Mayden Lane

Mayden lane is a dance from Playford's Dancing Master.

Steps and Movements Used

• Doubles forward by left and right (DL and DR), and back (DLb and DRb)
• Set and Turn left and right (STL and STR)
• Hey
• Sides (SdR and SdL)
• Arms (AR and AL)

Choreography

This dance starts with three couples facing up the hall, one after the other.

First Verse

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

DL, DRb
DL, DRb

First Chorus

Men facing up the hall, women down, do a double left. Turn back and do a double right to original positions. Repeat.

Set and Turn left. Set and Turn right.

DL, DR (men up the hall then back, ladies down the hall then back)
DL, DR (men up the hall then back, ladies down the hall then back)
STL
STR

Second Verse

Couples side by the right with each other. Repeat by the left.

SdR
SdL

Second Chorus

Facing partners do a small double backwards. Do a large double forwards to change places. Repeat.

Set and Turn left. Set and Turn right.

DLb, DR (away from partner, then past to change places)
DLb, DR (away from partner, then past to change places)
STL
STR

Third Verse

Couples arm by the right with each other. Repeat by the left.

AR
AL

Third Chorus

The top man and second woman cross. The top woman and second man cross while the bottom couple cross. Passing right shoulders, each crossing should be done as a double. The first man (who is now second) crosses with the bottom woman. The first woman crosses with the bottom man while the second couple (now at the top) change places.

Set and Turn left. Set and Turn right.

Go back to the first verse and repeat a further two times.

Music

The music is usually played through either three or nine times; the latter is based on the assumption that since the instructions take the dancers to progressed positions they should progress until they come to their starting places.

• Three part arrangement

External Links

• Instructions from 1651 edition of Playford