Threesome Reel ~ Atkinson

The Fletts say that a mention of a 'threesom reel' occurred in 1710. But a description of the dance is not given. They go on to say that the threesome reel had started to die out by the middle of the nineteenth century and was pretty much gone by the start of the 20th.

From the Fletts' book:

This dance is performed by three people, any combination of the sexes being permissible. The dancers stand in a line, with the two at the ends of the line facing inwards, and with the centre dancer facing one of the others. We describe the dance performed by a man and two ladies; in this case the man begins in the centre, starting positions being those shown in Diagram 6.4. The dancers should presumably be about 3 feet apart.

Music Bars	Description of the Figures
1-8	The three dancers dance a reel of three. The man and 1st lady begin this by passing each other, and at the end the man faces 2nd lady (further details of this reel of three are given below)
9-16	All three dance setting steps on the spot. The man set to 2nd lady but chooses setting steps in which he rotates, so that he can 'give attention to both ladies while ostensibly setting to one'.
17-24	They again dance a reel of three. The man and 2nd lady begin this by passing each other, and at the end the man faces 1st lady.
25-32	They all dance setting steps on the spot, the man setting to 1st lady and choosing his steps as before.

This sequence of 32 bars is repeated ad lib. ...

The earliest written description of the dance actually comes from Thomas Wilson's Analysis of Country Dancing, London, 1808 (page 118).

To be danced by two Gentlemen and a Lady, or two Ladies and a Gentleman.

The two Gentlemen and the Lady advance from A B C to D E F; then the Lady at E, and the Gentleman at F, hold up their hands, and the Gentleman at D passes under, they then hey, which finishes the figure.

However, in is 1820 publication The Complete System of English Country Dancing, (page 135) he says that version is his own invention. He then proceeds to give two different versions which he says are both the original. The second is very similar to the Fletts' version.

Wilson writes:

THESE Reels have for a number of years been a very favorite, and most generally approved species of Dancing, not only with the English, but also with the Irish and Scotch, and particularly with the latter, from whom they derive their origin. They have, likewise, been introduced into most of the foreign Courts of Europe, and are universally practised in all our extensive Colonies, and so marked in their favoritism, that not only among the amusements afforded at all Balls, these Reels are invariably introduced, but Assemblies are very frequently held for the purpose of dancing them only, and yet, in their construction, they consist merely of the Country Dance Figure of hey, with alternate setting. The threesome Reel or Reel of three, as will be seen by the Diagram, is composed of three persons, placed in a direct line, and is commenced by the three persons setting; the centre person setting half the time to one, and then turning and setting the remainder of the time to the other, and turning back again the centre person afterwards strikes the hey with the other two, and so finish the strain of the music and the Reel together, leaving one of the other persons in the centre, who commences the Reel &c. as before. The foursome Reel, or Reel of four is composed of four persons, placed in a direct line, facing each other, two and two, who thus begin, and after setting out the time of one strain to their partners, without turning, they hey till the next strain is finished, which also finishes the Reel. These Dances derived their name from the construction of the Figure of hey, of which Figure only they are composed, (see Diagram) representing double S's or serpentine lines, interlacing or intervolving each other, which describe a figure of 8, and exhibiting in the performance (by the dances being taken from the side) a Reeling motion. They may be applied to any Country Dance tune, as they require in their performance byt two strains of music, and if the tune should consist of three or more parts, it is not objectionable, as the setting and the Figure are performed to different strains, and therefore, it is very common for the Musician repeatedly to vary and change the tunes, the novelty thereby produced affording a renovated energy to the Dancer, which is a great requisite in the dancing of Reels.

Reel of three

To be danced by two Ladies and one Gentleman, or two Gentlemen and one Lady.

The Lady at A moves in the direction a, at the same time the Gentleman at B moves in the direction b, and the Gentleman at C in the direction c, they all hey and return to their places; then the Lady sets to each of the Gentlemen alternately till the tune is finished, then the Reel begins again

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Reel of four.*

To be danced by two Ladies and two Gentlemen

The Ladies and Gentlemen at A B C D move at the same time, in the direction shewn at a b c d, and hey round each other till they return to their places; they then set out the time, the Lady at A setting to the Gentleman at C, and the Lady at B to the Gentleman at D, which finishes the Reel.

* Although the Diagram shews the Ladies striking the hey on the left of the Gentlemen; yet, they may with equal propriety commence by passing the Gentlemen on the right hand.

The version published by the RSCDS is very different.