born in Burra. Lots of family in Scalloway. 'Duncan' is the family name.

[@MauriceHendersonShetland]

Thanks, if you look in the description below the video, there is a link to a dance tutorial page and background to the Shetland reel. I know quite a few Duncan’s in Scalloway.

[@tullochgorum6323]

Maurice - what an inspiring film! The programme you guys are running up there to develop the music and dance tradition is a model for the rest of the country and beyond. The number of talented fiddlers you have in such a small community is simply insane!

[@angelajordan7129]

Wonderful! My grandma was a Hurlock (of Hurlock's reel written for her Dad) and her sister married a Hunter. I visited Shetland from England in 2018 and felt I'd come home.God bless Shetland.

[@perryguitar1]

I miss Shetland so much!!!

[@MrGavinBell]

Brilliant video, Maurice! Enjoyed this.

[@MauriceHendersonShetland]

Thanks Gavin! Great to keep da Shetland Reel going :)

[@vesternor]

Splendid stuff !

[@angelahallam7418]

Fantastic video. Brought back nostalgic memories of my childhood when my parents and other ex pat Shetlanders used to dance the Shetland Reel in the 1950's and 60's in New Zealand. Thank you, loved it all.

[@MauriceHendersonShetland]

That’s great to hear. In the video description there’s a link to a tutorial of how to dance it if you gather a few folk and they need a refresher or want to learn the steps and reel!😊

[@tizziejames9040]

Wonderful! Thank you SO much for putting this together.

[@juliam.mallen9019]

Too sweet what a beautiful family tradition wonderful video thanks for sharing great fiddling interesting it's like the traditional Irish jig sort of great dancers!

[@SailingKateLouise]

Hi Maurice , loved this video, I managed to get to the Outer Hebrides 3 years ago and had a wonderful time and really enjoyed a Ceilidh, maybe Shetlands next time we visit Scotland, cheers Paul in Sydney

[@MauriceHendersonShetland]

Thanks Paul, plenty of music and sailing in Shetland if you make it up here next time.

[@Shetlander75]

The best thing I’ve watched in AGES!! Thank you so much!!

[@MauriceHendersonShetland]

Thanks for you comment, glad you enjoyed it.🎻 In the video description there is also a link to an interactive dance tutorial we made with Maria Leask. Demonstration of the steps and dance.

[@TheFolkRevivalProject]

Thank you for uploading this amazing video! Do you know where I can see the complete version of the old clip at 1:14?

[@MauriceHendersonShetland]

It is from the School of Scottish Studies Archives, recorded by the late Peter Cooke. Shetland Reel danced in Cullivoe, Yell. Bobby Jamieson and Willie Barclay Henderson on fiddle. You could contact the archive here. www.ed.ac.uk/information-services/library-museum-gallery/cultural-heritage-collections/school-scottish-studies-archives/services/digitisation-services

[@TheFolkRevivalProject]

@@MauriceHendersonShetland Thank you!

[@andrewjennings2075]

Smashing film Maurice, got the feet tapping.

[@MauriceHendersonShetland]

Thanks Andrew

[@Mark.G475]

Great video, love the history!

[@MauriceHendersonShetland]

Thanks @Mark.G475 there’s a link in the description to a tutorial for the Shetland Reel if you want to give it a go. We still have a strong living tradition of fiddle music and dance here, and many a good spree!!

[@guickdotto4552]

What a wonderful video.

[@winstonsmith9533]

Andersons, Cousins!!