The Dances:
Note: Items in red below are changes since the ball booklets were published.
If a dance has a
 next to
it, click on that to see the musical notation (for those with tunes not in
Barnes I or II).
Barham Down
Longways duple minor, improper, 3/2 meter (triple time)
Playford, 1701
| A1 |
1 |
1s short cast down and face down while 2s move up &
face up. |
| |
2-3 |
All arm R with next neighbor (end facing across)* |
| |
4 |
Partners L-hand turn half-way. |
| A2 |
1-4 |
2s (now improper) short cast down and face down while 1s move up & face up.
All arm R with next neighbor (end facing across).
Partners L-hand turn half-way (to original places). |
| B1 |
1-4 |
1s cross L-shoulder, go down around 2s,
while 2s move up (6 steps - fast).
1s 1/2 figure-8 up through 2s ending between 2s in line-of-4
facing up (6 steps - fast). |
| B2 |
1-4 |
All up a double and fall back.
2s (outside) gate 1s up and
around to progressed places. |
* The 6-count arm R in the A's breaks across the musical phrase;
it's important to finish on time and facing across in order to flow
into the partner L-hand turn.
Back to top
The Beaux Delight
Longways duple minor, 6/8 meter
Playford, 1721, interpreted by Andrew Shaw
| A1
|
1-4 |
1s 1/2 figure-8 down through 2s and turn
single. |
| |
5-8 |
1s cast to 2nd place (while 2s move up) and
cross R-shoulder to finish proper. |
| A2 |
1-8 |
2s do all that (now in reversed roles). |
| B1 |
1-4 |
1s clap (together, R, together, L) and cast to 2nd
place while 2s move up. |
| |
5-8 |
2s clap (together, R, together, L) and cast to 2nd
place while 1s move up. |
| B2 |
1-8 |
3 changes circular hey (start facing partner).
1s lead up and cast back to 2nd place. |
Back to top
Candles in the Dark
Longways duple minor, 3/4 meter
Loretta Holz, 2006
Music: Candles in the Dark, Jonathan Jensen, 2004
| A1 |
1-4 |
Assisted half figure 8's:
1s assisted half figure-8 down through the 2s (1s face down. 1st man take R-hand with 1st W,
guiding her in front as they cross between 2s; cast up
to exchanged places). |
| |
5-8 |
1st M and 2nd W assisted half figure-8 across the set. |
| A2 |
1-4 |
2nd M and 1st W assisted half figure 8 across the set. |
| |
5-8 |
2s assisted half figure-8 through 1s, ending at top center
facing down (all progressed and improper). |
| B |
1-4 |
2s take inside hands,
dance down between 1s for a mirror back-to-back with neighbor. |
| |
5-8 |
Circle L once around.
|
| |
9-12 |
1s take inside hands, dance up between 2s
for a mirror back-to-back with neighbor. |
| |
13-16 |
All gypsy partner 1 1/2 times to finish proper
(at the end, 1s take R hands and face down to start again. |
Back to top
Far Away
Longways duple minor, double progression*, 3/4 meter
Gary Roodman, A Finite Set of Calculated Figures, 2003
Music: Far Away, Pete Jung
| A1 |
1-4 |
Circle L once
round. |
| |
5-8 |
L-hand star back,
turn single R into... |
| A2 |
1-4 |
R-hand star once
round. |
| |
5-6 |
1s lead down
through 2s to meet a new 2nd couple while 2s move up outside to
meet a new 1st couple. |
| |
7-8 |
2s gate the new 1s
around into a line-of-4 facing down, 1s in center (first
progression). |
| B1 |
1-4 |
Line-of-4 lead
down the hall and fall back, bending line to face partner. |
| |
5-8 |
3 changes circular
hey (no hands, start with partner across set). |
| B2 |
1-4 |
All 2-hand turn partner
1 1/2 (end facing neighbor). |
| |
5-8 |
3 charges circular
hey (no hands, start with neighbor along the line). |
* Because
this is a double progression, when couples hit top or bottom. they only
wait half-way thru the dance and are drawn back in.
