Dances in The English Dancing Master (John Playford, 1651, London)

Facing Couples
- Facing Couples proper
- Facing Couples Becket proper
Duple Minor
- Duple Minor proper
- Duple Minor improper
Longways
Circle
Custom
- Custom
Trios
- Custom3

Facing Couples

Facing Couples proper

Argeers	John Playford 1651 Cecil Sharp 1912 Playford Ball	At Home Bare Necessities	Facing Couples multi part
Argeres	John Playford 1651 Cecil Sharp 1912 Playford Ball	At Home Bare Necessities	Facing Couples multi part
Cuckles all a Row	Lovelace Manuscript ~1649 George Williams 2022	A Playford Ball Bare Necessities	Facing Couples multi part
Cuckolds all a Row ~ Barraclough	Lovelace Manuscript ~1649 Michael Barraclough ~2017	A Playford Ball Bare Necessities	Facing Couples multi part
Cuckolds all a Row ~ Lovelace	Lovelace Manuscript ~1649 George Williams 2022	A Playford Ball Bare Necessities	Facing Couples multi part
Cuckolds all a Row ~ Sharp	Lovelace Manuscript ~1649 Cecil Sharp 1911 Playford Ball	A Playford Ball Bare Necessities	Facing Couples multi part
Cuckolds all Awry ~ Barraclough	Lovelace Manuscript ~1649 Michael Barraclough ~2017	A Playford Ball Bare Necessities	Facing Couples multi part
Cuckolds all Awry ~ Sharp	Lovelace Manuscript ~1649 Cecil Sharp 1911 Playford Ball	A Playford Ball Bare Necessities	Facing Couples multi part
The Glory of the West ~ Bolton	John Playford 1651 Charles Bolton 2000		Facing Couples multi part
The Glory of the West ~ Sharp	John Playford 1651 Cecil Sharp 1911		Facing Couples multi part
Harts Ease	Lovelace Manuscript ~1649 Cecil Sharp 1916 Playford Ball	Strong Roots Bare Necessities	Facing Couples
Heart's Ease	Lovelace Manuscript ~1649 Cecil Sharp 1916 Playford Ball	Strong Roots Bare Necessities	Facing Couples
Heartsease	Lovelace Manuscript ~1649 Cecil Sharp 1916 Playford Ball	Strong Roots Bare Necessities	Facing Couples
Hey, Boys, up Go We (Sharp)	Lovelace Manuscript ~1649 Cecil Sharp 1911 Playford Ball	A Playford Ball Bare Necessities	Facing Couples multi part
Hit and Misse ~ Hume	John Playford 1651 Colin Hume 2023	Colin Hume	Facing Couples
Hit and Misse ~ Sharp	John Playford 1651 Cecil Sharp 1916 Playford Ball	A Playford Ball Bare Necessities	Facing Couples
Hit or Miss	John Playford 1651 Colin Hume 2023	Colin Hume	Facing Couples
Hit or Miss	John Playford 1651 Cecil Sharp 1916 Playford Ball	A Playford Ball Bare Necessities	Facing Couples
Parson's Farewell ~ Sharp	John Playford 1651 Cecil Sharp 1911 Playford Ball	At Home Bare Necessities	Facing Couples multi part
Rufty Tufty	John Playford 1651 Cecil Sharp 1911 Playford Ball	By Choice Bare Necessities	Facing Couples
Saint Martin's	John Playford 1651 Cecil Sharp 1911 Playford Ball		Facing Couples multi part
The Wedding Night	John Playford 1651 Cecil Sharp 1912 Playford Ball	At Home Bare Necessities	Facing Couples multi part

