English Country Dance: Difference between revisions

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'''English Country Dance''' is the common name for [[dance]]s propagated by [[John Playford]] and later his sons and other heirs in the book titled ''[[Playford's Dancing Master|The English Dancing Master]]'' (later renamed to ''The Dancing Master''). This style of dancing evolved in [[England]], most likely from the [[Branle]], and eventually spread to [[France]] and [[Germany]] and later to the New World, and even Australia. Bush dances such as ''Strip the Willow'' are included in later editions of ''The English Dancing Master''.
'''English Country Dance''' is the common name for [[dance]]s propagated by [[John Playford]] and later his sons and other heirs in the book titled ''[[Playford's Dancing Master|The English Dancing Master]]'' (later renamed to ''The Dancing Master''). This style of dancing evolved in [[England]], most likely from the [[Branle]], and eventually spread to [[France]] and [[Germany]] and later to the [[New World]], and even [[Australia]]. Bush dances such as ''Strip the Willow'' are included in later editions of ''The English Dancing Master''.


It was published in 1651 and is theoretically outside of the [[SCA]] [[period]] but is commonly done in the [[SCA]] anyway. English Country Dance can properly be thought of as early [[Baroque Dance]] rather than [[Renaissance Dance]]. There are references to dances with some of the same names as those in ''Playford'' before 1600, although from the description of a couple of these it is clear that the dance was significantly different from those later printed by Playford.
It was published in 1651 and is theoretically outside of the [[SCA]] [[period]] but is commonly done in the [[SCA]] anyway. English Country Dance can properly be thought of as early [[Baroque Dance]] rather than [[Renaissance Dance]]. There are references to dances with some of the same names as those in ''Playford'' before 1600, although from the description of a couple of these it is clear that the dance was significantly different from those later printed by Playford.


The reconstructed dances are somewhat similar in form, usually being for sets of two, three, or four couples, consisting of a verse-and-chorus structure. The three "verse" sections tend to involve processing up and back in the first verse; siding in the second; and arming in the third. However, this is at best a general guideline.
The reconstructed dances are somewhat similar in form, usually being for sets of two, three, or four couples, consisting of a verse-and-chorus structure. The three "verse" sections tend to involve processing up and back in the first verse; [[siding]] in the second; and [[arming]] in the third. However, this is at best a general guideline.


There is also the '''[[Morris dance]]''', (originally ''[[Moor]]ish'') brought back during the [[Crusades|Crusading]] period, danced by small groups of men, bearing bells, sticks, handerchiefs and the like, and frequently alleged to have been linked to certain [[England|English]] [[pagan]] [[tradition]]s. See ([[mundane]]ly) the works (''passim'') of '''[[wikipedia:Terry Pratchett|Terry Pratchett]]''', and accounts of the Helston Furry Dance, and the Padstow May Dance.
There is also the '''[[Morris dance]]''', (originally ''[[Moor]]ish'') brought back during the [[Crusades|Crusading]] period, danced by small groups of men, bearing [[bell]]s, sticks, handerchiefs and the like, and frequently alleged to have been linked to certain [[England|English]] [[pagan]] [[tradition]]s. See ([[mundane]]ly) the works (''passim'') of '''[[wikipedia:Terry Pratchett|Terry Pratchett]]''', and accounts of the Helston Furry Dance, and the Padstow May Dance.


== Some English country dances ==
== Some English country dances ==
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From the [[Carolingia|Carolingian]] dance book:
From the [[Carolingia|Carolingian]] dance book:
* [[Chestnut (dance)|Chestnut]]
* [[Chestnut (dance)|Chestnut]]
* Dargason
* [[Dargason]]
* Gathering Peascods
* [[Gathering Peascods]]
* Grimstock
* [[Grimstock]]
* Heart's Ease
* [[Heart's Ease]]
* Hyde Park
* [[Hyde Park]]
* If all the world were paper
* [[If all the world were paper]]
* Jenny Plucks Pears
* [[Jenny Plucks Pears]]
* Mage on a Cree
* [[Mage on a Cree]]
* Parsons Farewell
* [[Parsons Farewell]]
* Picking of Sticks
* [[Picking of Sticks]]
* Rufty Tufty
* [[Rufty Tufty]]
* Upon a Summer's Day
* [[Upon a Summer's Day]]


== External Links ==
== External Links ==

Revision as of 17:08, 28 September 2005

English Country Dance is the common name for dances propagated by John Playford and later his sons and other heirs in the book titled The English Dancing Master (later renamed to The Dancing Master). This style of dancing evolved in England, most likely from the Branle, and eventually spread to France and Germany and later to the New World, and even Australia. Bush dances such as Strip the Willow are included in later editions of The English Dancing Master.

It was published in 1651 and is theoretically outside of the SCA period but is commonly done in the SCA anyway. English Country Dance can properly be thought of as early Baroque Dance rather than Renaissance Dance. There are references to dances with some of the same names as those in Playford before 1600, although from the description of a couple of these it is clear that the dance was significantly different from those later printed by Playford.

The reconstructed dances are somewhat similar in form, usually being for sets of two, three, or four couples, consisting of a verse-and-chorus structure. The three "verse" sections tend to involve processing up and back in the first verse; siding in the second; and arming in the third. However, this is at best a general guideline.

There is also the Morris dance, (originally Moorish) brought back during the Crusading period, danced by small groups of men, bearing bells, sticks, handerchiefs and the like, and frequently alleged to have been linked to certain English pagan traditions. See (mundanely) the works (passim) of Terry Pratchett, and accounts of the Helston Furry Dance, and the Padstow May Dance.

Some English country dances

From the Carolingian dance book:

External Links

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