The Coronation Day ~ Sharp

The Coronation Day ~ Hume The Coronation Day ~ P. Shaw The Coronation Day ~ Sharp

The Coronation Day ~ Sharp is an English Country Dance. It was published by Henry Playford (website) in 1698 in The Dancing Master, 10th ed., London. It was interpreted by Cecil Sharp (website) in 1916 and published in The Country Dance Book (Part 4). It is a proper Duple Minor dance. The minor set lasts 24 bars.

The most likely coronation is that of William and Mary on 11 April 1689 (the next monarch, Anne, was not crowned until 23 April 1702 which would be too late for this dance). William and Mary were joint monarchs and marked a return of Protestant rule to England. The British had just revolted against James II and presumably were more glad than usual about the new monarchs.

Playford writes:
First cu. lead down in the contrary place, the 2. cu. cast up at the same time, and cross over; Second lead down as before; first cu. cast up into their own place: First man go within sind round his wo. into her place, she turning single at the same time into 2. wo's place, she going round her man at the same time, he turning single at the same time into the 1. man's place, 1. cu. lead through the 2. then the 1. man's place, turn single all four; 1. cu. cross over into the 2. cu. place, they leading up at the same time, cross into their own place.
Note: Each Strain is to be played twice over.

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.

A11-41s, with an unhandy-hand clasp, lead down, M1 turns W1 into M2's place then he falls back into W2's as 2s cast up and partner change
A21-42s, with an unhandy-hand clasp, lead down, M2 turns W1 into her place then he falls back his as 1s cast up and partner change
B11-41st corners loop partners (counter-clockwise) ending in their places as 2nd corners wait and turn single into neighbor's place ('petronella turn' in contra)
5-81s lead between 2s, cast and return to same places
B21-2W1 crosses to M1's original place as M2 casts down and crosses set into W2's original place
3-4All turn single
5-81s cross, go below as 2s, with an unhandy-hand clasp, lead up, M2 turns W2 into W1' place and falls back into M1's

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=TheCoronationDay

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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.