Chestnut

Dove's Figary

Chestnut or Dove's Figary is an English Country Dance. It was published by John Playford (website) in 1651 in The English Dancing Master, London. It was interpreted by Cecil Sharp (website) in 1911 and published in The Country Dance Book (Part 2). It is a proper 3 Couple Longways dance. There is no progression in this dance. It is a USA dance. The dance lasts 72 bars. It is in the key: A minor.

Playford writes:

Lead up all a D. and back That again Men fall back, and we. at the same time, change places each with his own, men hands round to your places, and we. at the same time. men being on the we. side, and we. on the men's side Back again to your places

Arms all That again Fall back and change places as before, men the Hey, and we. at the same time, the first cu. staying in the last place This back again

Sides all That again Fall back and change places as before, the first man lead down his wo. the rest following him, stay in the last place This back again, but cast off in stead of leading between the rest

Playford dances usually start with "up a double", progress to "sides all" and end with "arms all". This one switches "sides" and "arms". Sharp seems to have decided this was a misprint and presents them in their usual order.

The tune, also called Chestnut, was published by Playford with the dance. It was performed by Bare Necessities (Earl Gaddis, Mary Lea, Peter Barnes, and Jacqueline Schwab) on the album A Playford Ball. The music is used with permission from the Country Dance Society, Boston Centre, Inc.

The animation plays at 95 counts per minute. Men are drawn as rectangles, women as ellipses. Each couple is drawn in its own color.

I.A1-4Up a double and back
5-8Up a Double, back (again)
II.A1-4Right shoulder siding
5-8Left shoulder siding
III.A1-4Arm right
5-8Arm left
B11-4All balance back, then partner change
5-8Same sex circle three on the sides
I.B21-4All balance back, then partner change
5-8Same sex circle three on the sides
9-121s start half right shoulder parallel heys on the sides
II.B21-4All balance back, then partner change
5-81s start half left shoulder parallel heys on the sides
9-121s lead down to the bottom, others move up outside then lead down to invert the set
III.B21-4All balance back, then partner change
5-81s cast up to the top, others lead down then cast up to invert the set

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=Chestnut

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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 © 2020 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.