Table of Contents

0-9

Dance Title	Type	Deviser (or Editor/Publisher), Date, Interpreter	Music Performers	Formation
4 for the Gospel Makers		Fried de Metz Herman 1994		Duple Minor
9 for the Nine Bright Shiners		Fried de Metz Herman 1994		Duple Minor
11 o'clock		Fried de Metz Herman 2000		Duple Minor
The 29th of May The 29th of May ~ Hume John Playford 1686 Colin Hume 1995 Colin Hume Duple Minor The 29th of May ~ Pat Shaw John Playford 1686 Pat Shaw (mod) ~1965 Duple Minor The 29th of May ~ Sharp John Playford 1686 Cecil Sharp 1911 Colin Hume Duple Minor

A

Dance Title	Type	Deviser (or Editor/Publisher), Date, Interpreter	Music Performers	Formation
À la Mode de France ~ Barraclough		John Playford 1651 Michael Barraclogh ~1995		4 Couple Longways
Alexander's Birth Day		Gary Roodman 2003	Doug Creighton, Erica Morse, Gene Murrow, Naomi Morse, Peter Barnes	Facing Couples
Along the Dee		Jenna Simpson 2020		Duple Minor
Anna		Victor Skowronski 2009		Duple Minor
Anna's Clarinet		Jenna Simpson ~2024		Duple Minor
The Ape's Dance		John Playford 1675 Colin Hume 2025	Colin Hume	Duple Minor
Argeers Argeers ~ Playford Ball John Playford 1651 John Playford 1994 Playford Ball Bare Necessities Facing Couples Argeers ~ Sharp John Playford 1651 Cecil Sharp 1912 Bare Necessities Facing Couples
Argeres		John Playford 1651 John Playford 1994 Playford Ball	Bare Necessities	Facing Couples
At Rainbow's End		Fried de Metz Herman 2002		Duple Minor
Atlanta		Sharon Green 2022		Duple Minor
Auld Lang Syne ~ Williams		Thomas Wilson 1816 George Williams 2022	Colin Hume	Triple Minor
Autumn on the River		Gary Roodman 2018		Duple Minor

B

Dance Title	Type	Deviser (or Editor/Publisher), Date, Interpreter	Music Performers	Formation
Bar-a-Bar		John Young 1710 Fried de Metz Herman 1986 Playford Assembly	Bare Necessities	Duple Minor
Barr a Barr		John Young 1710 Fried de Metz Herman 1986 Playford Assembly	Bare Necessities	Duple Minor
The Bath Waltz		Thomas Wilson 1816 Colin Hume 2023	Colin Hume	3 Couple Longways permutation: 312
The Belle of Greensboro		Gary Roodman 2012	Susan McNeill and Robert Winokur	Duple Minor
The Best of Company		Jenna Simpson 2012		Duple Minor
Bickerstaff's Prophesie		Nathaniel Kynaston 1711 Andrew Shaw 2002		3 Couple Longways permutation: 231
Bingo!		Jenny Beer 2016		Duple Minor
The Bishop's Halloween		Fried de Metz Herman 2002		3 Couple Longways permutation: 312
Bishops Hey		Jill Lawrence 1979	Colin Hume	5 Couple Longways permutation: 23451
Border Reel		Wright 1740 Bob Lilley ~2023		Duple Minor
Bransle in the Barn		Melanie Axel-Lute 2015	Odd Sundays Garage Band	Duple Minor
Braye's Magott		Thomas Bray 1699 Diana Cruickshank 2001 Playford Assembly		Duple Minor
Bridges of New York		Fried de Metz Herman 2005		Duple Minor