Back to top
Felicity
Four couple longways, 3/4 meter, swing waltz
Colin Hume, 2002
Music: Felicity, Dave Brown, 2002
| A |
1-2 |
1st woman and 4th man
("2nd long diagonal") cast R one
place while their neighbors move into their places. |
| |
3-4 |
Middles gypsy R-shoulder half-way
with new opposites. |
| |
5-8 |
Middles R-hand star once
around, while ends give R hands, balance forward and
back, then box the gnat (a la Duke of Kent). (All
now improper) |
| |
9-10 |
1st man and 4th woman
(2nd long diagonal places) cast as in
1-2. |
| |
11-12 |
Middles gypsy R-shoulder half-way
with partners. |
| |
13-16 |
As in 5-8 (all now
proper, in order 2 1, 4, 3) |
| B |
1-4 |
All back-to-back partner.* |
| |
5-8 |
All circle L half-way. |
| |
9-12 |
Ends give R-hand to
partner to start 4 changes grand chain. Middles wait for
the chain to reach them, starting L-hand and only doing 3
changes. |
| |
13-16 |
All 2-hand turn partner. |
* This flows really nicely if the
middles fall back a little further after the back-to-back to make more
of a circle, keep the circle for grand chain figure, and then move in
for the final 2-hand turn (plenty of time for the turn - no need to take
hands right on beat 1.
Back to top
Good Man of Cambridge
Longways duple minor, 2/2 meter
Gary Roodman, Additional Calculated Figures, 1992
Music: Adapted from Rondo Alla Turca, W. A. Mozart
| A1 |
1-4 |
All circle L once
round. |
| |
5-8 |
1st corners change places; then
2nd corners change places. |
| A2 |
1-8 |
From these new positions, repeat
to original places. |
| B |
1-4 |
1s lead down through 2s,
and immediately turn and
lead back to place. |
| |
5-8 |
2s lead up through 1s and immediately turn and lead back to place. |
| |
9-16 |
Interwoven Figure 8:
2s cast up to 1st position and dance a half figure-8
down around their original positions, while 1s move down to 2nd position and cast up to follow the 2s
into the half figure-8. End the figure-8 in a
line-of-4 facing down the set, 2s in the
middle (men on the L of the line, women on the R) |
| C1 |
1-4 |
Line-of-4 lead down a double
and fall back, everyone turning individually at the last moment
to face up the set. |
| |
5-8 |
Line-of-4 lead up a double
and fall back, end people pulling in at the last moment. |
| C2 |
1-4 |
1s (at ends of
line) cross, go below, and end facing up, while 2s turn half-way and lead up (don't rush this) into... |
| |
5-8 |
1s gate
NEW 2s up and
round into set formation again. |
Back to top
The Jolly Company
Longways triple minor, 4/4 meter
Twenty Four New Country Dances Compos'd by a Person of Quality and
Recommended to Mr. Nathaniel Kynaston
London J. Wash, J. Hare, 1718, interpreted by
Andrew Shaw
| A1 |
1-2 |
Top 2 couples circle L half-way, fall back with neighbor. |
| |
3 |
Neighbors facing, set R and L. |
| |
4 |
Partners facing, set R and L. |
| |
5 |
Those four change place with partner, L-shoulder, turn L
into... |
| A2 |
|
Top 2 couples circle R half-way, fall back with neighbor. |
| |
3 |
Neighbors facing, set R and L. |
| |
4 |
Partners facing, set R and L. |
| |
5 |
Those four change place with partner, L-shoulder.
1s turn L to face down, inside hands joined while 2s turn
to face up (woman L, man R) into... |
| B |
1-4 |
Mirror hey along lines. |
| |
5 |
1s set R and L.* |
| |
6-7 |
1s long cast down to
middle while 2s lead
up in bar 7 (wait for it). |
| |
8-9 |
1s lead down through 3s and cast back up to
2nd place. |
* The set in B5 is part of the same musical phrase as the hey.