Facing Couples Becket proper

Parson's Farewell ~ Hume

John Playford 1651
Colin Hume 2020

At Home
Bare Necessities

Facing Couples Becket multi part

Duple Minor

Duple Minor proper

Aniseseed Water Robin	John Playford 1651 Cecil Sharp 1912		Duple Minor
The Bath	John Playford 1651 George Williams 2021		Duple Minor
Bobbin Jone	Lovelace Manuscript ~1649 Colin Hume 2013	Colin Hume	Duple Minor
Bobbing Joe	Lovelace Manuscript ~1649 Cecil Sharp 1912		Duple Minor
Bobbing Joe ~ Hume	Lovelace Manuscript ~1649 Colin Hume 2013	Colin Hume	Duple Minor
Cast a Bell	John Playford 1651 George Williams 2021		Duple Minor multi part
The Country Coll	John Playford 1651 Scott Pfitzinger ~2019		Duple Minor
Don Pedro	John Playford 1651 Scott Pfitzinger ~2019		Duple Minor multi part
The Friar and the Nun	John Playford 1651 Cecil Sharp 1912	Colin Hume	Duple Minor
The Fryar and the Nun	John Playford 1651 Cecil Sharp 1912	Colin Hume	Duple Minor
The Gun	John Playford 1651 Scott Pfitzinger ~2019		Duple Minor
Have at thy Coat, Old Woman	John Playford 1651 George Williams 2021		Duple Minor
The Irish Lady	John Playford 1651 Cecil Sharp 1912		Duple Minor
Irish Trot	John Playford 1651 Cecil Sharp 1912		Duple Minor multi part
Jog On	Lovelace Manuscript ~1649 Cecil Sharp (mod) 1916		Duple Minor multi part
Jog On, My Honey	Lovelace Manuscript ~1649 Cecil Sharp (mod) 1916		Duple Minor multi part
Jogg On	Lovelace Manuscript ~1649 Cecil Sharp (mod) 1916		Duple Minor multi part
Lady Lye near Me	John Playford 1651 George Williams 2021		Duple Minor
Lavena	John Playford 1651 Scott Pfitzinger ~2019		Duple Minor
Maiden Fair	Lovelace Manuscript ~1649 Pat Shaw 1962		Duple Minor multi part
Mayden Fayre	Lovelace Manuscript ~1649 Pat Shaw 1962		Duple Minor multi part
The Milk-maid's Bob	John Playford 1651 George Williams 2021		Duple Minor multi part
The Milke-Mayds Bobb	John Playford 1651 George Williams 2021		Duple Minor multi part
My Lady Cullen	John Playford 1651 Cecil Sharp 1911	Colin Hume	Duple Minor
New New Nothing	John Playford 1651 Scott Pfitzinger ~2019		Duple Minor multi part
Once I Lov'd a Maiden Faire	Lovelace Manuscript ~1649 Pat Shaw 1962		Duple Minor multi part
The Passionate Lovers	John Playford 1651 Scott Pfitzinger ~2019		Duple Minor
Paul's Steeple	John Playford 1651 Scott Pfitzinger ~2019		Duple Minor multi part
Paul's Wharfe	John Playford 1651 Scott Pfitzinger ~2019		Duple Minor multi part
Petticoat Wag	John Playford 1651 Charles Bolton 1989	Fast Friends Bare Necessities	Duple Minor multi part
Punk's Delight	John Playford 1651 Scott Pfitzinger ~2019		Duple Minor multi part
The Punk's Delight (The New Way)	John Playford 1651 Scott Pfitzinger ~2019		Duple Minor multi part
Row Well, Ye Mariners ~ Bolton	John Playford 1651 Charles Bolton 1992 Playford Assembly	Strong Roots Bare Necessities	Duple Minor
St. Paul's Steeple	John Playford 1651 Scott Pfitzinger ~2019		Duple Minor multi part
The Saraband	John Playford 1651 Scott Pfitzinger ~2019		Duple Minor multi part
Saturday Night and Sunday Morn	John Playford 1651 Cecil Sharp 1922		Duple Minor multi part
Sir Nicholas Cully	John Playford 1651 Scott Pfitzinger ~2019		Duple Minor
Skellamefago	John Playford 1651 Scott Pfitzinger ~2019		Duple Minor multi part
Step Stately ~ Duple, Hume (Old Style Progression)	Lovelace Manuscript ~1649 Colin Hume 1995	Colin Hume	Duple Minor
The Taylor's Daughter	John Playford 1651 Charles Bolton 1989	Fast Friends Bare Necessities	Duple Minor multi part
Tom Tinker	John Playford 1651 Scott Pfitzinger ~2019		Duple Minor multi part
The Valiant Captain	John Playford 1651 Scott Pfitzinger ~2019		Duple Minor

