Proceedings of the Known World Dance Symposium 2007

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Four Couple English Country Dances

John White
(Arglwydd Dafydd Cyhoeddwr)

Email:                   John.White@Drexel.Edu

Web-site:            www.pages.drexel.edu/~white/dafydd.html

There are plenty of four couple ECDs in Playford’s First Edition, and some get more time on the dance floor than others.  Of course, that’s probably as much because of lack of music as an inability to reconstruct the dances, but just to be sure, I’ve remedied both for this class.

Enjoy!

 

Aye Me, or the Symphony       

for a line of four numbered couples.

Reconstructed by Dafydd Cyhoeddwr.

Music: The Little Barley-Corne, by the Toronto Consort (needs one more repeat of the music to work)

Part 1                                  

                                                Verse 1, Part A               

                                                                1:            Couples take inside hands, face up the hall, go forward a double.

                                                                2:            Back a double.  Drop hands and face your partner.

                                                                3:            Men back a single (2 beats), then women back a single (2 beats).

                                                                4:            Turn single (left).  Adjust back into place with the turn.

                                                Verse 1, Part B               

                                                                1:            Take hands and face up the hall again, forward a double.

                                                                2:            Back a double.

                                                                3:            Men back a single (2 beats), then women back a single (2 beats).

                                                                4:            Turn single (right).  Adjust back into place with the turn.

                                                Chorus 1, Part A           

                                                                1:            Ends cast to the middle: Couples 1 and 4 cast off and fall into the 2nd and 3rd spots, respectively (those couples getting out of the way gracefully).

                                                                2:            Change across: Couples 1 and 4 change places (walking, no hands) with your partner.

                                                                3:            Return to the top: Couples 1 and 4 move back up into the first and last spots (switched sides) going around the outside of the line - couples 2 and 3 fall back into the middle positions.

                                                                4:            Change and pull: Couples 1 and 4 change places again and go back into the 2nd and 3rd spots back on your proper gender’s sides, but instead of the 2nd and 3rd couples just moving out of the way, the 1st and 4th couples will take the person on their side by the hand and move them into their places (“turn them about into ... place”).  This move will probably have to be abbreviated.

                                                Chorus 1, Part B

                                                                                The 2nd and 3rd couples are now where the 1st and 4th were when the chorus started and we need to get everyone back where they belong so:

                                                                1:            Ends cast to the middle: Couples 2 and 3 cast off and fall into their normal places (couples 1 and 4 getting out of the way gracefully).

                                                                2:            Change across: Couples 2 and 3 change places (walking, no hands) with your partner.

                                                                3:            Return to the top: Couples 2 and 3 move back up into the first and last spots (switched sides) going around the outside of the line - couples 1 and 4 fall back into the middle positions.

                                                                4:            Change and pull: Couples 2 and 3 change places again and go back into their normal spots back on your proper gender’s sides, but instead of the 1st and 4th couples just moving out of the way, the 2nd and 3rd couples will take the person on their side by the hand and move them into their places (see above).

Part 2                                  

                                                Verse 2, Part A              

                                                                                “Side all into each others places” meaning:

                                                                1:            Side left halfway (line up right shoulders with your partner and stop).

                                                                2:            Double forward into your partner’s place and turn to face them.

                                                                3:            Men back a single, then women back a single.

                                                                4:            Turn single, left (adjusting as before).

                                                Verse 2, Part B              

                                                                                “That again,” meaning:

                                                                1:            Side right halfway (line up left shoulders with your partner and stop).

                                                                2:            Double into your proper place and turn to face your partner.

                                                                3:            Men back a single, then women back a single.

                                                                4:            Turn single, right.

                                                Chorus 2, Part A           

                                                                1:            Odds open: Face the head of the hall; couples 1 & 3 open (sideways double away from each other), couples 2 & 4 close (sideways double towards each other) - none of these need to be large movements.

                                                                2:            Change places: Couple 1 falls back into the 2nd position while couple 2 doubles forward into the first, ending up the normal dance position apart - AS - couple 3 falls back into the 4th position while couple 4 couples forward into the 3rd, ending up normally positioned in the set.

                                                                3:            Odds open: Couples 1 & 3 open, couples 2 & 4 close (from your new positions).

