The English Dancing Master
Interpretations thus Far
1679 (6th edition supplement)
1687 (7th edition supplement)
1696 (9th edition supplement)
A project to enter Playford in its entireity is underway. It is but in it's infancy, but here is a start. Would you like to help? send mail to pc2d@andrew.cmu.edu
---> All In a Garden Green (Playford, ?)
line of 3 couples
1-4. F&B a D
5-8. S&T sing;e
9-16, repeat 1-8
17-18 1st M honors his partner (shakes hands, i believe the original says)
19-20 1st M honors 2nd Wo
21-22 1st M and 3rd W grasp right hands, then left hands
23-24 1st M kisses 3rd W right cheek then left cheek.
25-26 1st M turns 3rd W
27-36 1st man repeast 17-26, but in opposite direction (honor 3, 2, kiss and turn 1)
1-8 Side r, set and turn single
9-16 Side l, set and turn single
Repeat 17 - 36, only 1st Wo honors 1st, 2nd kisses third, and so forth.
1-8 arm r, set and turn single
9-16 arm l, set and turn single
Repeat 17 - 36
Note: everyone can kiss everyone else if dance repeats. After 1st Co
have both danced the chorus, they cast to the 3rd place (during
arming). When 2nd Co have both danced the chorus, they cast to the 3rd
place (during siding). When 3rd Co have danced the chorus, the dance
is over.
Return to Playford Menu
---> Appley House (Playford, ?)
longways. 4/4
1-2 b&f D (not f&b!)
3-4 Cast and turn to place, forming a right-hand star in sets of four
5-6 Half round cw in the star; TS
7-8 C#2 cast down and retake partner's hand; C#1 follow the casters,
taking hand of opposite of same sex, forming lines of four
9-10 f&b D in lines of four
11-12 C#1 crosses in front of C#2 (W on inside) and casts down to new
position while C#1 switch places
-dance repeats
Return to Playford Menu
---> The Black Nag (Playford, 1670)
for a line of three couples. 3/4
1-8 f&b D; that again
9-12 C#1 four slides up; C#2 same; C#3 same; TS
13-16 C#3 four slides back down; C#2 same; C#1 same; TS
17-24 Siding
25-28 M#1 and W#3 change places; W#1 and M#3 same; M#2 and W#2 same; TS;
29-32 Switch back in the same order; TS
33-40 Arming
41-44 Men's running hey
45-48 Women's running hey // Men TS on last measure
Return to Main Menu
---> Chestnut, or Dove's Figary -- Playford, ???
three couples in a line
1-8 F&B a double, that again
9-12 Partners fall back a step from each other, and change places
13-16 M circle three and go round, W do the same at the same time.
16-20 Partners fall back a step from each other, and change places
21-24 M circle three and go round, W do the same at the same time.
1-8 Side R, Side L
9-12 Partners fall back a step from each other, and change places
13-16 1st M cast into the 3rd place, the other M follow, 2nd to 2nd place,
3rd to 3rd place. W do the same at the same time.
16-20 Partners fall back a step from each other, and change places
21-24 3rd M cast back into the 3rd place, the other M follow,
2nd to 2nd place, 1st to 1st place. W do the same at the same time.
1-8 Arm R, Arm L
9-12 Partners fall back a step from each other, and change places
13-16 M and W do 1/2 the running hey, end with 1st in 3rd place,
3rd in 1st place, 2nd in 2nd place.
16-20 Partners fall back a step from each other, and change places
21-24 Finish the hey, ending in your original place
Return to Main Menu
---> Cuckolds All in a Row -- Playford, 1651
two couples face to face, 6/8
(note-can be danced to the tune Hearts Ease)
1-8 F&B a double, that again
5-6 turn your face from your opposite, take a step away from your opposite
7-8 turn your face toward your opposite, take a step toward your opposite
9-12 back-to-back (do-se-do) with your opposite.
13-16 repeat 5-12 with your partner
1-4 Side left with your partner
5-8 Side right with your opposite
9-10 Men change places
11-12 Women change places
13-16 All join hands and circle one time around.
17-18 W change places
19-20 M change places
21-24 All join hands and circle one time around.
1-4 Arm right with your partner
5-8 Arm left with your opposite
9 M push back your opposite, until you are in your opposite's place
10 Each pair do four slips so M is in Co Man's place.
11-12 Fall into your partner's place
13-16 M cast left, your partner follow, return to where you were at end of 11-12
17 W push back your opposite, until you are in your opposite's place
18 Each pair do four slips so W is in opposite's original place.
19-20 Fall into your original place.
