Barham Down ~ Williams

Barham Down ~ Black Barham Down ~ Simons Barham Down ~ Williams Barham Down ~ Cook

Playford writes:

First cu. cast off into the 2. cu. Places, then Arms round with both Arms, the same back again First cu. cross over into the 2. cu. Places, then go the half Figure, the 1. cu. lead down a-breast with the 3. cu. the 1. Man goes round the 3. Man, and the 1. Wo. the same with the 3. Wo. at the same time into the 2. cu. Places

The music consists of 2 four bar strains, both repeated.

When dancing Tom Cook's version of this dance (at Santa Barbara's Winter Dreams Ball) I kept saying "but that's not what Playford said." (Sometimes out loud). Simons' version is a lot closer, but still not quite what I think should be done. So this is my attempt. I don't claim it's a better dance, mind you, Tom Cook's version is probably more fun, I just don't think it's Playford.

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First cu. cast off into the 2. cu. Places Pretty clear, the 1s cast down into the 2nd couple's places so the 2s must get out of their way, presumably by leading up.

then Arms round with both Arms, How do you arm with both arms? Is it even possible? Daisy Black suggests a two hand turn. A. Simons suggests arm right the first time, and arm left. Neither is what Playford says. The last Up a double/Siding/Arming dance was published in 1670, did the concept of arming as an independant figure linger?

When I learned to "arm" I was taught to interlock elbows with my partner (like the buzz swing of my childhood). But you can't really do this with both arms at once. Later I learned another way to arm, where you dorsal flex your wrist and put it under your partner's elbow, while your partner does the same to you. This you can do with both arms at once. I'm not sure if this is what Playford had in mind, but it's the best I can come up with.

Perhaps he mean arm right half and arm left back? all in 2 bars. Doing a figure and following it with its opposite became popular later in the 18th century, but this is still a bit early for it...

However, I'm not sure you can get into position and then turn it all the way around in the 6 beats Playford gives you, but that's ok, it's done twice, so let's say you only go halfway round each time, you'll still be proper at the end.

the same back again Most people have the 2s repeating what the 1s did before, but I doubt that's what Playford meant. His instructions are directed to the 1s. So I think the 1s will cast up (2s lead down) and the 1s will arm with both hands again.

Playford uses this to mean this is the end of two strains. That reassures us that the "cast and arm" sequence takes one strain, or four bars or 12 counts.

First cu. cross over into the 2. cu. Places, The 1s cross and go below into the 2nd couple's places who have somehow gotten out of the way. Presumably by leading up.

then go the half Figure, now we have some more ambiguity: do the 1s half figure eight though the 2s or the 3s. I think their momentum will carry them down to the 3s, and the next bit of the dance is about the 3s so I'm going to go with that.

While the 1s are half figure eighting the 3s need to move up, because later the line of four moves down but not up, and the 3s need to be in 3rd place at the end of the move down. More reason to think the 1s half figure through the 3s.

the 1. cu. lead down a-breast with the 3. cu. the 1. Man goes round the 3. Man, and the 1. Wo. the same with the 3. Wo. at the same time into the 2. cu. PlacesThe 1s need to end their half figure eight between the 3s in a line of four, the line goes down and then the 1s split to go cast around their nearest 3 and up into 2nd place.

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