Blac Dans ~ Landrin

Blac Dans ~ Landrin Black Dance ~ Rutherford Black Dance ~ Straight and Skillern The Black Dance

Landrin's works are undated. The Library of Dance says it was printed circa 1760. The Library of Congress says that Landrin was "active approximately 1760-1785". If we look at the list of English Country Dances we find the title "Black Dance" appearing first in Bride's Twenty Four Country Dances for the Year 1769, with the same figure continuing until Longman & Broderip in 1781. So I shall assume this was published after the first English occurance.

Landrin writes:

1. Lors que l'air Commance, le premie C^us. Croisse les mains avec sa dames, il décende d'un Couple, dans le millieu
2. Le C^us. en quittant sa dames, Croisse les mains avec la 3^me. dame remonte a sa place, et de suite la remênent a la siene
3. il reprend sa dames, et vient faire un rond de 4 entier, avec Ceux qui sont remontré a sa place et il se trouve - avoir gagnez une place

L'on Continue la même Figures alternative

Or, as I translate it...

1. 1st couple cross
   turn partner
   lead down
2. 1st man leaves his partner
   Takes a crossed hand hold with 3rd woman and leads her up 1st place
3. 1st man gets his partner back (how?)
   and makes a circle with those who went to the top (the 3s?), a full circle
   and gain a place

I can't find Bride's version, but Straight & Skillern published the same figure (in 1775) and they write:

1^st. & 2^d. hands across half round the same back again 1^st. Man leads his Part: down the middle & brings up the 3^d. Wo. & leaves his Part: in her place then the top Cu. & 3^d. turns first right hands behind then left & the 1^st. Man lead the 3d. Wo. down to her own place & bring his Part: up to the top & cast off into the 2d. Cu^s. place

While Rutherford (and Thompson) published a different figure.

Turn right hands and then left lead your Partner down and bring up the third Wo. then the first and third Cu. turn right hands & then left lead the third Wo. down and your Partner up & cast off.

The English version of the dance has 2 6bar strains of music. The French version has 2 4bar strains. I'm going to use the English music here because it seems to fit the timing better.

< Prev Top Next >