                                                                4:            Change back: Couple 1 goes forward to their original position while couple 2 falls back into theirs, ending up normally positioned - AS - couple 3 goes forward into their original position while couple 4 falls back into theirs, ending up normally positioned.

                                                Chorus 2, Part B           

                                                                1:            Face down, evens open: Face the bottom of the hall; couples 2 & 4 open, couples 1 & 3 close.

                                                                2:            Change places: Couples 2 & 4 fall back into 1st and 3rd places, while couples 1 & 3 double forward into 2nd and 4th places, all ending normally positioned.

                                                                3:            Evens open: Couples 2 & 4 open, couples 1 & 3 close.

                                                                4:            Change back: Couples 2 & 4 go forward into their normal positions while couples 1 & 3 fall back into theirs, all ending normally positioned.

Part 3                                  

                                                Verse 3, Part A              

                                                                                “Arms as you sided”, meaning:

                                                                1&2:      Arm left (right arms, circle left) 1 ½ times with your partner to end up in your partner’s place.

                                                                3:            Men back a single, then women back a single.

                                                                4:            Turn single, left (adjusting as before).

                                                Verse 3, Part B              

                                                                1&2:      Arm right (left arms, circle right) 1 ½ times with your partner to end up back in your proper place.

                                                                3:            Men back a single, then women back a single.

                                                                4:            Turn single, right.

                                                Chorus 3, Part A           

                                                                1:            Ends pass through: Couples 1 & 4 meet and pass through (1 between 4) so that couple 1 ends up in the 3rd place and couple 4 ends up in the 2nd place.  Couples 2 and 3 gracefully get out of the way, ending up in 1st and 4th places respectively.  Face your partner.

                                                                2:            Change across: Couples 1 & 4 change places with your partner.  Face your partner.

                                                                3:            Gate: Men 1 & 4 take inside hands (man 4's left in man 1's right), women 1 & 4 take hands; man 1 leads to his left to switch places with man 4 while woman 4 leads to her left to switch places with woman 1.  This puts couple 1 in 2nd place, and couple 4 in 3rd place.  Face your partner.

                                                                4:            Change across: Couples 1 & 4 change places with your partner, returning everyone to the proper side of the set.

                                                Chorus 3, Part B           

                                                                1:            Ends pass through: Couples 2 & 3 meet and pass through (2 between 3) so that couple 2 ends up in the 3rd place and couple 3 ends up in the 2nd place.  Couples 1 and 4 gracefully get out of the way, ending up back where they started the dance.  Face your partner.

                                                                2:            Change across: Couples 2 & 3 change places with your partner.  Face your partner.

                                                                3:            Gate: Men 2 & 3 take inside hands (as above), women 2 & 3 take hands; man 2 leads to his left to switch places with man 3 while woman 3 leads to her left to switch places with woman 2.  This puts couples 2 & 3 back in their original places, but on the wrong side of the set.  Face your partner.

                                                                4:            Change across: Couples 2 & 3 change places with your partner, returning everyone to the proper side of the set.

 

Lord of Carnarvan’s Jegg       

for a line of four numbered couples.

Reconstructed by Dafydd Cyhoeddwr.

Music: On a May Morn, by the St Marks Consort (okay, it’s electronic, but it’s better than nothing)

Part 1                                  

                                                Verse 1, Part A               

                                                                1:            Couples take inside hands, face up the hall, go forward a double.

                                                                2:            Back a double.

                                                Verse 1, Part B               

                                                                1&2:      That again.

                                                Verse 1, Part C

                                                                1&2:      “Do-si-do” your partner, starting to the left (do two doubles to go around your partner, passing back to back).

                                                                                Note: there has been some discussion over exactly what “not turning your faces” means – it could just as easily mean “gypsy” (doubling around your partner without breaking eye contact) as do-si-do.  I’ve chosen the latter for this reconstruction.

                                                Verse 1, Part D

                                                                1&2:      “Do-si-do” your partner, starting to the right.

                                                Chorus, Part A

                                                                1&2:      Top couple change places and circle around the next couple, ending upbetween the second and third couple’s positions.

