You are on page 1of 32

SOMETHING OLD

AND

SOMETHING NEW
a selection of country dances, SOME TAKEN FROM COLLECTIONS
DATING From THE 17th and 18th Centuries and some FROM
Modern DANCE COMPOSERS

Chosen and presented by


Rosemary & Steve Hunt
SOMETHING OLD AND SOMETHING NEW
Introduction
The dances in this booklet have been selected from a variety of sources.
In many cases the selection has been as a result of finding a good tune amongst those published
by Playford, Young and Kynaston during the 17th and 18th centuries. This has led to an
examination of the associated dance, and an attempt to interpret it to suit modern tastes without
entirely losing the flavour of the original.
Other dances in the selection are compositions of modern dancing masters and mistresses, again
often selected because of an attractive tune.
In all cases we believe that the dances are worth preserving and we hope they will provide as
much enjoyment in the dancing as they have provided us in the selection and research.
Steve & Rosemary Hunt

ConTEnTS
1. An April Ramble 6. The Drummer 11. The Twenty-Ninth of June
2. Dainty Fine Bride 7. The English Gentleman 12. The Yager Horn
3. De’il Take the Warr 8. Farisee’s Fear 13. VSOP-43
4. Dorset Apple Cake 9. Hilda’s Frolic
5. Dorset Heath 10. Stock Jobbers
1. An April Ramble
Four Couple Longways Set, 1st & 3rd Couples Improper
“Oh to be in England now that April’s there” R. Browning

A1 1-8 First & fourth couples, each acting as a unit, dance a reel of 3 with the second
and third couples respectively (left shoulder round the lady to start).
A2 1-4 All set right & left to partner; end couples lead in while middles cast to nearest
end.
5-8 Ends two-hand turn partner while middle 4 circle left once round.
B 1-4 All do-si-do, ends with partner right shoulder, middles with neighbour, 1’s
between 4’s to start (symmetrical).
5-8 Bottom 3 couples half a Grimstock hey while top couple do-si-do left shoulder
9-12 All set right & left to partner; in fours top and bottom set right & left to
neighbour (stay facing neighbour).
13-16 In same fours, three changes starting with right hand to neighbour.

Dance by Rosemary Hunt - 2003


Written in memory of a dancing partner who loved a walk through a field of daffodils.
2. Dainty Fine Bride
Longways Set (adapted from triple minor)

A1 1-2 First lady cast, followed by her partner WHILE Second couple meet and lead up.
3-4 All Left hand turn new neighbour along the line.
A2 1-2 First man cast up, followed by his partner WHILE Second couple move down and turn
left into . . .
3-4 All Left hand turn original neighbour to finish with First couple facing men’s wall and
Second couple facing ladies’ wall.
B1 1-2 All clap own hands once on first beat, then move one place anticlockwise round the
group of four. Repeat the clap and move to finish half way round.
3-4 All turn single Right.
5-8 First couple meet, lead down until below next Second couple, acknowledge and cast
back to progressed place (improper).
9-12 First couple Right hand star once round with original Second couple (12 steps).
B2 1-2 All clap own hands once on first beat, then move one place clockwise round the group
of four. Repeat the clap and move to finish half way round.
3-4 All turn single Left.
5-6 All set Right and Left.
7-8 First couple cast WHILE Second couple move up.
9-12 All two hand turn partner once round.
Dance from Kynaston - 1718
3. De’il Take the Warr
Three Couple Longways Set (adapted from triple minor)
A1 1-6 First couple cast one place, second couple moving up. First couple Two-hand
turn once round. First couple lead through third couple, cast back to second
place.
7-8 All Two-hand turn once round.
A2 1-6 Second couple repeat A1.
7-8 All Two-hand turn once round.
B1 1-4 The men dance a hey for three, begin with first man facing down, others facing
up, first man passing second man by Right shoulder.
5-6 First man turn partner half way Right hand, then turn second man half way by
Left hand.
7-8 First man turn second lady half way by Right hand, then turn third man half
way by Left hand.
9-10 First man turn third lady half way by Right hand and these two dancers turn sin-
gle. All are now improper.
B2 1-4 The ladies dance a hey for three, begin with first lady facing down, others fac-
ing up, first lady passing second lady Right shoulder.
5-10 First lady progress to bottom following the same track as her partner.
NB: At the end of the third turn of the dance, all dancers should turn single during
the final bar of B2.
Dance derived from The Dancing Master 9th edition - 1728 and Alexander - 1730
4. Dorset Apple Cake
Longways duple minor, first couples improper, double progression

A1 1-4 Half draw poussette, men pulling.