Back to top
Key to the Cellar
Longways triple minor, 3/2 meter (triple time)
Jenny Beer, Dances from Barnes Two; New Shoots, 2004
Music: Key to the Cellar or Locked Out Again or No Key
to the Church, traditional
| A1 |
1-2 |
1s cast to middle while
2s move up. |
| |
3-4 |
3s gate 1s down. |
| A2 |
1-2 |
Lines-of-3 forward and back. |
| |
3-4 |
2s gate 1s up. |
| B1 |
1-4 |
Heys-for-3 across the
set, 1st woman with 2s, 1st man
with 3s (start passing L-shoulder). |
| B2 |
1-2 |
1s gypsy once
round. |
| |
3-4 |
Partners 2-hand turn. |
Back to top
Mount Hills
Longways duple minor, 2/2 meter
Fallinbroom, 1721, reconstructed by Bernard J. Bentley, 1965
| A1 |
1-4 |
1s cross and go below, skipping, while 2s
move up. |
| |
5-8 |
1s half figure-8 up through 2s. |
| A2 |
1-4 |
2s cross and go below, skipping, while
1s move up. |
| |
5-8 |
2s half figure-8 up through 1s. |
| B1 |
1-4 |
1st corners change places.
2nd corners change places. |
| |
5-8 |
Circle L half-way; turn single in place. |
| B2 |
1-4 |
Partners back-to-back. |
| |
5-8 |
3 charges R and L (taking hands), starting with partner. |
Back to top
On the Go
Three couple longways, 6/8 meter
Ric Goldman, 2000
Music: The Coming Dawn, Keith Murphy, 1994
| Part I |
| A1 |
1-4 |
All couples lead up a double and
back. |
| |
5-8 |
All face partner, set and turn
single. |
| A2 |
1-4 |
All couples lead down a double and
back. |
| |
5-8 |
All face partner, set and turn
single. |
| B1 |
1-4 |
Taking hands along line, slip R
for 4, then slip L for 4 (back to place). |
| |
5-8 |
Back-to-back partner. |
| B2 |
1-4 |
Taking hands along line, slip L
for 4, then slip R for 4 (back to place) |
| |
5-8 |
Back-to-back partner L
shoulder, flowing smoothly into... |
| Part II |
| A1 |
1-4 |
Side partner and back (Sharpe
style) |
| |
5-8 |
All face partner, set and turn
single. |
| A2 |
1-8 |
Repeat A1 |
| B1 |
1-2 |
Right diagonals
change place (1st man position
and 2nd woman position change places by R, while 2nd man
position and 3rd woman position change places by R). |
| |
3-4 |
Left diagonals
changes place (1st woman
position and 2nd man position change places by R, while 2nd
woman position and 3rd man position change places by R). |
| |
5-8 |
Right diagonals
change place; left diagonals change place. |
| B2 |
1-4 |
Right diagonals
change place; left diagonals change place (end in original places). |
| |
5-8 |
All 2-hand turn partner twice
around, skipping, flowing into... |
| Part III |
| A1 |
1-4 |
Arm R partner once around. |
| |
5-8 |
All face partner, set and turn
single. |
| A2 |
1-4 |
Arm L partner once around. |
| |
5-8 |
All face partner, set and turn
single. |
| B1 |
1-4 |
"Cast and cross": Skipping,
1s cast down to
2nd position, while middles lead up.
1s couple cross (W
below M) and continue down outside to 3rd position while bottom
couple leads up to middle. (1s are
now improper at the bottom of the set) |
| |
5-8 |
Repeat all that in
new positions with 2s (new top couple) now "active" |
| B2 |
1-4 |
Repeat all that in
new positions with 3s (new top couple) now "active" |
| |
5-8 |
All meet partner in center and back into proper positions
(a la
Hole in the Wall) |
Back to top
Oxford Circus
Three couple longways, 2/2 meter
Colin Hume, New Dances for Old, Volume 1, 1992
Music: Parson's Farewell, 1651
| Part I |
| A1 |
1-4 |
Up a double and back. |
| |
5-8 |
Lines drop back a double; lead
forward. |
| B1 |
1-4 |
2s wide cast R shoulder (man up,
lady down), round neighbor to the middle of lines (tops facing
down, bottoms facing up) |
| |
5-8 |
Set in lines; cross over R shoulder and turn round (to
right). |
| B2 |
1-2 |
Set L and R in lines.