                                                Chorus, Part B              

                                                                1&2:      The moving couple change places again and circle around the third couple in line, ending up between the third and fourth couples’ positions.

                                                Chorus, Part C               

                                                                1&2:      The moving couple meets and takes hands, then they go between the fourth couple, cast off and lead their lines around to invert just the last three positions (end up with 1, 4, 3, 2).

                                                Chorus, Part D

                                                                1&2:      Turn your partner around by the right arm. (Note: there may not be time to accomplish this last bit, depending on how long it takes to complete the casting bit).

Part 2                                  

                                                Verse 2, Part A              

                                                                1:            Face down the hall, lead down a double.

                                                                2:            Fall back a double.

                                                Verse 2, Part B              

                                                                1&2:      That again.

                                                Verse 2, Part C               

                                                                1&2:      “Do-si-do” your partner, starting left.

                                                Verse 2, Part D              

                                                                1&2:      “Do-si-do” your partner, starting right.

                                                Chorus, Part A

                                                                1&2:      Bottom couple change places and circle around the third couple in line, ending up between the third and second positions.

                                                Chorus, Part B              

                                                                1&2:      The moving couple change places again and circle around the second couple in line, ending up between the second and first positions.

                                                Chorus, Part C               

                                                                1&2:      The moving couple meets and takes hands, then they go between the top couple, cast off and lead their lines around to invert just the last three positions (end up with 3, 4, 1, 2).

                                                Chorus, Part D

                                                                1&2:      Turn your partner around by the right arm.

Parts 3 & 4

                                                                                Do all of the above once more (lead up, top couple weave, lead down, bottom couple weave) and the lines will end up back where they started. Note:  with the suggested music, there’s a final repeat of the chorus music which can be used to march out to (it just faces away …).


 

Prince Rupert’s March   

for a line of four couples

Reconstructed by Dafydd Cyhoeddwr.

Music: Popular Music of the Renaissance, by A Reasonable Facsimilie (this version lacks enough repeats to work)

Part 1                                  

                                                Verse 1, Part A & B      

                                                                1-4:        First couple leads off to the right, the rest following, and circle back to your places in four doubles.

                                                Chorus 1, Part A           

                                                                1&2:      Man 1 leads the other men down the inside of the line; man 1 ends up in front of woman 4, the rest the like.  Remain facing down the line.

                                                                3&4:      Men all face left and change places with the woman they are in front of.

                                                Chorus 1, Part B           

                                                                1&2:      Man 1 (at the bottom of the set) leads the other men up the inside of the set, ending up next to their own partner.

                                                                3&4:      Men all face left and change places with their partners.

Part 2                                  

                                                Verse 2, Part A & B

                                                                1-4:        First couple leads off to the left, the rest following, and circle back to your places in four doubles.

                                                Chorus 2, Part A           

                                                                1&2:      Woman 1 leads the other women down the outside of the men's line - she starts by going around man 1 and ends up behind man 4, the rest the like.

                                                                3&4:      Women all face left and change places with the man they are in front of.

                                                Chorus 2, Part B           

                                                                1&2:      Woman 1 (at the bottom of the set) leads the other women up behind the men, ending up behind their own partner.

                                                                3&4:      Women all face right and change places with the man they are in front of.

Part 3                                  

                                                Verse 3, Part A & B      

                                                                1-4:        First couple leads off to the right, the rest following, and circle around back to your places in four doubles.

                                                Chorus 3, Part A           

                                                                1&2:      Men invert the line by going to the right and around the women's line and then down "behind" the women, while the women invert by just arcing a bit to the left before heading down.

                                                                3:            Everyone facing the bottom of the set, everyone open (a little double sideways away from your partner).

                                                                4:            Everyone close (a little double sideways toward your partner).

                                                Chorus 3, Part B           

                                                                1&2:      Women revert the line by going to the left and around the men's line and the up "behind" the men, while the men revert by just arcing a bit to the right before heading up.

                                                                3:            Everyone facing up; open.

                                                                4:            Close.

 

Note:  Prince Rupert, Count Palatine, born in 1619, was the son of Elizabeth of Bohemia, King Charles I of England’s sister, which made him half English.  He was a Royalist commander in the Civil War.