Drive the cold winter away

Drive the cold winter away is a dance from Playford's Dancing Master.

Steps and Movements Used

• Doubles left and right (DL and DR) and back (DLb and DRb)
• Turn left and right (TL and TR)
• Sides (SdR and SdL)
• Armings (AR and AL)

Choreography

This dance starts with any number of couples facing up the hall, in a line one after the other.

First Verse

Holding customary hands with partners, do a double forward, then a double back again. Repeat this.

DL, DRb
DL, DRb

First Chorus

The first man performs a double backwards, then moves down to the second last woman and turns her, after which he turns the last woman. While he is doing this the second man is leading the other men between the first and second woman, then around the first woman and down to fall inline behind the first man at the bottom.

The first man (who is now at the bottom) performs a double backwards, then moves up to the second woman and turns her, after which he turns the first woman. While he is doing this the second man is leading the other men between the last and second last woman, then around the last woman and ap to fall inline behind the first man at the top. Everybody should now be back in their original position.

Second Verse

Couples side by the right, repeat by the left.

SdR
SdL

Second Chorus

As the first chorus, but women performing instead of men.

Third Verse

Couples arm by the right, then repeat by the left.

AR
AL

Third Chorus

As the first chorus.

Music

The music for Drive the cold winter away is a well known song of the same name.

• Four part arrangement

External links

• Instructions from the 1651 edition