Reel (music)

The reel is a folk dance type as well as the accompanying dance tune type. 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 (see below).

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.

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

After being introduced to Ireland in the late eighteenth century it thrived. Later it was introduced to North America, and remains central in the traditions of Cape Breton fiddling and square dancing.

Reel music is notated in simple meter, either as 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, but in 4
4 time in English, Welsh, Scottish & Irish Fiddle Tunes, with no change to the note lengths.

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