The Glory of the West ~ Sharp

The Glory of the West ~ Bolton The Glory of the West ~ Sharp

The Glory of the West ~ 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 1911 and published in The Country Dance Book (Part 2). It is a Facing Couples dance. There is no progression in this dance. It is a USA dance. The dance lasts 84 bars. It is in the key: G Minor.

Playford writes:

Meet a D. fall back, open and close Fall back a D. meet, open and close Back men, we. turn S. back we. men turn S. men cross over, we. cross over hands round, and go half to your places

Sides with the co. we. set to them Sides with your own wo. set to her ·: Men turn off to the left-hand, and fall behind your we. back to back, turn back again in you places, we. as much, change PLaces round till you come to your own places, then take right-hands a-cross, and go round to your places

Arms as you sided Men meet, we. meet, and give right-hands across, men go under their arms to your own places, men hands a-cross, and we. go under as the men did, men right-hands to the co. we. then left-hands to their own and fall into the contrary places, hands in a ring, and go half round to your places, fallig all a-breast to the presence

Sharp has taken a number of liberties with Playford's original here. I, in turn, have not followed Sharp precisely in the final figure. Playford says "falling all a brest to the presence", Sharp says "All face up and, standing in line, first couple to left, honour the Presence." Having the first couple both on the left is very awkward after a half circle, I think it more natural to split them to the ends of the line.

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.A1-4In a double to meet opposite, back
5-8Fall back a double, come forward
I.B11-2Men fall back a double, women turn single
3-4Women fall back while men turn single
5-6Men change
7-8Women change
9-10Circle half
I.B21-10That again: men back, women back, men change, women change, circle half
II.A1-4Right Siding with opposite
5-8Left Siding with partner
II.B11-2Men cast left each ending back to back with his partner
3-5Couples turn counter-clockwise back to places
6-7Women cast right
8-10Couples turn clockwise back to places
II.B21-4Single file clockwise circle
5-10Right hands across
III.A1-4Opposite arm right
5-8Partner arm left
III.B11-2Women meet in center making an arch with right hands
3-5Men cross under the arch, turn left, loop opposite back to place as women fall back
6-7Men meet, making an arch
8-10Women left cross under the arch, turn right, loop opposite back to place as women fall back
III.B21-5Facing opposite two changes of rights and lefts
6-7Circle half
8-10Face up, form a line, honour the presence

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=TheGloryOfTheWest

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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.