My Lady Cullen

My Lady Cullen 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 1911 and published in The Country Dance Book (Part 2). It is a proper Duple Minor dance. The minor set lasts 16 bars.

Playford writes:

Lead up all a D. back That again Set and turn S That again

First cu. cross over and fall on the outside into the 2. place, and change places The first four hands all abreast, and lead up to the Presence, and fall back ·: Right hands across and go round all four Left hands across and go round, back again

First cu. cast off, and fall into the 2. place, slip between the 2. cu. the 1. man standing before the 2. man, and the 1. wo. before the 2. wo. The 2. cu. cast off and fall between the 1. stand as before The 2. cu. take both hands and slip up, whilst the first cu. take both hands and slip down, holding hands so still, both cu. slip together Set and turn S.

First cu. cross over and fall on the outside into the second place The first four hands abreast and lead up to the Presenxe, and back again Each face to his own and clap your hands, we. arms, whilst the men arms Arms each other with his own, the 1. cu. in the 2. place, and the 2. cu. in the 1. place

The tune was published by Playford with the dance, My Lady Cullen. (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 109 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 (no music plays during this slow set). 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).A1-4Up a double, and fall back
5-8That again
(Intro).B1-4Partner set and turn single
5-8That again
I.A1-41s cross go below 2s, cross again ending between them in a line of four
5-8Line of four up a double, fall back, bending the line
I.B1-4Right hands across...
5-8... and left hands back
II.41-41s cast below 2s and lead up to place
5-82s long cast up as 1s lead down
II.B1-4Take both hands with partner, slip up and down
5-8Partner set and turn single
III.41-41s cast below 2s and lead up to place
5-82s long cast up as 1s lead down
III.B1-4Clap on first beat, neighbor arm right
5-8Partner arm left

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=MyLadyCullen

< Prev Top Next >

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.