The Corporation
Country Dances, Ancient and Modern

The Machine without Horses

Background Source

John Rutherford writes:
The 1st. Cu. cast off one Cu. right hands across with the 3d. Cu · cast up and left hands across with the 2d. Cu. · lead down between the 3d. Cu. the 2d. Cu. follows cast up into your own places · cross over one Cu. right & left ··

Interpretation

Everything except B2 is pretty clear: cross over one Cu. right & left, everyone starts B2 in their proper places, when the 1s cross and go below they become improper, to become proper again they must face their neighbors and do three changes of R+L. But this means the 2s must also be improper after the cross go below, and Rutherford doesn't suggest any way for them to get there. So I have inserted a two hand turn half. Putting in a cross after the lead up would work as well.

The RSCDS has avoided the long casts by adding a set before each. They have changed the lead down/cast up sequence into something progressive because they got rid of the 1s cross go below, and changed the three changes of rights and lefts (which takes 4 bars) into something that takes 8.

Some dance examples

My interpretation of what I think Rutherford meant.

The RSCDS's version.

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