5-8 Men continue to pull out until in a line of four across the room. Set to partner.
A2 1-8 Whole reel of four. As couples finish the reel they should take promenade hold
with partner, First couple facing up and Second couple facing down.
B1 1-4 Men wheel turn ladies half way and couples move along the line to face the next
couple across the set (“Becket” formation).
5-8 Set Right and Left. Half a right hand star with the facing couple.
B2 1-8 Chain the Ladies across, and release to move into a Left shoulder Do-si-do with
the next person along the line.
Notes:
In B1, couples becoming neutral at the ends of the set should stand improper at top and
proper at bottom.
If the dance starts with a neutral couple they should stand together on the ladies side at
the bottom of the set.

Dance by Rosemary Hunt - 2004


Written for a special birthday of Di Green, whose Dorset Apple Cake is scrumptious!
5. Dorset Heath
Longways Set

A1 1-4 Star Right hand half way, then move a further place in single file.
5-8 First corners cross by the Right shoulder and loop Right WHILE second corners
dance a wide turn single to the Left.
A2 1-4 Star Right hand half way, then move a further place in single file.
5-8 First corners cross by the Right shoulder and loop Right WHILE second corners
dance a wide turn single to the Left.
B1 1-8 Four changes of a straight hey starting with 1st couple passing rt. shoulder giv-
ing hands, as the 2nd couple cast up to join in the hey giving left hands for the
second change, finishing in a line of four facing up. (Four steps for each
change ). Position is now: 2w. 1w. 1m. 2m.
B2 1-8 All move up a double in line of four, Face the centre of the line and all pass two
dancers by the Right shoulder. All move down a double. Retaining neighbour’s
hand, set Right and Left into progressed positions.

Dance by Jan Dale - 2000


Written for the Purbeck Weekend 2000 where Jan was a caller.
6. The Drummer
Longways Triple Minor Set
A1 1-4 First couple set twice to Second lady and slip circle with her once round to Left.
A2 1-4 First couple set twice to Second man and slip circle with him once round to Left.
B1 1-4 All three couples slip circle to Left and back to Right.
B2 1-4 First and Second couples dance three changes starting Right hand to partner and loop
to face partner.
A3 1-4 First couple look on Right diagonal to their first corners, set Right and Left twice to
them and turn them Right hand once round.
A4 1-4 First couple look on Left diagonal to their second corners, set Left and Right twice to
them and turn them Left hand once round (start Left foot!).
B3 1-4 First couple cross with partner Right shoulder and move Right to hey for three on op-
posite side of set, starting Right shoulder. First couple finish improper.
B4 1-4 All set Right and Left twice and two hand turn partner to finish proper.
Alternative B4 for double progression:
1-4 First couple finish B3 improper as before, then cross Right shoulder and move down
passing two couples who meet and lead up.
Alternative B4 for 3 couple set dance:
1-4 All set Right and Left, First couple cast and half a Right hand turn, Second and Third
couples two-hand turn once round, Third couple moving up to second place.

Dance from Rutherford Vol. 1 - 1756 and Thompson - 1757.


7. The English Gentleman
Three Couple Longways Set
Part 1 Part 2 Part 3
A1 1-4 Take Right hands with part- Side Right shoulder with Arm Right with partner.
ner, lead up a double and fall partner.
back retaining hand.
5-8 Lead partner down a double Side Left shoulder with Arm Left with partner.
and fall back. partner.
A2 1-4 “Bernard Bentley” overhead Allemande Right hand.
5-8 Honour partner to Right and Left.
B 1-4 First couple Right hand turn half way and cast to second place, second couple
moving up.
5-8 First couple Left hand turn partner half way and cast to bottom place, third cou-
ple move up to face second couple along the line.
9-16 Four changes of a circular hey, first couple starting with partner, others with
neighbour along the line, four steps to each change. Changes should be like half
-turns. After fourth change First couple remain facing out.
C1 1-4 First couple continue outside set to middle place (second couple lead up), turn
single away from partner and finish facing down.
5-8 First couple lead through Third couple and cast up to middle place.
C2 1-4 First long corners meet, give Right hand, half turn and fall back.
5-8 Second long corners meet, give Right hand, half turn and fall back.
First published in “Step Lightly”, here now with its own tune. Dance by Elsie Watson - 2004
8. Farisee’s Fear
Longways Set (adapted from triple minor)

A1 1-4 First corners Right hand turn once round.


A2 1-4 Second corners Left hand turn once round.
B1 1-2 First corners cross Right shoulder.
3-4 Second corners cross Right shoulder
5-6 All four move single file clockwise to original places.
7-8 First man cast and First lady move down outside Second couple, WHILE
Second man continue up to First man’s place and Second lady half-gypsy Right
with First lady to finish in First lady’s place.
B2 1-8 First couple move individually to their Right to dance a figure eight round the
standing second couples.