|
| |
3-8 |
Circle 6 L slightly more than once around (slipping), open
out into lines on original side facing new partner. (Men
are in the order 3,1,2; ladies are 2,3,1). |
| Part II |
| A1 |
1-4 |
Side partner R shoulder to R
(Shaw siding). Side L
shoulder to L |
| B1&2 |
1-16 |
As before. |
| Part III |
| A1 |
1-4 |
Arm partner R. Arm
partner L. |
| B1&2 |
1-16 |
As before. |
Back to top
Prince William
Three couple longways, 2/2 meter
Walsh, Compleat Country Dancing-Master, 1731 reconstructed by Pat
Shaw, 1960
| A1 |
1-8 |
Mirror-image hey along the lines,
1s crossing thru middle and passing between 2s and 3s to
begin. |
| A2 |
1-8 |
Repeat A1, 1s crossing back. |
| B1 |
1-8 |
1s cross and cast
to middle while 2s move up. |
| |
1-4 |
1s 2-hand turn 1 1/2. |
| B2 |
1-8 |
2s cross and cast
to middle while 1s move up.
2s 2-hand turn 1 1/2. |
| A3 |
1-4 |
Country corners: 1st
man move down center ahead of his partner to turn 3rd woman (1st
corner) R-hand while 1st woman turns 2nd man (1st corner)
R-hand and 2nd woman moves up to top place. |
| |
5-8 |
1s turn partner L-hand in center |
| A4 |
1-4 |
1s turn 2nd corner R-hand. |
| |
5-8 |
1s turn partner
L-hand in center, end facing the women's line, woman on the R. |
| B3 |
1-8 |
1s lead between the ladies
and cast out (man up, woman down). Meet in the center and
2-hand turn to face
the men's line. |
| B4 |
1-8 |
1s lead between the
men
and cast out (man down, woman up). Meet in the center and 2-hand turn to the bottom
as 3s
cast up to middle. |
Back to top
Round About Our Coal Fire
Longways duple minor, 9/8 meter (triple time)
Richard Bride, 1766
Music: Old Simon the King, traditional
| A1 |
1-4 |
1s lead down
(3steps); turn inward, lead back up (3 steps).
1s cast down into 2nd place while 2s move up. |
| A2 |
1-4 |
Repeat A1 (1s and 2s reversing roles), end at home. |
| B1 |
1-4 |
1s and 2nd woman hey-for-3
across set (2nd woman and 1st man start passing L-shoulder). |
| B2 |
1-4 |
1s and 2nd man hey-for-3
across set (2nd man and 1st woman start passing R-shoulder). |
| A3 |
1-4 |
1st woman advance on
2nd man (who backs away),
draws him to center, 2-hand turn back to place. |
| A4 |
1-4 |
1st man advance on
2nd woman, draws to center,
and 2-hand turn back to place. |
| B3 |
1-4 |
1s cross and cast to 2nd
place while 2s moves up.
1s 2-hand turn half-way and fall back to proper sides. |
| B4 |
1-4 |
4 changes circular hey
(no hands),
starting with partner. |
Back to top
Softly, Good Tummas
Longways duple minor, 2/2 meter
Walsh/Kynaston, 1718, reconstructed by Andrew Shaw
| A1 |
1-4 |
All single file
circle L half-way around (2 doubles) |
| |
5-8 |
All meet in the center and turn
single L back out, clapping once on the second beat of bar 8. |
| A2 |
1-4 |
All single file
circle R half-way around (2 doubles) |
| |
5-8 |
All meet in the center and turn
single R back out, clapping once on the second beat of bar 8. |
| B1 |
1-4 |
1s short cast down into
2nd place, while 2s lead up.
