Dances in The Dancing Master, 3rd ed. (John Playford, 1657, London)

An online copy of the original may be found here.

Table of Contents

• Facing Couples
  • Facing Couples proper
  • Facing Couples Becket proper
• Duple Minor
  • Duple Minor proper
• Longways
  • 3 Couple Longways proper
  • 4 Couple Longways proper
• Circle
  • Triangle / 3 Couple Circle
  • Square / 4 Couple Circle
  • 6 Couple Circle

Facing Couples

Facing Couples proper

Dance Title	Type	Deviser (or Editor/Publisher), Date, Interpreter	Music Performers	Formation
Lady in the Dark ~ Pat Shaw		John Playford 1657 Pat Shaw ~1965		Facing Couples multi part

Facing Couples Becket proper

Dance Title	Type	Deviser (or Editor/Publisher), Date, Interpreter	Music Performers	Formation
Althea		John Playford 1657 Cecil Sharp 1912	Colin Hume	Facing Couples Becket multi part
The Asparagus Garden		John Playford 1657 Cecil Sharp 1912		Facing Couples Becket multi part
Lady in the Dark ~ Sharp		John Playford 1657 Cecil Sharp 1912		Facing Couples Becket multi part
The Merry Conceit  ~ Playford, Sharp		John Playford 1657 Cecil Sharp 1912		Facing Couples Becket multi part
The New Conceit		John Playford 1657 Cecil Sharp 1912		Facing Couples Becket multi part
The Sparaguss Garden		John Playford 1657 Cecil Sharp 1912		Facing Couples Becket multi part

Duple Minor

Duple Minor proper

Dance Title	Type	Deviser (or Editor/Publisher), Date, Interpreter	Music Performers	Formation
Ginnie Pug		John Playford 1657 Tom Cook 1975		Duple Minor multi part
Guinea Pig		John Playford 1657 Tom Cook 1975		Duple Minor multi part
Lady Banbury's Hornpipe ~ Hume/Sharp		John Playford 1657 Colin Hume 2021	Colin Hume	Duple Minor multi part
Lady Banbury's Hornpipe ~ Sharp		John Playford 1657 Cecil Sharp 1916	Colin Hume	Duple Minor
London is a Fine Town		John Playford 1657 Cecil Sharp 1911		Duple Minor
Strawberries and Cream		John Playford 1657 Tom Cook 1975		Duple Minor multi part
Watton Town's End		John Playford 1657 Cecil Sharp 1911		Duple Minor
What You Please - Playford		John Playford 1657 Michael Barraclough ~2017		Duple Minor multi part

Longways

3 Couple Longways proper

Dance Title	Type	Deviser (or Editor/Publisher), Date, Interpreter	Music Performers	Formation
The Black Nag ~ Barraclough		John Playford 1657 Michael Barraclough ~2017	Colin Hume	3 Couple Longways
The Black Nag ~ Sharp		John Playford 1657 Cecil Sharp 1911 Playford Ball	Colin Hume	3 Couple Longways
The Black Nagg ~ Barraclough		John Playford 1657 Michael Barraclough ~2017	Colin Hume	3 Couple Longways
The Black Nagg ~ Sharp		John Playford 1657 Cecil Sharp 1911 Playford Ball	Colin Hume	3 Couple Longways
The Galloping Nag ~ 2		John Playford 1657 Cecil Sharp 1911 Playford Ball	Colin Hume	3 Couple Longways

4 Couple Longways proper

Dance Title	Type	Deviser (or Editor/Publisher), Date, Interpreter	Music Performers	Formation
Abergenny ~ Hume		John Playford 1657 Colin Hume 1995	Colin Hume	4 Couple Longways multi part
Abergenny ~ Kennedy		John Playford 1657 Douglas & Helen Kennedy (mod) 1929	Colin Hume	4 Couple Longways multi part
Spring Garden ~ Pat Shaw		John Playford 1657 Pat Shaw 1967	Colin Hume	4 Couple Longways multi part
Spring Garden ~ Sharp		John Playford 1657 Cecil Sharp 1912 Playford Ball	Colin Hume	4 Couple Longways multi part
The Twins		John Playford 1657 Tom Cook 1975		4 Couple Longways multi part

Circle

Triangle / 3 Couple Circle

Dance Title	Type	Deviser (or Editor/Publisher), Date, Interpreter	Music Performers	Formation
Gelding of the Devil		John Playford 1657 Cecil Sharp 1916		3 Couple Circle

Square / 4 Couple Circle

Dance Title	Type	Deviser (or Editor/Publisher), Date, Interpreter	Music Performers	Formation
Buckingham House 1657		John Playford 1657 Cecil Sharp 1912 Playford Ball	At Home Bare Necessities	Square multi part
Chelsea Reach ~ Hume		John Playford 1657 Colin Hume 2013	Bare Necessities	Square multi part
Chelsea Reach ~ Sharp		John Playford 1657 Cecil Sharp 1912 Playford Ball	At Home Bare Necessities	Square multi part
Hunsdon House ~ Playford Ball		John Playford 1657 John Playford 1994 Playford Ball	Bare Necessities	Square multi part
Hunsdon House ~ Sharp		John Playford 1657 Cecil Sharp 1912 Playford Ball	Bare Necessities	Square multi part
Oranges and Lemons ~ Hume		John Playford 1657 Colin Hume 2020	Colin Hume	Square multi part
Oranges and Lemons ~ Sharp		John Playford 1657 Cecil Sharp 1911 Playford Ball	Colin Hume	Square multi part
Oranges and Limons ~ Hume		John Playford 1657 Colin Hume 2020	Colin Hume	Square multi part
Oranges and Limons ~ Sharp		John Playford 1657 Cecil Sharp 1911 Playford Ball	Colin Hume	Square multi part

6 Couple Circle

Dance Title	Type	Deviser (or Editor/Publisher), Date, Interpreter	Music Performers	Formation
Hunsdon House ~ Hex		John Playford 1657 John Playford 1994	Bare Necessities	6 Couple Circle multi part

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.

This website is copyright © 2021-2026 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.