This dance has a 19 bar B music! I've never found people have any trouble following it, it's a great tune, and somehow it works. I was somewhat thrown the other day when we were dancing at our regular “Playford in the Pub” session and the musician doing the intro said “5 bar introduction?”, but that was absolutely correct!
Originally a triple minor, I do this as a 3 couple longways. It's a long tune (54 bars in total) and in a modern setting, if doing as a triple minor then few would get to be first couple!
The original has single figures of 8 rather than double figures of 8 but that's a very first-couple centric dance and dancers tell me they prefer it with the double figures of 8 in.
| A1 (8) | 1M cast down one place (2), 2-hand turn with 3W (4), and cast back up (2) |
| A2 (8) | 1W cast down one place (2), 2-hand turn with 3M (4), and cast back up (2) |
| B1 (19) | 1C lead down through 2C, separate around 3C, and come up between them into a line of four (4) Line of four lead up and back (4) 1C crossing up to start, full figure of 8 around 3C, finishing below them (~8) (Optionally 3C join in to make it a double figure of 8, casting down to begin and finishing above 1C) 1C two hand turn (~3) |
| B2 (19) | 1C cast up around 3C and come up between 2C into a line of 4 (4) – lots of time for this so make it a big cast Line of four lead up and back (4) 1C full figure of 8 around 2C in the same way as before (2C joining in if they wish) (~8) 1C two hand turn, moving down to the bottom as 3C cast up (~3) |
T:St.Martin's Lane
M:4/4
L:1/4
H:1696.
Z:Chris Partington <www.cpartington.plus>
K:Gm
B/c/|dddd|e2c2|dc/B/Ad|BGGB/c/|
dddd|e2c2|dc/B/ A/B/A/G/|G3:|
|:e/f/|gggd|e2c2|fff/g/f/e/|d3e/f/|
gGGg|fFFf/e/|dfc>B|B3d/e/|ffff|
^ffff|ggg>f/2g/4|aaaa|bb/^f/ga|^f3g/a/|
bBBb|aAAa|gGGg|^fgg>f|g3:|
The first part is straightforward.
The second part is more interesting. It's not clear initially whether the B should be played once or twice, and indeed Christine Helwig has an interpretation of this dance which plays the music AAB. That's only possible by omitting the four hands abreast both times.
To me, the music has a very clear point that's crying out for a line of four up and back: bars 5-8 of the B. It can't really be after that as the phrases aren't the right length – musically the B is split 4 bars, 4 bars, 6 bars, and 5 bars. So I think we want 2 Bs, with lines up and back on bars 5-8 each time.
That means Lead down the 2. cu then all hands abreast with the third cu has to get to a line with the third couple. ...and go the Figure through, then cast up and all four hands abreast with the 2. cu. means 1C has to be below the 3C after the figure of 8, which only really works if they're facing up before it. The cleanest way I can see to start all this off is for 1C to lead down through 2C and then go around 3C to finish up between them before taking hands in a line. There's plenty of time for that in 4 bars. We can then do the figure of 8. We've got a bit too much time; I suggest a 2-hand turn here, in symmetry with the second B.
Now for the cast up in between 2C, which there's quite a lot of time for but not excessively, perfectly timed for the second lines lead up and back. The figure of 8 is clear, and 1C finish with a 2-hand turn in the middle. To convert to a 3-couple longways, 1C turn to 3rd place as 3C cast up.
I've found it's more fun if the other couples join in for a double figure of 8. Technically they cast down into it, but in practice if they just hang around for a bit before setting off then that works too, as it's starting from a line. You could also bend the line after the lead up and back to get to a more familiar position to start the double figure of 8.