The Fine Companion
The Fine Companion is an English Country Dance. It was published by John Playford (website) in 1651 in The English Dancing Master. It was interpreted by Cecil Sharp (website) in 1911 and published in The Country Dance Book (Part 2). Found in The Playford Ball. It is a Square dance. There is no progression in this dance. It is a USA dance. The dance lasts 96 bars. It is in the key: D Minor.
Playford writes:
Hands all, and meet a D. back again, set and turn S. That again Men meet and go back, we. as much men meet, hands and go round we. meet and go back, men as much, we. hands and go round Sides all, set and turn S. That again The 2. Cu. against each other meet and back, the other four as much. The first four hands and go round That again, the last four beginning Arms all, set and turn S. That again Men meet, turn back to back, the wo. go round about the men to their places we. meet, turn back to back, men go about the we.
The animation plays at 120 counts per minute. Men are drawn as rectangles, women as ellipses. Each couple is drawn in its own color.
| I.A1 | 1-4 | Take hands, balance circle in, out |
| 5-6 | Face Partner, Set | |
| 7-8 | Turn single right | |
| I.A2 | 1-4 | Take hands, balance circle in, out |
| 5-6 | Face Partner, Set | |
| 7-8 | Turn single | |
| I.B1 | 1-2 | Men in |
| 3-4 | Women in (men out) | |
| 5-6 | Men in (women out) | |
| 7-8 | Men circle left | |
| I.B2 | 1-2 | Women in (men out) |
| 3-4 | Men in (women out) | |
| 5-6 | Women in (men out) | |
| 7-8 | Women circle left | |
| II.A1 | 1-4 | Face Partner, Right Siding |
| 5-6 | Set | |
| 7-8 | Turn single | |
| II.A2 | 1-4 | Left Siding |
| 5-6 | Set | |
| 7-8 | Turn single | |
| II.B1 | 1-2 | Heads in |
| 3-4 | Sides in (heads out) | |
| 5-6 | Heads in (sides out) | |
| 7-8 | Heads circle | |
| II.B2 | 1-2 | Sides in (heads out) |
| 3-4 | Heads in (sides out) | |
| 5-6 | Sides in (heads out) | |
| 7-8 | Sides circle | |
| III.A1 | 1-4 | Face Partner, Right Arming |
| 5-6 | Set | |
| 7-8 | Turn single | |
| III.A2 | 1-4 | Left Arming |
| 5-6 | Set | |
| 7-8 | Turn single | |
| III.B1 | 1-2 | Men in |
| 3-8 | Men turn backs to center, circle right, while women (outside) circle right (no hands) | |
| III.B2 | 1-2 | Women in (men out) |
| 3-8 | Women turn backs circle right, while men (outside) circle right |
If you find what you believe to be a mistake in this animation, please leave a comment on youtube explaining what you believe to be wrong. If I agree with you I shall do my best to fix it.
If you wish to link to this animation please see my comments on the perils of youtube. You may freely link to this page, of course, and that should have no problems, but use one of my redirects when linking to the youtube video itself:
https://www.upadouble.info/redirect.php?id=FineCompanion
The dance itself is out of copyright, and is in the public domain. The interpretation is out of copyright, and is in the public domain. My visualization of this dance is copyright © 2019 by George W. Williams V and is released under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
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.