Duple Minor improper

A Soldier's Life

John Playford 1651
George Williams 2022

Duple Minor multi part

Longways

3 Couple Longways proper no progression

Labour in Vain	John Playford 1651 Cecil Sharp 1912 Playford Ball	A Playford Ball Bare Necessities	3 Couple Longways multi part
Labour in Vain ~ Hume	John Playford 1651 Colin Hume 1995	Colin Hume	3 Couple Longways multi part
The Old Mole	John Playford 1651 Cecil Sharp 1912 Playford Ball	Colin Hume	3 Couple Longways multi part
Shepherd's Holiday ~ Hume	John Playford 1651 Colin Hume 1995	Colin Hume	3 Couple Longways multi part
Shepherd's Holiday ~ Sharp	John Playford 1651 Cecil Sharp 1912 Playford Ball	A Playford Ball Bare Necessities	3 Couple Longways multi part

3 Couple Longways proper

Adson's Saraband	John Playford 1651 Cecil Sharp 1912 Playford Ball	Brett Larsen	3 Couple Longways multi part
All in a Garden Green ~ Modern	John Playford 1651 Scott Pfitzinger ~2919		3 Couple Longways permutation: 231
All in a Garden Green ~ Playford	John Playford 1651 Scott Pfitzinger ~2919		3 Couple Longways multi part
The Beggar Boy	John Playford 1651 Cecil Sharp 1911 Playford Ball	By Choice Bare Necessities	3 Couple Longways
Blew Cap	John Playford 1651 George Williams 2021		3 Couple Longways
Blew Cap for Me	John Playford 1651 George Williams 2021		3 Couple Longways
Blue Cap for Me	John Playford 1651 George Williams 2021		3 Couple Longways
The Boatman ~ Pat Shaw	John Playford 1651 Pat Shaw 1966	A Playford Ball Bare Necessities	3 Couple Longways
The Boatman ~ Sharp	John Playford 1651 Cecil Sharp 1916 Playford Ball	A Playford Ball Bare Necessities	3 Couple Longways
Chestnut	John Playford 1651 Cecil Sharp 1911	A Playford Ball Bare Necessities	3 Couple Longways
Dissembling Love	John Playford 1651 Cecil Sharp 1922		3 Couple Longways multi part
Dove's Figary	John Playford 1651 Cecil Sharp 1911	A Playford Ball Bare Necessities	3 Couple Longways
Drive the Cold Winter Away ~ Bolton	John Playford 1651 Charles Bolton 2003	Colin Hume	3 Couple Longways permutation: 231
Durham Stable	John Playford 1651 Scott Pfitzinger ~2019		3 Couple Longways
Edinburgh Castle ~ Hume	John Playford 1651 Colin Hume 2023	Colin Hume	3 Couple Longways multi part
Edinburgh Castle ~ Sharp	John Playford 1651 Cecil Sharp 1916 Playford Ball	Strong Roots Bare Necessities	3 Couple Longways multi part
Graies Inne Maske	Lovelace Manuscript ~1649 Fried de Metz Herman 1995 Playford Assembly		3 Couple Longways
The Green Man ~ Playford	John Playford 1651 Scott Pfitzinger ~2019		3 Couple Longways
Grimstock ~ Hume	John Playford 1651 Colin Hume 2020	Colin Hume	3 Couple Longways
Grimstock ~ Sharp	John Playford 1651 Cecil Sharp 1911 Playford Ball	Colin Hume	3 Couple Longways
Jack Pudding ~ Playford	Lovelace Manuscript ~1649 Colin Hume 1998 Playford Assembly	Colin Hume	3 Couple Longways multi part
Jack-a-Lent	John Playford 1651 Cecil Sharp 1922		3 Couple Longways multi part
The Lost Heart	John Playford 1651 Cecil Sharp 1922		3 Couple Longways multi part
Mad Tom	Lovelace Manuscript ~1649 Fried de Metz Herman 1995 Playford Assembly		3 Couple Longways
Maiden Lane	John Playford 1651 Cecil Sharp (mod) 1912 Playford Assembly	Colin Hume	3 Couple Longways multi part
The Merry Andrew ~ Playford	Lovelace Manuscript ~1649 Colin Hume 1998 Playford Assembly	Colin Hume	3 Couple Longways multi part
Millison's Jigg ~ Bolton	John Playford 1651 Charles Bolton 2000	Colin Hume	3 Couple Longways multi part
Millison's Jigg ~ Hume	John Playford 1651 Colin Hume 2011	Colin Hume	3 Couple Longways
Millison's Jigg ~ Williams	John Playford 1651 George Williams 2021	Colin Hume	3 Couple Longways multi part
The New Exchange	John Playford 1651 Scott Pfitzinger ~2019		3 Couple Longways
The Night Piece	John Playford 1651 Cecil Sharp 1922		3 Couple Longways multi part
An Old Man is a Bed Full of Bones	Lovelace Manuscript ~1649 George Williams 2021		3 Couple Longways
The Old Man with a Bed Full of Bones	Lovelace Manuscript ~1649 George Williams 2021		3 Couple Longways
An Old Man, a Bed Full of Bones	Lovelace Manuscript ~1649 George Williams 2021		3 Couple Longways
The Oyle of Barley	John Playford 1651 Charles Bolton 1989		3 Couple Longways multi part
Picking of Stickes	Lovelace Manuscript ~1649 Cecil Sharp 1916 Playford Ball		3 Couple Longways multi part
Picking Up Sticks	Lovelace Manuscript ~1649 Cecil Sharp 1916 Playford Ball		3 Couple Longways multi part
Scotch Cap ~ Hume	John Playford 1651 Colin Hume 2023	Colin Hume	3 Couple Longways multi part
Scotch Cap ~ Sharp	John Playford 1651 Cecil Sharp 1916 Playford Ball	Strong Roots Bare Necessities	3 Couple Longways multi part
The Shaking of the Sheets	John Playford 1651 Cecil Sharp 1922		3 Couple Longways multi part
Staines Morris	John Playford 1651 Cecil Sharp 1911		3 Couple Longways multi part
Stanes Morris	John Playford 1651 Cecil Sharp 1911		3 Couple Longways multi part
Step Stately	Lovelace Manuscript ~1649 Cecil Sharp 1916 Playford Ball	Colin Hume	3 Couple Longways multi part
Step Stately ~ Palmer	Lovelace Manuscript ~1649 William Palmer 1987		3 Couple Longways multi part
Stingo	John Playford 1651 Charles Bolton 1989		3 Couple Longways multi part
Tom a Bedlam	Lovelace Manuscript ~1649 Fried de Metz Herman 1995 Playford Assembly		3 Couple Longways
Upon a Summer's Day	John Playford 1651 Cecil Sharp 1912 Playford Ball	Colin Hume	3 Couple Longways
The Whirligig	John Playford 1651 Cecil Sharp 1916 Playford Assembly		3 Couple Longways multi part
The Whish	John Playford 1651 Cecil Sharp 1922		3 Couple Longways multi part
The Wish	John Playford 1651 Cecil Sharp 1922		3 Couple Longways multi part
Woodycock	John Playford 1651 Scott Pfitzinger ~2019		3 Couple Longways

