Althea

Althea is an English Country Dance. It was published by John Playford (website) in 1657 in The Dancing Master, 3rd ed., London. It was interpreted by Cecil Sharp (website) in 1912 and published in The Country Dance Book (Part 3). It is a Facing Couples Becket dance. There is no progression in this dance. It is a USA dance. The dance lasts 112 bars. It is in the key: D major.

Sharp has the men set, but not the women. Playford just says "set", so I think it is perfectly reasonable to have everyone setting. The description of setting (the hopping and jumping with crossed legs) is taken almost directly from Playford.

The tune was published by Playford in 1657 with a dance of the same name. The music was synthesized by Colin Hume's software.

The animation plays at 120 counts per minute. Men are drawn as rectangles, women as ellipses. Each couple is drawn in its own color.

I.A11-4In a double and fall back
5-8Partner set thus: Spring onto right foot and hold up left foot, repeating with reverse feet; then jump thrice with crossed feet
I.A21-8That again
I.B11-2In a double
3-4M1+W2 fall back, W1+M2 change
5-8Set to opposite (as above)
I.B21-2In a double
3-4M1+W2 change, W1+M2 fall back
5-8Partner set
I.B31-2In a double
3-4M1+W2 fall back, W1+M2 change
5-8Set to opposite (as above)
I.B41-2In a double
3-4M1+W2 change, W1+M2 fall back
5-8Partner set
II.A11-4Partner right shoulder side
5-8Partner set
II.A21-4Opposite left shoulder side
5-8Set to opposite
II.B11-4M1, followed by partner, casts left to loop back to places
5-81s set
II.B21-82s, the same (cast then set)
III.A11-4Partner arm right
5-8Partner set
III.A21-4Opposite arm left
5-8Set to opposite
9-10M1+W2 meet, turn back to back
11-14Other two join hands and circle counter-clockwise, as center two turn clockwise
15-16All back to places
17-18W1+M2 meet, turn back to back
19-22Other two join hands and circle counter-clockwise, as center two turn clockwise
23-24All back to places

If you find what you believe to be a mistake in this animation, please leave a comment on youtube explaining what you believe to be wrong. If I agree with you I shall do my best to fix it.

If you wish to link to this animation please see my comments on the perils of youtube. You may freely link to this page, of course, and that should have no problems, but use one of my redirects when linking to the youtube video itself:
https://www.upadouble.info/redirect.php?id=Althea

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The dance itself is out of copyright, and is in the public domain. The interpretation is out of copyright, and is in the public domain. My visualization of this dance is copyright © 2021 by George W. Williams V and is released under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

This website is copyright © 2021,2022,2023,2024 by George W. Williams V
Creative Commons License My work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Most of the dances have more restrictive licensing, see my notes on copyright, the individual dance pages should mention when some rights are waived.