If all the World were Paper ~ Sharp

If all the World were Paper ~ Sharp If all the World were Paper ~ P. Shaw

If all the World were Paper ~ Sharp is an English Country Dance. It was published by John Playford (website) in 1651 in The English Dancing Master, London. It was interpreted by Cecil Sharp (website) in 1912 and published in The Country Dance Book (Part 3). Found in The Playford Assembly. 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: C mjor. Someone thought this dance was Easy / Intermediate.

If all the World were Paper,
And all the Sea were Inke
If all the Trees were bread and cheese,
How should we do for drinke?

Witt's Recreations (1640)
quoted in The Playford Assembly.

Hands all, and meet a D. back again, set and turn S That again The two men against each other change places, your we. as much the S. Hey, back to your places ·: The other four as much

Sides all, set and turn S. That again The first four meet, lead each other's wo. between the Cu. on your left hands, cast off, go to your places and turn your own ·: The other four as much

Arms all, set and turn S That again The first four change places, then change with your own men, cross over, take left hands and right with the we. To your places ·: The other four as much

The tune was published by Playford for the dance, If All the World Were Paper. The music was synthesized by Colin Hume's software

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.A11-4All eight take hands go in a double, fall back
5-8Facing partner set and turn single right
I.A21-8That again
I.B11-4Head men change, head women change
5-8Heads face partner, two changes of a circular hey
I.B21-4Side men change, side women change
5-8Sides face partner, two changes of a circular hey
II.A11-4Partners side right
5-8Facing partner set and turn single right
II.A21-4Partners side left
5-8Facing partner set and turn single right
II.B11-6Heads forward to opposite, lead out through nearest side couple, cast home
7-8Heads two hand turn
II.B21-6Sides forward to opposite, lead out through nearest head couple, cast home
7-8Sides two hand turn
III.A11-4Arm right
5-8Facing partner set and turn single right
III.A21-4Arm left
5-8Facing partner set and turn single right
III.B11-4Heads cross right with opposite, cross right with partner
5-8Heads two changes of lefts and rights starting with opposite
III.B21-4Sides cross right with opposite, cross right with partner
5-8Sides two changes of lefts and rights starting with opposite

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.

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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 © 2021 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
Creative Commons License 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.