3 Couple Longways with the 2s improper

Greenwood		Lovelace Manuscript ~1649 Cecil Sharp 1916		3 Couple Longways multi part
The Huntsman		Lovelace Manuscript ~1649 Cecil Sharp 1916		3 Couple Longways multi part

4 Couple Longways proper no progression

Cheerily and Merrily ~ Bolton	John Playford 1651 Charles Bolton 1991 Playford Assembly		4 Couple Longways
Cheerily and Merrily ~ Sharp	John Playford 1651 Cecil Sharp 1911		4 Couple Longways
The Health ~ Pat Shaw	John Playford 1651 Pat Shaw 1964	Colin Hume	4 Couple Longways multi part
The Health ~ Sharp	John Playford 1651 Cecil Sharp 1916 Playford Ball	Colin Hume	4 Couple Longways multi part
Lady Spellor	John Playford 1651 Cecil Sharp 1912		4 Couple Longways
Lady Spillers	John Playford 1651 Cecil Sharp 1912		4 Couple Longways
The Merry Frolic ~ Pat Shaw	John Playford 1651 Pat Shaw 1964	Colin Hume	4 Couple Longways multi part
The Merry Wassail ~ Pat Shaw	John Playford 1651 Pat Shaw 1964	Colin Hume	4 Couple Longways multi part
The Merry Wassail ~ Sharp	John Playford 1651 Cecil Sharp 1916 Playford Ball	Colin Hume	4 Couple Longways multi part
Mr. Webb's Fancy ~ Bolton	John Playford 1651 Charles Bolton 1991 Playford Assembly		4 Couple Longways
Mr. Webb's Fancy ~ Sharp	John Playford 1651 Cecil Sharp 1911		4 Couple Longways