C

Dance Title	Type	Deviser (or Editor/Publisher), Date, Interpreter	Music Performers	Formation
Cadger's Caper		Gary Roodman 1993		Duple Minor
Camp House Hornpipe		Gary Roodman 1999		Duple Minor
The Carle came o're the Craft ~ Williams		Thomas Wilson 1816 George Williams 2024		Triple Minor
Casterton Capers		Philippe Callens 2001		Duple Minor
Catherine's Calling		Joseph Pimentel 2019	Goldcrest	Duple Minor
Charlene's Celebration		Gary Roodman 2005	Anna Patton, Karen Axelrod, Mary Lea	4 Couple Longways permutation: 2413
The Cheltenham Connection		Philippe Callens 2010		3 Couple Longways permutation: 312
Chestnut Farewell		Gary Roodman 2003		Duple Minor
Chloe's Farewell Chloe's Farewell ~ 3 Couple John Young 1718 George Williams 2025 3 Couple Longways permutation: 231 Chloe's Farewell ~ Triple John Young 1718 George Williams 2025 Triple Minor
Christina		Naomi Christina Alexander 1992	Bare Necessities	Duple Minor
Christine's Conundrum		Colin Hume 2001	Colin Hume	Facing Couples Becket
Chrysalis		Chris Sackett/Brooke Friendly 2009		Duple Minor
Circassian Circle ~ La Daphne (Chivers)		G.M.S. Chivers 1822 George Williams 2024		Duple Minor
Clutha ~ Hughes		Kate Hughes ~1867 George Williams 2024		Duple Minor
Cobbler's Hornpipe - Beer,3 Couple		Jenny Beer 2008	Colin Hume	3 Couple Longways permutation: 231
Cobbler's Hornpipe - Beer,Duple		Jenny Beer 2003	Colin Hume	Duple Minor
The College Hornpipe - Willcox		Asa Willcox 1793 Kate van Winkle Keller & Ralph Sweet 1976		Triple Minor
The College Hornpipe - Willcox, Duple		Asa Willcox 1793 Kate van Winkle Keller & Ralph Sweet 1976		Duple Minor
Companions		Victor Skowronski 2003	Bare Necessities	Duple Minor
The Country Coll		John Playford 1651 Scott Pfitzinger ~2019		Duple Minor
The Cressons		Gary Roodman 2018	Cilantrio	Duple Minor
Crosbey Square ~ Bolton		Henry Playford 1701 Charles Bolton 1997	Colin Hume	Duple Minor
Crown the Year		Fried de Metz Herman 2001		Duple Minor
Crystal Spring		Orly Krasner 2008		Duple Minor
Cuckles all a Row		Lovelace Manuscript ~1649 George Williams 2022	A Playford Ball Bare Necessities	Facing Couples
Cuckolds all a Row Cuckolds all a Row ~ Lovelace Lovelace Manuscript ~1649 George Williams 2022 A Playford Ball Bare Necessities Facing Couples Cuckolds all a Row ~ Sharp Lovelace Manuscript ~1649 Cecil Sharp 1911 Playford Ball A Playford Ball Bare Necessities Facing Couples
Cuckolds all Awry ~ Sharp		Lovelace Manuscript ~1649 Cecil Sharp 1911 Playford Ball	A Playford Ball Bare Necessities	Facing Couples
Cynthia's Waltz		David Macemon ~1993		3 Couple Longways permutation: 231

D

Dance Title	Type	Deviser (or Editor/Publisher), Date, Interpreter	Music Performers	Formation
Daphne		John Playford 1651 Tom Cook Playford Assembly		4 Couple Longways permutation: 2413
The Duke of Gloucester's March - Bray		Thomas Bray 1699 Pat Shaw 1968		Duple Minor

E

Dance Title	Type	Deviser (or Editor/Publisher), Date, Interpreter	Music Performers	Formation
An Early Frost		Philippe Callens 2000		Duple Minor
Ease and Elegance		Fried de Metz Herman 1994		Duple Minor
Evergreen I Evergreen I Orly Krasner 1999 Duple Minor Evergreen II Orly Krasner 2008 Duple Minor
The Eye of the Store		Fried de Metz Herman 2000		Duple Minor

F

Dance Title	Type	Deviser (or Editor/Publisher), Date, Interpreter	Music Performers	Formation
The Fair Ladies Palmer		Gary Roodman 1996		Duple Minor
The Fast Packet		Bob Lilley 1987	Bare Necessities	Duple Minor
Father's Day		Gary Roodman 2000	Cilantrio	4 Couple Longways permutation: 3142
Fine Companions Waltz		Gary Roodman 2008		Duple Minor
First Comes Love		Jenny Beer 2013		Duple Minor
Flowers of Edinburgh - Mayfaire		Traditional (date unknown)	Colin Hume	Duple Minor
The Flying Sorceress		Kalia Kliban 2007	Bare Necessities	Duple Minor
Fogg's Fold		Victor Skowronski 2015		Duple Minor
Four Score and Ten		Gary Roodman 2015		Duple Minor
The Friar in the Well		John Playford 1651 Cecil Sharp 1922 Playford Ball		6 Couple Longways
From Wandsworth		Joseph Pimentel 2018	Goldcrest	Duple Minor

