The Maid in the Moon

The Maid in the Moon is an English Country Dance. It was published by John Playford (website) in 1670 in The Dancing Master, 4th ed., London. It was interpreted by Cecil Sharp (website) in 1922 and published in The Country Dance Book (Part 6). It is a 3 Couple Circle dance. There is no progression in this dance. It is a USA dance. The dance lasts 108 bars.

Playford writes:
Hands all, and meet a D. back again That again One man take right hands across with the wo. against him, the second man as much, the third as much, go all round First man kiss the wo. he handed, the second as much the third as much, go all round.

Sides all That again Take hands as before and go round First man kiss the wo. on his left hand, the second as much, the third as much, go all round.

Arms all That again Take left hands as before and go round First man kiss his own, the second as much, the third as much, go all round.

Sharp uses different music for this dance than Playford does, the result being that he has added a "Set and Turn single" to the USA sections.

Sharp also doesn't like people kissing, and has turned that into an honour.

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.A11-4Take hands, in a double and out
5-8Partner set and turn single
I.A21-4In a double and out
5-8Partner set and turn single
II.A11-4Right shoulder siding
5-8Partner set and turn single
II.A21-4Left shoulder siding
5-8Partner set and turn single
9-12Arm right
13-16Partner set and turn single
III.A21-4Arm left
5-8Partner set and turn single
I,II.B11-2M1 and opposite woman (W2) take right hands
3-4M2 and opposite woman (W3)
5-6M3 and opposite woman (W1)
7-10Right hands across
III.B11-2M1 and opposite woman (W2) take left hands
3-4M2 and opposite woman (W3)
5-6M3 and opposite woman (W1)
7-10Left hands across
11-12M1+W2 honour (kiss)
13-14M2+W3 honour (kiss)
15-16M3+W1 honour (kiss)
17-20Right hands across
21-22M1+W3 honour (kiss)
23-24M2+W1 honour (kiss)
25-26M3+W2 honour (kiss)
27-30Right hands across
31-321s honour (kiss)
33-342s honour (kiss)
35-363s honour (kiss)
37-40Left hands across

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=TheMaidInTheMoon

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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.