4 Couple Longways proper

À la Mode de France ~ Barraclough	John Playford 1651 Michael Barraclogh ~1995		4 Couple Longways multi part
À la Mode de France ~ Palmer	John Playford 1651 William Palmer 1987		4 Couple Longways multi part
À la Mode de France ~ Pat Shaw	John Playford 1651 Pat Shaw 1964		4 Couple Longways multi part
À la Mode de France ~ Playford Ball	John Playford 1651 Cecil Sharp (mod) 1911 Playford Ball		4 Couple Longways multi part
À la Mode de France ~ Sharp	John Playford 1651 Cecil Sharp 1911		4 Couple Longways multi part
À la Mode de France ~ Williams	John Playford 1651 George Williams 2022		4 Couple Longways multi part
Aye Me ~ Callens	John Playford 1651 Philippe Callens ~2018 Playford Ball		4 Couple Longways multi part
Aye Me ~ Sharp	John Playford 1651 Cecil Sharp 1916 Playford Ball		4 Couple Longways multi part
Broom, The Bonny, Bonny Broom ~ Pat Shaw	John Playford 1651 Pat Shaw 1972	At Home Bare Necessities	4 Couple Longways multi part
Broom, The Bonny, Bonny Broom ~ Sharp	John Playford 1651 Cecil Sharp 1912 Playford Ball	At Home Bare Necessities	4 Couple Longways multi part
The Cherping of the Lark	John Playford 1651 George Williams 2021		4 Couple Longways
The Chirping of the Lark	John Playford 1651 George Williams 2021		4 Couple Longways
Daphne	John Playford 1651 Tom Cook Playford Assembly		4 Couple Longways permutation: 2413
Drive the Cold Winter Away ~ Sharp	John Playford 1651 Cecil Sharp 1922	Colin Hume	4 Couple Longways multi part
Goddesses	Lovelace Manuscript ~1649 Cecil Sharp 1911 Playford Assembly		4 Couple Longways
An Health To Betty	Lovelace Manuscript ~1649 Charles Bolton 1985		4 Couple Longways permutation: 2413
Hemp-Dresser	John Playford 1651 Charles Bolton 1986		4 Couple Longways permutation: 2413
Hockley in the Hole	John Playford 1651 Scott Pfitzinger ~2019		4 Couple Longways multi part
The London Gentlewoman	John Playford 1651 Charles Bolton 1986		4 Couple Longways permutation: 2413
The London Maid	John Playford 1651 Charles Bolton 1986		4 Couple Longways permutation: 2413
Lord of Carnarvon's Jigg ~ Pat Shaw	John Playford 1651 Pat Shaw 1959		4 Couple Longways multi part
Lord of Carnarvon's Jigg ~ Sharp	John Playford 1651 Cecil Sharp 1912		4 Couple Longways multi part
Lord of Carnarvon's Jigg ~ Wittman	John Playford 1651 Wittman ~1986 Playford Assembly		4 Couple Longways multi part
The Merry, Merry Milkmaids	John Playford 1651 Cecil Sharp 1912 Playford Ball	At Home Bare Necessities	4 Couple Longways multi part
Nonesuch ~ Barraclough	John Playford 1651 Michael Barraclogh ~1995		4 Couple Longways multi part
Nonesuch ~ Palmer	John Playford 1651 William Palmer 1987		4 Couple Longways multi part
Nonesuch ~ Pat Shaw	John Playford 1651 Pat Shaw 1964		4 Couple Longways multi part
Nonesuch ~ Playford Ball	John Playford 1651 Cecil Sharp (mod) 1911 Playford Ball		4 Couple Longways multi part
Nonesuch ~ Sharp	John Playford 1651 Cecil Sharp 1911		4 Couple Longways multi part
Nonesuch ~ Williams	John Playford 1651 George Williams 2022		4 Couple Longways multi part
Prince Rupert's March	John Playford 1651 Cecil Sharp 1916		4 Couple Longways multi part
The Slip	John Playford 1651 Cecil Sharp 1922		4 Couple Longways multi part
Spanish Gypsie ~ Longways	Lovelace Manuscript ~1649 Bernard Bentley 1971		4 Couple Longways multi part
The Spanish Jeepsie	Lovelace Manuscript ~1649 Bernard Bentley 1971		4 Couple Longways multi part
The Spanyard	John Playford 1651 Scott Pfitzinger ~2019		4 Couple Longways
The Symphony	John Playford 1651 Philippe Callens ~2018 Playford Ball		4 Couple Longways multi part
The Symphony	John Playford 1651 Cecil Sharp 1916 Playford Ball		4 Couple Longways multi part