N.B: Except at the ends of the set there will be two dancers dancing the figure eight round each
standing second couple. These dancers should pass Right shoulder, then turn Left round their first
corner people, then pass each other Left shoulder before dancing Right round their second
corners. At the ends of the set it is important to dance round an imaginary second couple if there
is no-one there!
Dance from The Dancing Master Volume III 2nd edition, 1726
9. Hilda’s Frolic
Three Couple Longways Set
A 1-4 First couple cross down to stand facing out between second and third couples,
give hands along the line and set Right and Left.
5-8 First couple Right hand turn their Right hand corner to finish in lines of three
across, First couple in middle position. Set Right and Left.
9-12 First couple half a Right hand turn, finish close, balance out and in (making an
“H” for Hilda).
13-16 First man Left hand star with Second couple WHILE First lady Left hand star
with Third couple, finishing in longways set with First couple proper in middle
place.
B 1-8 First couple cross Right shoulder and move Right to dance a whole figure of
eight on the opposite side of the set, finish proper in middle place.
9-16 Circle six to Right once round.
C 1-8 First couple go individually to their Right to hey with the end couple.
9-16 First couple gate down through Third couple, then gate up through Second
couple and move to bottom places as third couple meet and lead to middle
places.

Dance by Hilda Spears - 2000


Written in honour of Hilda Stone’s Birthday
10. Stock Jobbers
Longways Set (adapted from triple minor)

A1 1-4 First Couple set and turn single.


5-8 First & Second Couples circle four half way and fall back.
A2 1-4 First Couple long cast up one place, second couple moving down.
5-8 Half a double figure-8, First Couple crossing down to begin. All finish in
original places.
B1 1-4 All go forward a double towards their partner, clap hands once and turn single
to place.
5-8 All fall back a double from partner, clap hands once and turn single moving
forward to place.
B2 1-4 The two Men lead through the Ladies and cast back
5-8 All two-hand turn partners once round.
C1 1-4 First Couple set, cast down one place
5-8 First couple two hand turn once round.
C2 1-8 Four changes of right and left, four steps per change.

Dance from The Dancing Master Volume III Second Edition, 1726.
11. The Twenty Ninth of June
Three Couple Longways Set

A1 1-4 Middle couple lead up through top couple and cast back to places.
5-8 Middle couple dance a half figure eight up through the top couple.
A2 1-4 Top couple dance a half figure eight through the middle couple.
5-8 Bottom couple dance a half figure eight through the middle couple.
B 1-4 All circle Left half round.
5-8 All back-to-back partner Right shoulder.
9-12 Bottom four dancers half Right hand star and half Right hand turn partner
WHILE top couple Right hand turn once round.
13-16 All set Right and Left and turn single.

Dance by Rosemary Hunt—2003.


Written to celebrate the Ruby Wedding Anniversary of Dorothy and Brian Ballard
First danced at their party when non-dancing family and friends
as well as dancing friends gathered to celebrate their day.
12. The Yager Horn
Longways Triple Minor Set

A 1-4 First couple circle Left once round with the Second lady.
5-8 First couple circle Left with the Second man, releasing First man to allow him
to stand between the Third couple facing up. First lady and Second man con-
tinue turn, but change hands so that First lady can finish standing between the
Second couple facing down.
B1 1-4 Taking hands in lines of three across the set, all set Right and Left twice.
5-8 First couple turn Right hand to finish proper in middle places.
B2 1-4 Taking hands in lines of three, all set Right and Left twice.
5-8 All two-hand turn once round.
C 1-8 All slip a circle to left and right.

Dance from Cantelo - 1785.


13. VSOP-43
Longways - First Couples Improper, or Sicilian Circle, Quadruple Progression
A1 1-4 Neighbours back to back, with ladies turning single on return to finish facing
partner.
5-8 Partners back to back with men turning single on return to finish facing out of
set.
B1 1-2 Men, followed by partners, move out a double.
3-4 All turn to their Right so that the ladies lead their partners back into first
progressed places. All remain facing in the direction of travel.
5-8 All star Right with the couple on the right.
B2 1-2 Ladies, followed by partners, move out a double. (Any neutral couple should
Left hand turn one and a half times).
3-4 All turn to their Left so that the men lead their partners back into second
progressed places. All remain facing in the direction of travel.
5-8 All star Left with the couple on the left (the dancers just passed).
A2 1-4 All gypsy the next neighbour Right shoulder.
5-8 All gypsy the previous neighbour Left shoulder.
C1 1-4 All two-hand turn the next neighbour one and a half times to finish in third
progressed place.
5-8 All give two hands to partner and turn once round while moving clockwise round
the next couple to fourth progressed place. (Any neutral couple should two-hand
turn one and a half time).
C2 1-4 Partners take inside hands and lead a double towards the couple just passed,
change hands and lead a double towards the new couple.
5-8 Circle four to the left once round with this couple.

Dance by Alan Davies 2003


Commissioned by Annette Parkin for husband Tony’s surprise
Birthday Dance on 6th December 2003
Meadow Cottage, Chapel Lane, Woodlands, Dorset

You might also like