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Cape Breton Step Dance: The Basic Reel Step for Beginners

Cape Breton Step Dance: The Basic Reel Step for Beginners — video by Sabra MacGillivray Play · 8:32

Video by Sabra MacGillivray on YouTube · Open on YouTube

Traditional dance instructor Sabra MacGillivray, a Highland and step dancer from Nova Scotia, teaches the basic reel step of Cape Breton step dancing (step, shuffle, hop, tap, tap) slowly with counts and from the side, then builds up speed and dances it to music.

  • 9 min
  • Beginner
  • High impact (jumping)
  • No equipment

Good forDancing for fun

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Step by step 8

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  1. Step on the left foot and shuffle the right: heel scuffs out, ball of the foot back. 1:40
  2. Hop on the left, then two taps with the ball of the right foot, lifting it each time. 2:08
  3. Repeat on the other side: step, shuffle, hop, tap, tap. 2:25
  4. Count it in four-four time: one and two and three, four. 3:05
  5. Side view, to see the heel and toe in the shuffle. 4:12
  6. Practise at medium speed. 5:30
  7. Build up to nearly full speed. 6:06
  8. Dance the basic reel step right through to music. 7:00

The steps are a summary in our words, checked against the video — the coach shows every move.

Form cues from the coach

  • Scuff the heel on the way out and the ball of the foot on the way back
  • Lift the foot after each tap so it is ready to step
  • It is counted in four-four time: one and two and three, four

What it works

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Joints it uses 2 takes load

  • Knees takes loada hop on one foot in every step
  • Ankles & feet takes loadhops, shuffles and taps on the ball of the foot
  • Hips movesshuffle leg swing
  • Jumping or hopping. Impact goes through the ankles, knees and hips.

A guide to the joints this video’s moves load, from what the coach does — not medical advice. Some ache is normal; stop if a joint hurts sharply. How joints are rated

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Video by Sabra MacGillivray; the summary, steps, cues, body areas and joint notes are Notbroken’s, written from what the coach actually does in the video and checked a second time. Warm up first, take the easier options until a move feels easy, and stop if you feel sharp pain, chest pain or dizziness. General instruction, not advice for your body. About & safety