4 Couple Longways with the 3s, 4s improper

Lull Me Beyond Thee		John Playford 1651 Cecil Sharp 1912 Playford Ball	At Home Bare Necessities	4 Couple Longways multi part
Lull Me Beyond Thee ~ Pat Shaw		John Playford 1651 Pat Shaw 1960		4 Couple Longways multi part

5 Couple Longways proper

New Bo-Peep ~ Barraclough	John Playford 1651 Michael Barraclough ~2017		5 Couple Longways multi part
New Bo-Peep ~ Sharp	John Playford 1651 Cecil Sharp 1911		5 Couple Longways multi part
Pickadilla ~ Barraclough	John Playford 1651 Michael Barraclough ~2017		5 Couple Longways multi part
Pickadilla ~ Sharp	John Playford 1651 Cecil Sharp 1911		5 Couple Longways multi part
Pickadilly ~ Barraclough	John Playford 1651 Michael Barraclough ~2017		5 Couple Longways multi part
Pickadilly ~ Sharp	John Playford 1651 Cecil Sharp 1911		5 Couple Longways multi part
Step Stately ~ Hume	Lovelace Manuscript ~1649 Colin Hume 1995	Colin Hume	5 Couple Longways multi part

6 Couple Longways proper

The Friar in the Well		John Playford 1651 Cecil Sharp 1922 Playford Ball		6 Couple Longways multi part
The Maid Peept out at the Window		John Playford 1651 Cecil Sharp 1922 Playford Ball		6 Couple Longways multi part

7 Couple Longways proper

Row Well, Ye Mariners ~ Sharp		John Playford 1651 Cecil Sharp 1912	Strong Roots Bare Necessities	7 Couple Longways multi part
Step Stately ~ Hume (3 in 7)		Lovelace Manuscript ~1649 Colin Hume 1995	Colin Hume	7 Couple Longways multi part

Circle

Triangle / 3 Couple Circle

Jenny Pluck Pears	John Playford 1651 Cecil Sharp 1911 Playford Ball	A Playford Ball Bare Necessities	3 Couple Circle multi part
Kemp's Jigg	John Playford 1651 Douglas & Helen Kennedy (mod) 1929		3 Couple Circle multi part
Mundesse	John Playford 1651 Cecil Sharp 1922	Old Friends MGM and Reunion	3 Couple Circle multi part

Square / 4 Couple Circle no progression

Newcastle ~ Sharp/Hume		John Playford 1651 Comparing Cecil Sharp (1911) Colin Hume (2016)		Square
Row Well, Ye Mariners ~ Sharp/Bolton		John Playford 1651 Comparing Cecil Sharp (1912) Charles Bolton (1992)		Square

Square / 4 Couple Circle

Dull Sir John	John Playford 1651 Cecil Sharp 1911		Square multi part
Fain I Would ~ Hume	John Playford 1651 Colin Hume	At Home Bare Necessities	Square multi part
Fain I Would ~ Sharp	John Playford 1651 Cecil Sharp 1912 Playford Ball	At Home Bare Necessities	Square multi part
The Fine Companion	John Playford 1651 Cecil Sharp 1911 Playford Ball		Square multi part
Hide Parke	John Playford 1651 Cecil Sharp 1912 Playford Ball	At Home Bare Necessities	Square multi part
Hyde Park	John Playford 1651 Cecil Sharp 1912 Playford Ball	At Home Bare Necessities	Square multi part
If all the World were Paper ~ P. Shaw	John Playford 1651 Pat Shaw 1964 Playford Assembly	Colin Hume	Square multi part
If all the World were Paper ~ Sharp	John Playford 1651 Cecil Sharp 1912 Playford Assembly	Colin Hume	Square multi part
Kettle Drum	John Playford 1651 Scott Pfitzinger ~2919	Old Friends MGM and Reunion	Square multi part
Mage on a Cree ~ Pat Shaw	John Playford 1651 Pat Shaw 1961	Colin Hume	Square multi part
Mage on a Cree ~ Sharp	John Playford 1651 Cecil Sharp 1911 Playford Ball	Colin Hume	Square multi part
Mill-Field	John Playford 1651 Cecil Sharp 1922		Square multi part
Newcastle ~ Barraclough	John Playford 1651 Michael Barraclough 2001	Colin Hume	Square multi part
Newcastle ~ Hume	John Playford 1651 Colin Hume 2016	Colin Hume	Square multi part
Newcastle ~ Sharp	John Playford 1651 Cecil Sharp 1911 Playford Ball	Colin Hume	Square multi part
Newcastle United	John Playford 1651 Michael Barraclough 2001	Colin Hume	Square multi part
Parthenia ~ Hume	John Playford 1651 Colin Hume	At Home Bare Necessities	Square multi part
Parthenia ~ Sharp	John Playford 1651 Cecil Sharp 1912 Playford Ball	At Home Bare Necessities	Square multi part
Spanish Gypsie ~ Square	John Playford 1651 Bernard Bentley 1971		Square multi part
Up Tails All ~ Bolton	John Playford 1651 Charles Bolton 1985		Square multi part
Up Tayles All	John Playford 1651 Charles Bolton 1985		Square multi part