Partners set R and L. |
| |
5-8 |
Partners facing, 2
changes of R and L (with hands), finishing close in improper places.
|
| B2 |
1-4 |
Partners set
falling back, then cross over R and turn R to face in
original places. |
| |
5-8 |
1s R-hand turn moving down
into 2nd place, while 2s long cast up to 1st place. |
Back to top
Walpole Cottage
Sicilian circle of threesomes, 2/2 meter
Pat Shaw, 1963
| Intro |
1-4 |
Advance and retire. |
| A |
1-16 |
Middles R-hand turn each other
(forearm hold) half-way, L-hand turn 1st corner.
R-hand turn
each other, L-hand turn 2nd corner.
R-hand turn each other, L-hand turn own
L partner (3rd corner).
R-hand turn each other, L-hand turn own R partner
(4th corner). |
| B |
1-8 |
Corners R-hand star and L-hand
star back. |
| |
9-16 |
Hey-for-3, middles
start passing R
partner with R-shoulder. |
| C |
1-8 |
Advance, retire, and circle 6
half-way. |
| |
9-16 |
Advance, retire, and dance
a basket of 3.
Face in original direction toward a
new threesome. |
Back to top
Waltz For Time
Longways duple minor, 3/4 meter
Ric Goldman, 2010
Music: Waltz for Time, Matt Crum, 2006
| A1 |
1-4 |
1st corners set R and L, R-hand turn
half-way (keeping hands) into... |
| |
5-8 |
1st corners back-to-back
(end in opposite places) |
| A2 |
1-4 |
2nd corners set R and L, R-hand
turn half-way into... |
| |
5-8 |
2nd corners
back-to-back (all progressed and improper). |
| B |
1-4 |
2s half figure-8
down through the 1s while 1s lead up outside, meet in
center, lead down (taking R-hand in R), and back into place. |
| |
5-8 |
Partners give R
hands, balance forward, back, and change places turning the lady
under 1 1/2 times, ending in ballroom position.* |
| |
9-16 |
All waltz
completely around the set to progressed places. |
* Gentlemen - ask your partner if she is
comfortable doing 1 1/2 turns. If not, use a simple half-turn (a
la Duke of Kent). The man ends the turn(s) placing
the woman's R hand in his L as he assumes ballroom position.
Back to top
Waterfall Waltz
Sicilian circle of couples, 3/4 meter
Pat Shaw, 1966
Music: Waterfall Waltz, Caerdroea
| A |
1-4 |
Men R-hand turn
round. |
| |
5-8 |
All back-to-back
opposite. |
| |
9-12 |
Women R-hand turn
once round. |
| |
13-16 |
All back-to-back partner. |
| B |
1-2 |
All Chasse two steps
(men to L behind women; women to R in front of men) to change
places with neighbor. |
| |
3-4 |
All 2-hand turn
partner half-way. |
| |
5-8 |
Repeat all that to
get home. |
| C |
1-4 |
Circle L half-way,
honor opposite. |
| |
|
Turn partner
with crossed hands 1 1/2, end facing new couple. |
Back to top
Whiskey Before Dinner
Longways duple minor, improper, 9/8 meter (triple time)
Gary Roodman, Odd Calculated Figures, 2006
Music: Whiskey Before Dinner, Jonathan Jensen, 2005
|
A1 |
1-2 |
R-hand
star
half-way. |
| |
3-4 |
Women
cross, then men cross. |
|
A2 |
1-2 |
Circle L half-way. |
| |
3-4 |
Back-to-back neighbor into line-of-4 (1s facing
up, 2s facing down, men in middle). |
|
B1 |
1-2 |
In a wave, all set R &
L (triple time setting). |
| |
3-4 |
Men turn R-hand half-way in middle, then L-hand
partner halfway
on ends & face partner along line (still in
line-of-4). |
|
B2 |
1-2 |
Partners set R & L. |
| |
3-4 |
Women pass partner by R, loop R & face out (extend
L-hand) while men weave across set (extend R-hand)
into... |
|
C1 |
1-2 |
Lead neighbor away. |
| |
3-4 |
Turn individually lead back, pass through & turn
around into... |
|
C2 |
|
Four changes of R's
and
L's (with hands). |
Back to top |