21-24 M cast left, W follow, return to your original place.
Return to Main Menu
---> Dick's Maggot -- Playford? 1703
longways. 4/4
1-2 C#1 cross and cast down, C#2 leads up
3-4 C#2 casts down, C#1 leads up and TS
5-6 Women trade places, facing each other
7-8 Men trad places, facing each other
9-10 C#1 casts up, C#2 leads down and TS
11-12 back to back all, with partners
13-14 hands all: r hand to partner, left to opposite, both hands to partner
15-16 turn partner to place ( 1 or 1-1/2 turns)
dance repeats
Return to Main Menu
---> The Fine Companion -- Playford, 1651
square of couples.
1-4 Forward and Back a D
5-8 Set and Turn
9-16 All that again.
1-4 M a D forward
5-8 M B a D, W a D forward
9-16 W D back, M D forward, join hands and circle to place.
17-20 W a D forward
21-24 W a D back, M a D forward
25-32 M a D back, W a D forward, join hands and circle to place.
-4 Side L
5-8 Set and Turn
9-16 Side R, Set and Turn
1-4 Head Cos a D forward
5-8 Head Cos a D back, Side Cos a D forward
9-16 Side Cos a D back, Head Dos a D forward, join hands and circle to place.
17-20 Side Cos a D forward
21-24 Side Cos a D back, Head Cos a D forward.
25-32 Head Cos a D back, Side Cos a D forward, join hands and circle to place.
1-8 Arm R, set and turn
9-16 Arm L, set and turn
1-8 M go forward a double and turn to face your W.
9-16 M Join hands and circle to place
17-24 W go a D forward and turn to face your M.
25-32 W Join hands and circle to place.
Return to Main Menu
---> Gathering Peascods -- Playford, 1651
circle of couples. 4/4
1-6 8 Sl, TS, 8 Sr, TS
chorus:
7-9 M form inside circle and skip left once around to place
10-12 W form inside circle and skip left once around to place
13 M D forward and clap
14 M D back, W D forward and clap
15 W D back, M D forward and clap
16 M D back
17-20 (13-16) with W first
21-26 siding l, TS, siding r, TS
27-40 (7-20) chorus, but with the parts reversed
41-46 arming r, TS, arming l, TS
47-60 (7-20) original chorus
Return to Main Menu
---> Grimstock -- Playford, 1651
line of three couples
1-16 f&b D, set and turn; all that again.
17-32 Double Hey (both sides at once, starting with Cu 1 to the inside)
1-16 side L, set and turn, side R, set and turn
17-32 Roll (double hey, but partners hold hands, outside cu forms arch)
1-16 Arm L, set and turn, arm R, set and turn
17-32 Cu 1 cross and do 1/2 a double hey, cross again and complete the hey.
Return to Main Menu
---> Heartsease -- Playford, 1651
sets of two couples, facing each other. 6/8
1-8 f&b D; that again
chorus:
9-12 face partner, b&fD
13-16 turn corner by right hand (walk to corner, go completely around, return
to partner)
17-20 face corner, b&fD
21-24 turn partner by left hand
25-28 side (l shoulders) with partner
29-32 side (r shoulders) with corner
33-48 repeat chorus
49-52 arm (r) with partner
53-56 arm (l) with corner
57-72 repeat chorus
Return to Main Menu
Hyde Park
---> Hyde Park -- Playford, 1651
for a square of four couples. 6/8
1-4 Head Cs f&b D; Side Cs same
5-12 Head Cs slide into the centre; Turn 90 deg. and slide out (through
side Cs) with opposite; Side Cs same
13-16 Head Cs f&b D; side Cs same
17-18 Head Cs cross to sides while side Cs turn 180 deg. and form arch
19-20 Head Cs go through arch with opposite meet partner and D back to place
21-22 Side Cs cross to sides while head Cs turn 180 deg. and form arch
23-24 Side Cs go through arch with opposite, meet partner and back a D to place.
25-28 Head Cs f&b D; side Cs same
29-32 Men's hey: skip around, ccw, in front of own partner, behind next,
in front of third, behind fourth, returning to place
33-36 Ladies hey: same, cwv
Return to Main Menu
---> Hole in the Wall -- Playford, 1721
longways. 6/8--slow
1-4 C#1 R, cast down and return through 2's. R.
5-8 C#2 R, cast up and return throught 1's. R.