6 Couple Circle

Chirping of the Nightingale - Playford	John Playford 1651 Scott Pfitzinger ~2919	6 Couple Circle multi part
Pepper's Black	John Playford 1651 Cecil Sharp (mod) 1922	6 Couple Circle multi part
Rose is White, and Rose is Red	Lovelace Manuscript ~1649 Cecil Sharp (mod) 1922	6 Couple Circle multi part
Roses White, and Roses Red	Lovelace Manuscript ~1649 Cecil Sharp (mod) 1922	6 Couple Circle multi part
Up Tails All	John Playford 1651 Cecil Sharp 1912	6 Couple Circle multi part
Up Tails All ~ Sharp #1	John Playford 1651 Cecil Sharp 1912	6 Couple Circle multi part
Up Tails All ~ Sharp #2	John Playford 1651 Cecil Sharp 1912	6 Couple Circle multi part
Up Tayles All	John Playford 1651 Cecil Sharp 1912	6 Couple Circle multi part
Up Tayles All	John Playford 1651 Cecil Sharp 1912	6 Couple Circle multi part
Up Tayles All	John Playford 1651 Cecil Sharp 1912	6 Couple Circle multi part

Circle as many as will

Gathering Peascods	John Playford 1651 Cecil Sharp 1911 Playford Ball	Colin Hume	Circle as many as will
Halfe Hannikin	John Playford 1651 Cecil Sharp (mod) 1916 Playford Assembly		Circle as many as will
Halfe Hannikin ~ Sharp	John Playford 1651 Cecil Sharp 1916 Playford Assembly		Circle as many as will
Halfe Hannikin ~ Sicilian	John Playford 1651 Cecil Sharp 1916 Playford Assembly		Circle as many as will

Sicilian Circle

Halfe Hannikin	John Playford 1651 Cecil Sharp (mod) 1916 Playford Assembly		Circle as many as will
Halfe Hannikin ~ Sharp	John Playford 1651 Cecil Sharp 1916 Playford Assembly		Circle as many as will
Row Well, Ye Mariners ~ Bolton	John Playford 1651 Charles Bolton 1992 Playford Assembly	Strong Roots Bare Necessities	Duple Minor

Custom

Dargason	John Playford 1651 Cecil Sharp 1911 Playford Ball	A Playford Ball Bare Necessities	Custom
Jack Pudding ~ Lovelace	Lovelace Manuscript ~1649 George Williams 2021	Colin Hume	Custom multi part
The Merry Andrew ~ Lovelace	Lovelace Manuscript ~1649 George Williams 2021	Colin Hume	Custom multi part
Sedany	John Playford 1651 Cecil Sharp 1911 Playford Ball	A Playford Ball Bare Necessities	Custom

Trios

Custom3

Confesse, his Tune ~ Cecil Sharp	John Playford 1651 Cecil Sharp 1912	Colin Hume	Custom3 multi part
Confesse, his Tune ~ Palmer	John Playford 1651 William Palmer 1987 Playford Ball	Colin Hume	Custom3 multi part
Confesse, his Tune ~ Pat Shaw	John Playford 1651	Colin Hume	Custom3 multi part
The Court Lady ~ Cecil Sharp	John Playford 1651 Cecil Sharp 1912	Colin Hume	Custom3 multi part
The Court Lady ~ Palmer	John Playford 1651 William Palmer 1987 Playford Ball	Colin Hume	Custom3 multi part
The Court Lady ~ Pat Shaw	John Playford 1651	Colin Hume	Custom3 multi part

Number of dances	Number of interpretations	Number with music
152	152	65

This list contains all dances in the book which I have animated (and which first appeared in this edition of the Dancing Master) for a complete list of dances in the book see here.