G

Dance Title	Type	Deviser (or Editor/Publisher), Date, Interpreter	Music Performers	Formation
Gambols		Jenna Simpson 2014	Colin Hume	4 Couple Longways permutation: 3142
Garden State Gallantry		Philippe Callens 2008		Duple Minor
Gentleman's Delight		Philippe Callens 1998		Duple Minor
The Gloucester - Bray		Thomas Bray 1699 Pat Shaw 1961		Duple Minor
Goddesses #2		John Young 1721 George Williams 2026	Colin Hume	Quadruple Minor
Godwin's Humors Godwin's Humors ~ 3 Couple John Young 1710 Scott Higgs 2018 3 Couple Longways permutation: 231 Godwin's Humors ~ Duple John Young 1710 Scott Higgs 2003 Duple Minor Godwin's Humors ~ 3 Couple John Young 1710 Scott Higgs 2018 3 Couple Longways permutation: 231 Godwin's Humors ~ Duple John Young 1710 Scott Higgs 2003 Duple Minor
Going For Gold (4Cpl)		Gary Roodman 2015		4 Couple Longways permutation: 3142
Going For Gold (6Cpl)		Gary Roodman 2015		6 Couple Longways permutation: 315264
Gotham Jubilee		Loretta Holz 2006		Duple Minor
Grenadiers Exercise		Thomas Bray 1699 Pat Shaw 1968		Duple Minor

H

Dance Title	Type	Deviser (or Editor/Publisher), Date, Interpreter	Music Performers	Formation
Hame Came Our Gude Man ~ Williams		Thomas Wilson 1816 George Williams 2024		Triple Minor
The Happy Pilgrim		Gary Roodman 2023	Anna Patton, Karen Axelrod, and Kate Barnes	4 Couple Longways Becket permutation: 2341
The Happy Return		Gary Roodman 2005		Duple Minor
Heading for Zero		Jenny Beer 2004		Duple Minor
A Health to all Honest Men A Health to all Honest Men ~ Herman Walsh 1718 Fried de Metz Herman ~1989 Colin Hume Duple Minor A Health to all Honest Men ~ Hume Walsh 1718 Colin Hume 2025 Colin Hume Duple Minor
Heartland		Orly Krasner 1999		Duple Minor
Hey, Boys, up Go We (Sharp)		Lovelace Manuscript ~1649 Cecil Sharp 1911 Playford Ball	A Playford Ball Bare Necessities	Facing Couples
Heybreak		Chris Page 2018		Duple Minor
Highfield		Fried de Metz Herman 2000		Duple Minor
Hobb's Wedding		Henry Playford 1695 Colin Hume 2007	Colin Hume	Duple Minor
Honeyfuggle		Jenna Simpson 2020		Duple Minor

I

Dance Title	Type	Deviser (or Editor/Publisher), Date, Interpreter	Music Performers	Formation
Icing on the Cake		Fried de Metz Herman 2005		Duple Minor
Inklings Romp		Renée Camus 2018		Duple Minor
Ivy & a Rose		Jenny Beer 2015		3 Couple Longways permutation: 312

J

Dance Title	Type	Deviser (or Editor/Publisher), Date, Interpreter	Music Performers	Formation
Jackson Fine		Joseph Pimentel 2019	Goldcrest	Duple Minor
John the Mad Man ~ Hume		John Young 1726 Colin Hume 2025	Colin Hume	Duple Minor
Joseph's Idyll		Victor Skowronski 2003		Duple Minor
Joy(ce) of the Town		Gary Roodman 2008	Bare Necessities	Duple Minor
Joyride		Erik Weberg 2007		Duple Minor
Jubilation		Brooke Friendly/Chris Sackett 2011		2 Couple Longways

K

Dance Title	Type	Deviser (or Editor/Publisher), Date, Interpreter	Music Performers	Formation
The King's Penny		Marjorie Heffer & William Porter 1932		4 Couple Longways
A Kissing Dance in the Country Wake		Henry Playford 1695 Colin Hume 2007	Colin Hume	Duple Minor
Knole Park - Voigt		Voigt 1809 A. Simons 1961 Playford Ball		Duple Minor

