This dance is for many couples (at least four) in a circle.
| Count | Steps |
|---|---|
| First Verse | |
| 8 | Two doubles clockwise around the circle. |
| 4 | Turn single. |
| 8 | Two doubles counterclockwise around the circle. |
| 4 | Turn single. |
| First Chorus | |
| 2 | Men go into the circle and take hands in a smaller circle. |
| 12 | Men go clockwise around in their circle. |
| 2 | Men drop hands and back out again. Depending on the size of the set, they may not be next to their original partners. |
| 16 | Women do the same as the men. When they come back out of the center, they should be back with their partners. |
| 4 | Men go a double into the set and clap. |
| 4 | Men come back out a double as women go a double into the set and clap. |
| 4 | Women come back out a double as men go a double into the set. Do not clap. |
| 4 | Men turn around and go back out of the circle. |
| 16 | Repeat the second half of the chorus, with women going into the set first. |
| Second Verse | |
| 8 | Side right with your partner. |
| 4 | Turn single. |
| 8 | Side left with your partner. |
| 4 | Turn single. |
| Second Chorus | |
| 64 | Do the same steps as the first chorus, with women doing each part first. |
| Third Verse | |
| 8 | Arm right with your partner. |
| 4 | Turn single. |
| 8 | Arm left with your partner. |
| 4 | Turn single. |
| Third Chorus | |
| 64 | Do the same steps as the first chorus, with men doing each part first. |
Step Descriptions
Doubles
A double consists of three steps with a pause at the end, often bringing the feet together on the last count.
Siding
While there is no description in Playford’s book for this figure, it is commonly reconstructed as a double toward your partner, angled slightly to one side so that you meet with your shoulders next to each other, then a backward double back to place. To “side right” you angle to your left and meet with right shoulders together. To “side left” you angle to your right and meet with left shoulders together.
Arming
While there is no description in Playford’s book for this figure, it is commonly reconstructed as taking hands with your partner and circling all the way around back to place. This can be done either with two doubles or a simple walking step. To “arm right” take right hands and circle. To “arm left” take left hands and circle.
Set and Turn Single
The “set” is a single sideways step, bringing the feet together at the end (the same as a bransle step). The “set and turn single” figure is a set to the left, a set to the right, and a complete turn over the left shoulder with a double, starting on the left foot. Sometimes this may be done starting on the right foot (set right, set left, turn to the right), though direction is usually not specified. Start in whatever direction feels comfortable based on which foot is free.
Teaching Notes
Lorenzo Petrucci:
The most common problem I’ve seen when doing this dance is people forgetting to go into the circle at the beginning of the chorus, or getting there late. While this is not exactly graceful, it rarely causes any real trouble and is mostly cause for general amusement.
A common song heard while doing the second half of the chorus: “Now the men go in and clap (clap), and the women go in and clap (clap), and the men go in but they don’t clap, they just turn right back to place” and so on.