Playford 1657, 1665, 1670, 1675, 1679, 1686, 1690, 1695, 1698, 1701, 1703, 1706, 1709, 1713, 1716, 1721, 1728 A Square Dance for eight thus (illustration)
“First and 3. Cu. meet, and taking the co. wo. fall back into the 2. And 4. place, whilst the 2. And 4. fall back each from his own and meet the co. wo. in the 1. And 3. place . As much again : First and 3. Cu. meet and turn S. . Men cross over, the we. cross over : The other four doing as much . Then all this back again to your places .: This as before : First and 3. Cu. meet, turning back to back take hands inward and go half round : The other four as much : All this again to your places .: This as before: Meet and honour to your own, right hand to the co. and left to your own : The other four as much .: All this again, honouring to the co. wo. :”
Music AABBBB 3X & extra AA
AA Chorus: Heads meet a double and fall back to the sides with their opposite while the sides fall back ………..from each other and meet their opposite in the heads place; then reverse figures
BBBB Heads meet and turn single (cloverleaf) and men cross over to their opposites place , then women …………….cross over as well. Repeat for sides. Repeat all the above to return to place.
AA Chorus
BBBB Heads meet and back to back; take hands and circle half way falling into opposites place. Sides the …………….same. Repeat all the above to return to place.*
AA Chorus
BBBB Heads meet and honor their partner, two changes of rights and lefts (starting with opposite) to …………….opposites place. Sides the same. Repeat all the above to return to place but honor the opposite.
AA Chorus (added to complete the dance**)
Music: “At Home” (Bare Necessities) & “Altenglische Country Dances Aus Playford” (Playford Consort) both have the correct repeat structure for this dance but only Bare Necessities has a final chorus. I prefer the faster paced “English Country Dances” (David Douglass, Paul O’Dette, Andrew Lawrence-King) but it requires editing to include the second repeat of “BB” sections and a last chorus.
Note: *The original has them turning facing outward and circling halfway. It is awkward. I substituted a standard back to back followed by a standard hands four circle halfway & fall back into place. Try it both ways.