9-10 M#1, W#2 R and trade places -- not quite touching right palms
11-12 W#1, M#2 R and trade places -- not quite touching right palms
13-14 circle four Sl, palms touching, till proper again
15-16 1's R, cast down, 2's lead up. R.
dance repeats
Return to Main Menu
---> Jamaica -- Playford, 1670
longways. 4/4
1-2 C#1 clasp r hands, then clasp l hands, change places
3-4 C#1 face down to opposite (in C#2) and repeat (1-2)
5-8 C#1 eights around C#2 (W first) and continue till proper
9-10 facing down the set to the next C#2, M#1 and W#2 make a two-handed full turn
11-12 W#1 and M#2 do likewise
13 M#1 and M#2 do a two-handed half-turn while W#1 and W#2 do likewise
14 M#1 and M#2 continue and do a full two-handed turn while W do likewise
15-16 Turn partner twice
dance repeats
Return to Main Menu
---> Jenny Pluck Pears -- Playford, 1651
circle of three couples. 6/8 / 3/4
1-2* f&bD
3-4 set and Ts
5-8 (1-4) repeat
9 M#1 places his lady in the center, facing him
10 M#2 the same
11 M#3 the same
12 R
13-20 M skip ccw around W
21-23 M hand out W in the same order
24 R
25-26 siding l
27-28 set and TS
29-30 siding r
31-32 set and TS
33-48 (9-24) chorus, but W hand M into center
49-50 arming r
51-52 set and TS
53-54 arming l
55-56 set and TS
57-72 (9-24) original chorus
R
Return to Main Menu
---> Juice-of-the-Barley -- Playford, 1690
longways. 4/4
1-2 Back to back all
3-4 Hold partner's hands and turn once, cw
5-6 M half-eight, 1's first, and all clap
7-8 Set circles once cw
9-10 W half-eight, 1's first, and all clap
11-12 Set circles once cw
dance repeats
Return to Playford Menu
---> Maiden-Lane -- Playford, 1651
sets of three couples. 4/4
1-4 f&bD, that again
5-6 everyone facing men's wall, f&bD
7-8 f&bD, ending with M facing W
9-12 set and TS, that again
13-16 siding
17-18 fall back two steps and change places, passing left shoulders
19-20 (17-18) repeat
21-24 (9-12) set and TS, that again
25-28 arming
29 M#1 and W#2 change places
30 W#1 and M#2 change places while C#3 switches
31 M#1 and W#3 change places
32 W#1 and M#3 change places while C#2 switches
33-36 (9-12) set and TS, that again
dance repeats twice with new couple in front
Return to Playford Menu
---> Newcastle -- Playford (1651)
square of four couples 2/4
1-8 All f&b a D, meeting in center
9-16 Set to your partner, pivot and set to your corner
17-32 All that again
1-4 Arm R with Partner
5-8 M fall into Left hand star in center
9-16 All circle to place
17-20 Arm L with Partner
21-24 W fall into Right hand star in center
25-32 All circle to place
1-8 Side L, R with partner
9-10 Step R
11-12 Bow to partner
13-16 Change places with partner
17-32 Repeat above with corner
1-8 Head couples F&B a D, forming an arch with partner as they come back, sides cast
9-16 Sides go though arches, meet partners and back to place.
17-32 Repeat with sides forming arch, and heads casting
1-8 Arm R with partner
9-16 Arm left with partner 1 1/2 times around
17-24 Arm R with corner
25-32 Arm L with corner 1 1/2 times around
1-8 Head couples split to form 2 lines of 4 (contra lines) with side co, b&f a
9-12 All turn single
13-16 Lines pass through to place, passing L shoulders
17-32 Repeat 1-16 with side couples splitting to form contra lines with head couples.
Return to Playford Menu
---> Nonesuch -- Playford, 1651
line of four couples 2/4
1-8 Forward and Back a double
9-16 That again
17-32 Set and turn, set and turn
33-40 1s skip between 2s, turn to face them
41-48 1s push 2s back, and turn 1/2 round
49-56 1s push 2s back, and into 1st Co's old place
57-64 1s turn yr own.
1-32 1s repeat 33-64 with 3s.
33-64 1s and 3s repeat with 2s and 4s
1-32 2s repeat with 3s
33-64 1s and 3s repeat with 2s and 4s
1-32 2s repeat with 3s
33-64 1s and 3s repeat with 2s and 4s
1-32 2s repeat with 3s
33-64 3s repeat with 4s
1-16 Side R, Side L
17-32 Set and turn, set and turn
33-36 M1 steps to center, facing down the hall
37-40 Wo1 as much, facing up the hall
41-48 M2 and Wo2 as much
49-56 M3 and Wo3 as much
57-64 M4 and Wo4 as much
1-16 Arm R, Arm L
17-24 All four slips to their own L, and back.
