Interpretations

This is a list of my interpretations of Playford dances. It's very much a work in progress as I type up the notes I've made on the many interpretations I've done so far! Please bear with me and feel free to prod me if there's one you've seen me call that you'd like to know about.

I've endeavoured to mention other interpretations which I've referred to in coming up with these, but I'm afraid I haven't tried to seek out all other interpretations that have come before me. Other people may well have come to the same conclusions before me, and I've deliberately included some where I've not come up with anything novel but they're worth publicising! Feel free to tell me about other versions I should link to or credit.

Some notes for intepreting the interpretations(!):

  • Numbers in brackets count bars, which are normally two steps, but are three for three-time hornpipes. Note that the A music is often half the length of the B music!
  • 1C, 1M, 1W refer to first couple, first man and first woman respectively.
  • Note that longways circular, duple minor and triple minor sets were always danced starting the top, bringing in couples one at a time until everyone was dancing and continuing until all are home. The length of the dance is proportional to the number of couples, so if you have very long sets it'll take a while. When a part of a longways dance is described as e.g. duple minor, this type of progression is intended. These days we (quite reasonably) take hands 4 (or hand 6) from the top to start everyone dancing at the same time, but in a multi-part dance incorporating this, getting everyone to change figures mid-dance is challenging, so I'd advocate using the original progressive form if attempting such dances, and keeping the sets short (probably 4 or 5 couples). Also the dances are often very unevenly weighted towards first couple so it's nice to give everyone an equal go.
Dance name Historical sources Set formation Tags Added
Barham Down DM1-11 Longways duple minor, Longways triple minor 3-time hornpipe 2018-03-19
Confess DM1-1 Threesome facing threesome 3-part 2019-03-18
Cuckolds All a Row DM1-1 Couple facing couple 3-part 2017-09-13
Daphne DM1-1 4-couple longways Gender neutral, Ceilidh, 3-part 2018-03-15
Dick's Maggot DM1-11 Longways duple minor 3-time hornpipe 2018-03-20
Fandango, The Thompson 1774 3-couple longways 2018-03-19
Green Stockings DM1-5 Longways circular Short sets 2017-09-10
Grimstock DM1-1 3-couple longways 3-part 2019-03-18
Halfe Hannekin DM1-1 Circle / round, Longways Mixer, Gender neutral 2017-09-10
Hit and Misse DM1-1 Couple facing couple 3-part 2017-09-10
Jack Pudding Lovelace, Sloane, DM1-1 3-couple longways 3-part 2017-09-13
Jacob Hall's Jig DM1-9 Longways duple minor 2017-09-10
Jeanne Qui Saute Feuillet 1706 Longways circular 2018-03-20
Joan Sanderson, or the Cushion Dance DM1-7 Circle / round Party 2018-03-20
Kelsterne Gardens DM3-2 Longways triple minor 2018-03-20
Lord of Carnarvon's Jig DM1-1 4-couple longways Gender neutral 2017-09-10
Mundesse DM1-1 3-couple round 2018-03-15
Never Love Thee More DM1-6 Longways duple minor 2-part, Short sets 2017-09-10
Newcastle (Playford) DM1-1 Square 3-part 2017-09-10
Newcastle (Stephens) Stephens Square 3-part 2017-09-12
Old Noll's Jig DM1-11 Longways duple minor 3-time hornpipe 2018-03-19
Parson's Farewell Sloane, DM1-1 Couple facing couple 3-part 2017-09-08
Sellenger's Round, or the Beginning of the World DM1-4 Circle / round 4-part 2018-03-15
St. Margaret's Hill DM2-1 3-couple longways, Longways triple minor 3-time hornpipe 2018-04-10
The Spanish Jeepsie DM1-1 4-couple longways 3-part 2017-09-13
Trenchmore (Lovelace) Lovelace Longways Short sets, Ceilidh 2018-03-15
Trenchmore (Playford) DM1-2 Longways Short sets, Ceilidh 2018-03-15