Grimstock ~ Sharp 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 proper 3 Couple Longways dance. There is no progression in this dance. It is a USA dance. The dance lasts 72 bars. It is in the key: G Major.
Playford writes:
Lead up all a D. forwards and back, set and turn S. That again First Cu. go down between the second, the third come up between the first This forwards and back to your places Sides all, set and turn S. That again First cu. go down under the second cu. arms, the third come up under the first This forwards and back to your places Arms all, set and turn S. That again First cu. change places and go down the S. Hey And come up the S. Hey on her own side
Most people find it easier to dance Part 2 with only one hand joined with partner to make arches rather than both.
The tune, Grimstock, was published with the dance, and the music was synthesized by Colin Hume's software.
The animation plays at 111 counts per minute. Men are drawn as rectangles, women as ellipses. Each couple is drawn in its own color.
I.A1 | 1-4 | Up a double and back |
5-8 | Set and turn single | |
I.A2 | 1-4 | Up a Double, back (again) |
5-8 | Set and turn single | |
II.A1 | 1-4 | Right shoulder siding |
5-8 | Set and turn single | |
II.A2 | 1-4 | Left shoulder siding |
5-8 | Set and turn single | |
III.A1 | 1-4 | Arm right |
5-8 | Set and turn single | |
III.A2 | 1-4 | Arm left |
5-8 | Set and turn single | |
I.B | 1-8 | Mirror hey (grimstock hey), 1s start together |
II.B | 1-8 | Mirror hey, as before, except partners take both hands and slip |
III.B | 1-4 | 1s cross by left, then half right shoulder heys for three on the sides (not mirror heys) |
5-8 | 1s cross by right into half left shoulder heys |
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=Grimstock
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 © 2020 by George W. Williams V and is released under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
This website is copyright © 2021-2025 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.