The Happy Couple

The Happy Couple is an English Country Dance. It was devised by Nathaniel Kynaston in 1716 and published in Twenty four new Country Dances for the Year 1716. It was interpreted by Andrew Shaw in 2017 and published in Elephants Stairs. Originally a Triple Minor this version is a proper 3 Couple Longways dance. In this dance the couples are permuted by: 231. The minor set lasts 40 bars. The music is a medley.

Kynaston writes:

Note: Each strain twice.

First and 2^d. man set to their partners turn single change places and change sides then set as before all turn single the 1^st. cu. cross up to the top the 2^d. cu. change places at the same time Hornpipe. take hands sides and fall back the 1^st. cu. cast off turn sides quite round with the 3^d. cu. 1^st. man go the hey with the 3^d. cu. 1^st. wo. at the same time go the hey with the 2^d. cu. right hands and left half round with the 2^d. cu. 1^st. and 2^d. cu. lead down a breast and turn single then clap hands partners twice with a short stay between each clap 1^st. cu. cast off

Republished by John Young in 1718:

Note: Each strain is to be play'd twice over.

The two first Men Sett to their Partners and turn single, then change Places and change Sides Then Sett to each other again as before, and all turn single, the 1st Cu. cross up to the Top, the 2d Cu. change Places at the same Time Hornpipe:Then take Hands Sides and fall back, then 1st Cu. cast off Then turn Sides quite round with 3d Cu. The 1st Man go the Hey with the 3d Cu. the 1st Wo. go the Hey with the 2d Cu. at the same Time, then Right and Left half round with the 2d Cu. The two 1st Cu. lead down abreast, and turn single, clap Hands each with their Partners twice, with a short Stay between each Clap, then 1st Cu. cast off

The animation plays at 120 counts per minute normally, but the first time through the set the dance will often be slowed down so people can learn the moves more readily. Men are drawn as rectangles, women as ellipses. Each couple is drawn in its own color, however the border of each dancer indicates what role they currently play so the border color may change each time through the minor set.

The dance contains the following figures: hand turn (allemande), set, turn single, cast, lead, hey, hey for three, rights and lefts, (and probably others).

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=TheHappyCouple

The dance itself is out of copyright, and is in the public domain. The interpretation is copyright © 2017 by Andrew Shaw. 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.