John Playford's The Engliſh Dancing Maſter of 1651 is the first published book in the English language presenting both the figures of dances and the tunes for dancing them. This is all the more surprising because it was published in the Parlementary War when theaters were closed and later Christmas was banned.

This is not to say that Playford invented these dances, some of them, for instance Sellenger's Round, Sedanny, and Stanes Morris are mentioned in Shakespeare's time (see The Lively Shape of Dancing: Dances of Shakespeare's time). Playford, or more likely some nameless dancing master (or two) simply recorded the dances that were current in his time.

It is clear from the complexity of some of the dances, and some of the figures that they were part of a long tradition and did not spring de novo from Playford's brow.

You should not expect to find here the correct way these dances were danced in Playford's time. To some extent that is something we cannot ever know. But also there was no single way of dancing even then. If you look at The Lovelace Manuscript — an annonymous, undated manuscript from a library at Harvard, which appears to have been written in the 1640s — you will find some of Playford's dances described differently. Sometimes the differences are minor, sometimes major. Clearly, even in 1651 there were different ways of dancing the same dance.

Not only was there no correct way of dancing these dances in 1651, but the language has changed since then, we don't even know what Playford is telling us to do. When Cecil Sharp reconstructed many of these dances in 1912 he found many terms which had fallen out of use. What does "Sides All" mean? Sharp came up with a figure, and later came up with a different figure. Is either correct? Who knows?

Or take the word "salute", Sharp interprets it as an honour (bow/courtesy) — which certainly fits the modern meaning of the word, but if you look at The Lovelace Manuscript it becomes clear that, at that time and in the context of dancing, "to salute" meant "to kiss"

Furthermore, Playford is not always a clear as he might be. My favorite example is from Row well ye mariners, Playford describes the dance as:

Lead up a D. forwards and back · That again : First man two slips cross the Room one way, the woman the other · Back again to your places : Fall back both · Meet again : Clap both your own hands, then clap each other's right-hands against one another's; clap both your own hands again, then clap left-hands, then clap both hands again, then clap your breasts, then meet both your hands against one-another · The same again, only clap left-hands first :

First man sides with the next wo. and his wo. with the next man, doing the like till you come to your own places, the rest following and doing the same.

The dance consists of two 16 bar parts. The first is well defined, but for the second we have only that people should "side" (whatever that is) with their neighbors and then (somehow) progress. Now siding is a move which takes 4 bars and leaves one where one started. It does not progress and it leaves 12 bars of music unaccounted for.

So Playford's dances must be reinterpreted, and different modern interpreters have different ideas. Many of the dances shown here have multiple modern interpretations. Probably none is exactly the dance Playford knew, but don't hold that against them, they are still fun to dance.

The dances here are rather different from the dances which evolved 100~150 years later in the Regency Period. There are very few triple minor dances in this list (perhaps only Step Stately and it's a very odd triple minor).

Most of these dances contain the three standard introductory figures: "Up a Double", "Siding", and "Arming" — or USA dances. This idiom of dancing is also found in the Lovelace Manuscript, but the last example I have animated dates to 1670. Many of the dances are not progressive. Regency dances were almost entirely longways, but Playford's dances run the gamut from longways to circles, squares to lines and to strange triangles. Even when Playford does use a standard duple minor longways format he usually has multiple different figures for the same tune, and the dance consisted of dancing each figure until everyone was back where s/he started before the next figure would begin. This idiom also died out, and the last example I have animated is Devonshire House from 1698.

The scans of all of Playford's dance descriptions can be found:

Scott Pfitzinger-Kumle's website released under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial license. This version is easier to use and the scans are often easier to read.
The CDSS hosts Robert Keller's version. This version is more scholarly and shows how the dance changed across the different editions of the Dancing Master.

This website is copyright © 2021,2022,2023,2024 by George W. Williams V
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.