Mill-Field

Mill-Field 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 1922 and published in The Country Dance Book (Part 6). It is a Square dance. It is a multipart dance. The minor set lasts 592 bars. It is in the key: G Major.

Playford writes:
Hands and go a D. round Back again Set and turn S That again
First cu. lead to the man on the right hand, he going under your arms; turn your own That again All three set and turn S. That again
The two men take hands and lead to your w., she going under your arms; the two men arms That again All three set and turn S. That again
The second man and first wo. lead to the first man, he going under their arms; the two men arms That again All three set and turn S. That again
Do thus to the next wo. and so to all the rest.

Like many of Playford's circles, this dance assumes a progression which is not spelled out in the figure. At the end of the figure everyone is where they started. Sharp is no help.

The animation plays at 120 counts per minute normally, but the first time through the set the dance will often be slowed down so people can learn the moves more readily. Men are drawn as rectangles, women as ellipses. Each couple is drawn in its own color, however the border of each dancer indicates what role they currently play so the border color may change each time through the minor set.

Intro with 1s active
 
A1-4Circle eight left, ...
5-8... and back by the right
B1-4Partner set and turn single
5-8That again
Figure with 1s active repeats 2 times
 
A11-21s make an arch and lead to M2 who ducks under the arch
3-41s two hand turn half
5-61s make an arch and lead to M2 who ducks under the arch
7-81s two hand turn half
B11-41s+M2 set and turn single
5-8That again, set and turn single
A21-2M1+M2 make an arch and lead to W1 who ducks under the arch
3-4Men arm right half
5-6M1+M2 make an arch and lead to W1 who ducks under the arch
7-8Men arm left half
B21-41s+M2 set and turn single
5-8That again, set and turn single
A31-2W1+M2 make an arch and lead to W1 who ducks under the arch
3-4They two hand turn half
5-6W1+M2 make an arch and lead to W1 who ducks under the arch
7-8They two hand turn half
B31-41s+M2 set and turn single
5-8Set and W1+M2 change
A41-21s make an arch and lead to W2 who ducks under the arch
3-41s two hand turn half
5-61s make an arch and lead to W2 who ducks under the arch
7-81s two hand turn half
B41-41s+W2 set and turn single
5-8That again, set and turn single
A51-2M1+W2 make an arch and lead to W1 who ducks under the arch
3-4M1+W2 two hand turn half
5-6M1+W2 make an arch and lead to W1 who ducks under the arch
7-8They two hand turn half
B51-41s+W2 set and turn single
5-8That again, set and turn single
A61-2W1+W2 make an arch and lead to M1 who ducks under the arch
3-4W1+W2 two hand turn half
5-6W1+W2 make an arch and lead to M1 who ducks under the arch
7-8They two hand turn half
B61-41s+W2 set and turn single
5-8Set and W1+W2 change
A11-21s make an arch and lead to M3 who ducks under the arch
3-41s two hand turn half
5-61s make an arch and lead to M3 who ducks under the arch
7-81s two hand turn half
B11-41s+M3 set and turn single
5-8That again, set and turn single
A21-2M1+M3 make an arch and lead to W1 who ducks under the arch
3-4Men arm right half
5-6M1+M3 make an arch and lead to W1 who ducks under the arch
7-8Men arm left half
B21-41s+M3 set and turn single
5-8That again, set and turn single
A31-2W1+M3 make an arch and lead to W1 who ducks under the arch
3-4They two hand turn half
5-6W1+M3 make an arch and lead to W1 who ducks under the arch
7-8They two hand turn half
B31-41s+M3 set and turn single
5-8Set and W1+M3 change
A41-21s make an arch and lead to W3 who ducks under the arch
3-41s two hand turn half
5-61s make an arch and lead to W3 who ducks under the arch
7-81s two hand turn half
B41-41s+W3 set and turn single
5-8That again, set and turn single
A51-2M1+W3 make an arch and lead to W1 who ducks under the arch
3-4M1+W3 two hand turn half
5-6M1+W3 make an arch and lead to W1 who ducks under the arch
7-8They two hand turn half
B51-41s+W3 set and turn single
5-8That again, set and turn single
A61-2W1+W3 make an arch and lead to M1 who ducks under the arch
3-4W1+W3 two hand turn half
5-6W1+W3 make an arch and lead to M1 who ducks under the arch
7-8They two hand turn half
B61-41s+W3 set and turn single
5-8Set and W1+W3 change
A11-21s make an arch and lead to M4 who ducks under the arch
3-41s two hand turn half
5-61s make an arch and lead to M4 who ducks under the arch
7-81s two hand turn half
B11-41s+M4 set and turn single
5-8That again, set and turn single
A21-2M1+M4 make an arch and lead to W1 who ducks under the arch
3-4Men arm right half
5-6M1+M4 make an arch and lead to W1 who ducks under the arch
7-8Men arm left half
B21-41s+M4 set and turn single
5-8That again, set and turn single
A31-2W1+M4 make an arch and lead to W1 who ducks under the arch
3-4They two hand turn half
5-6W1+M4 make an arch and lead to W1 who ducks under the arch
7-8They two hand turn half
B31-41s+M4 set and turn single
5-8Set and W1+M4 change
A41-21s make an arch and lead to W4 who ducks under the arch
3-41s two hand turn half
5-61s make an arch and lead to W4 who ducks under the arch
7-81s two hand turn half
B41-41s+W4 set and turn single
5-8That again, set and turn single
A51-2M1+W4 make an arch and lead to W1 who ducks under the arch
3-4M1+W4 two hand turn half
5-6M1+W4 make an arch and lead to W1 who ducks under the arch
7-8They two hand turn half
B51-41s+W4 set and turn single
5-8That again, set and turn single
A61-2W1+W4 make an arch and lead to M1 who ducks under the arch
3-4W1+W4 two hand turn half
5-6W1+W4 make an arch and lead to M1 who ducks under the arch
7-8They two hand turn half
B61-41s+W4 set and turn single
5-8Set and W1+W4 change

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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https://www.upadouble.info/redirect.php?id=Mill-Field

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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 © 2021-2025 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.