Mage on a Cree ~ Sharp
Mage on a Cree ~ 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 Square dance. There is no progression in this dance. It is a USA dance. The dance lasts 96 bars. It is in the key: G Minor.
Playford writes
Hands and meet a D. back again, set and turn S. That again Men meet in the midst, turn back to back, come to your places, and turn the Co. We. ·: We. meet, turn back to back, come to your Places and turn you own
Sides all, set and turn S. That again Men go towards the left hand before the Co. We. and behind the next We. meet and turn S. That again to your places Then the We. as much ·: ·:
Arms all, set and turn S. That again Turn all the Co. w. turn all the next we. ·: Turn all the next, turn all your own.
Even Playford didn't seem to know what this title meant. "Mage" might be "magpie" or "Margery", while "Cree" might be "tree"... or might not.
The dance clearly needs a fourth part where the women weave around the men
The tune was published by Playford with the dance, Mage on a Cree. (Pat Shaw later composed a matching B tune which is not used here), and the music was synthesized by Colin Hume's software.
The animation plays at 115 counts per minute. Men are drawn as rectangles, women as ellipses. Each couple is drawn in its own color.
| I.A1 | 1-4 | All eight take hands go in a double, fall back |
| 5-8 | Facing partner set and turn single right | |
| I.A2 | 1-8 | That again |
| I.A3 | 1-4 | Men in to center, face out, circle four clockwise |
| 5-8 | Corner two hand turn | |
| I.A4 | 1-4 | Women in to center, face out, circle four clockwise |
| 5-8 | Partner two hand turn | |
| II.A1 | 1-4 | Partners side right |
| 5-8 | Facing partner set and turn single right | |
| II.A2 | 1-4 | Partners side left |
| 5-8 | Facing partner set and turn single right | |
| II.A3 | 1-4 | Men skip clockwise halfway, in front of corner, behind opposite |
| 5-8 | Women in a double, fall back turning single | |
| II.A4 | 1-8 | That again |
| III.A1 | 1-4 | Arm right |
| 5-8 | Facing partner set and turn single right | |
| III.A2 | 1-4 | Arm left |
| 5-8 | Facing partner set and turn single right | |
| III.A3 | 1-4 | Two hand turn corner once and a half |
| 5-8 | Two hand turn next person once and a half | |
| III.A4 | 1-4 | Two hand turn next person once and a half |
| 5-8 | Two hand turn next person (partner) once and a half |
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.
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 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.