25-32 All four slips to their own R, and back
33-34 M1 steps out improper
35-36 Wo1 steps out improper
37-42 All other couples the same
43-44 1st Co face down, all others face up, 1st Co and 2nd Co right hand pass.
45-46 1st and 3rd Co left left pass
47-48 All Cos right pass
49-64 repeat to place.
Return to Playford Menu
---> Parsons-Farewell -- Playford, 1651
sets of two couples 4/4 (?)
1-8 Forward D, Dl, Back D, Dr
9-12 M nod (full body nods), W nod, all nod 3 times (to Co (M, W), Co (W,M),
partner)
13-16 Full right hand turn, w/partners
17-20 W nod, M nod, all nod 3 times
21-24 Full right hand turn, w/partners
25-32 forward D, change partners, D out, turn, D f, change partners, D back
33-36 M left hand change, right-hand turn Co W
37-40 M left hand change, right-hand turn Own W
41-44 W right hand change, left-hand turn Co M
45-48 W right hand change, left-hand turn Own M
49-56 Slide in a D, change, slide out a D, slide back a D, change, walk back a
D
57-58 Right hand turn partner.
59-60 M change places, passing right shoulders
61-62 M change with partner, right shoulders, then change with Co W, passing left shoulders
63-64 Two hand 1/2 turn partner
65-66 Left hand turn partner.
66-67 W change places, passing left shoulders
67-68 W change with partner, left shoulders, then change with Co M, passing
right shoulders
69-70 Two hand 1/2 turn partner.
Return to Playford Menu
---> Picking-Of-Sticks -- Playford, 1651 (Tune is Picking Of Sticks and Lavena)
sets of three couples. 4/4
1-4 f&bD, that again
5 forward left dancer changes with middle right -- back to back, passing right shoulders
6 same dancer changes with back left
7-8 f&bD
9 forward right dancer changes with middle left
10 same dancer changes with back right
11-12 f&bD
13-20 (5-12) repeat chevrons with new C in front
21-28 (5-12) repeat chevrons with new C in front
29-32 siding
33-36 C#1 crosses and skips once around the entire set
33 C#3 slides through C#2 while C#2 steps back and moves into the old position of C#3
34 (33) with the other C sliding through
35-36 (33-34) repeat pistons
37-40 (33-36) but with C#3 going "around the world" and C#1 sliding
41-44 arming
45-56 M sheepshead hey
57-68 W sheepshead hey
Return to Playford Menu
---> Rufty-Tufty -- Playford, 1651
sets of two couples. 4/4
1-4 f&b D, that again
chorus:
5-8 set and TS, that again
9 half turn (towards partner) facing outward, D outward
10 half turn facing in, D inward to meet opposites
11 TS
12-14 (9-12) with opposites
15-18 siding
19-28 (5-14) chorus
29-32 arming
33-42 (5-14) chorus
Return to Playford Menu
---> Sellenger's-Round -- Playford, 1670
circle of couples. 4/4
1-4 8 Sl, 8 Sr
chorus:
5 holding partner's hand: rlr, lrl into circle
6 D back
7-8 facing partner: set and TS
9-12 (5-8) repeat
13-16 f&b D "shushing", that again
17-24 (5-12) chorus
24-28 siding
29-36 (5-12) chorus
37-40 arming
41-48 (5-12) chorus
49-52 8 Sl, 8 Sr
53-60 (5-12) chorus
Return to Playford Menu
---> Staines-Morris -- Playford, 1651
sets of three couples. 4/4
1-4 f&bD, that again
5 W pivot half turn, M and W D (opposite directions)
6 M and W pivot and D back to partner
7-10 set and TS, that again
11 M#1 4 Sr to W#3
12 M#1 TS
active couple:
13-14 half-turn touching right palms, return touching left palms
15-16 side l
17-18 half-turn holding both hands, return
19-20 lead up the set, W cast to head of her line, M cast to end of his line
other couples:
19-29 Sl, Sr, three-step turn to left (M and W in opposite directions)
dance repeats (twice) with new partners
Return to Playford Menu
---> Upon-a-Summer's-Day (Playford 1650)
Longways for six
a- 1-8 F&b a D
9-16 Partners, set and turn
1-16 That again
b- 1-8 M take hands, f&b and double, W do the same
9-16 M1 drop hands, M2&3 form an arch, M1 cast off, move under arch and fall in last place. W do the same.
- Repeat b until all are back to place.
Now do siding, set and turn, repeat b three times, arming set and turn, repeat b three times
Return to Playford Menu