L

Dance Title	Type	Deviser (or Editor/Publisher), Date, Interpreter	Music Performers	Formation
Lady Baird's Reel ~ Williams		Thomas Wilson 1816 George Williams 2024		Triple Minor
Lady Banbury's Hornpipe Lady Banbury's Hornpipe ~ Hume/Sharp John Playford 1657 Colin Hume 2021 Colin Hume Duple Minor Lady Banbury's Hornpipe ~ Sharp John Playford 1657 Cecil Sharp 1916 Colin Hume Duple Minor
Lewis Setting Switches		Joseph Pimentel 2018	Goldcrest	Duple Minor
Lichfield Sundays		Fried de Metz Herman 1999		Duple Minor
Lichfield's Ruby Surprise		Gary Roodman 2015	Cilantrio	Duple Minor
Lincoln's-Inn Garden		Thomas Bray 1699 Pat Shaw 1961		Duple Minor
The Long Odds		Preston 1791 Woods 1958 Playford Assembly		Duple Minor
Longevity		Orly Krasner 2000	Bare Necessities	Duple Minor
Longfellow Wink		Claudio Buchwald 1977		Duple Minor
Look Both Ways		Rich Jackson 1989		Duple Minor
Lord Nelson's Waltz		William Campbell ~1799 Regency Dances		Duple Minor
Love thy Neighbor		Fried de Metz Herman 1995		Duple Minor
The Lovely Bride		Nathaniel Kynaston 1716 George Williams 2025		Duple Minor
The Lover's Knot		Jim Kitch 1993		Duple Minor

M

Dance Title	Type	Deviser (or Editor/Publisher), Date, Interpreter	Music Performers	Formation
The Mad Dog		Thomas Wilson 1818		Duple Minor
Mad Moll Mad Moll Henry Playford 1698 Pat Shaw 1963 Bare Necessities Duple Minor Mad Moll ~ Hume Henry Playford 1698 Colin Hume 2007 Bare Necessities Duple Minor
The Maid Peept out at the Window		John Playford 1651 Cecil Sharp 1922 Playford Ball		6 Couple Longways
March of the Three Kings		Victor Skowronski 2014		Duple Minor
Marchioness of Blandford's Reel ~ Williams		William Campbell ~1795 George Williams 2023		Duple Minor
A Mark of Distinction		Fried de Metz Herman 2000		Triple Minor
Mayfair		Colin Hume 1990	Colin Hume	Facing Couples
Meeting and Parting		Alan Winston 2018		Duple Minor
The Merry Musicologist		Philippe Callens 2008		Duple Minor
Michael and All Angels		Fried de Metz Herman 1992	Bare Necessities	Duple Minor
Middlemarch		Orly Krasner 2001		Duple Minor
Movement Afoot		Alan Winston 2018		Duple Minor
Mr. Adson's Masque		Gary Roodman 2003	Erica Morse, Jessica Murrow, lydia ievins, and Margaret Ann Martin	Duple Minor
Mr. Legge's Initiation		Joseph Pimentel 2005	Goldcrest	Duple Minor
Mrs. Wilson's Hornpipe		Thomas Wilson 1816 George Williams 2024		Triple Minor
My Lady of the Lake		Loretta Holz 2005		Duple Minor
My Only Joe & Deary O ~ Williams		Thomas Wilson 1816 George Williams 2024		Triple Minor

N

Dance Title	Type	Deviser (or Editor/Publisher), Date, Interpreter	Music Performers	Formation
New Friends		Gary Roodman 2003	MGM and Reunion	Duple Minor
Nonesuch ~ Barraclough		John Playford 1651 Michael Barraclogh ~1995		4 Couple Longways
Norbury Park		Fried de Metz Herman 2000		Duple Minor
Nostalgia		Fried de Metz Herman 2006		Duple Minor
Now is the Month of Maying ~ Orig		Jenny Beer 1997		Duple Minor

O

Dance Title	Type	Deviser (or Editor/Publisher), Date, Interpreter	Music Performers	Formation
Off She Goes ~ Howe		Thomas Wilson 1816 Elias Howe 1858	Colin Hume	Triple Minor
The Opera		John Playford 1675 Colin Hume 2025	Colin Hume	Duple Minor
Orleans Baffled		John Young 1710 Cecil Sharp 1916 Playford Ball	Bare Necessities	Triple Minor
Ormond House		Henry Playford 1702 Douglas & Helen Kennedy 1929		Duple Minor

P

Dance Title	Type	Deviser (or Editor/Publisher), Date, Interpreter	Music Performers	Formation
The Parson's Cap		Thomas Bray 1699 Pat Shaw 1962		Duple Minor
Party Circle		Fried de Metz Herman 1990		Circle as many as will
Passages		Kalia Kliban 2008	Odd Sundays Garage Band	Duple Minor
Peggy's Love ~ Williams		Thomas Wilson 1816 George Williams 2023		Triple Minor
A Person of Quality		Jenna Simpson 2012		Duple Minor
The Physical Snob		Unknown ~1800 Bernard Bentley 1962 Playford Assembly	Bare Necessities	3 Couple Longways permutation: 231
Poussette Reflection		Vic Ceder 2019		Duple Minor
Poussettronella		Charlie Abell 2019		Becket
Pretty Nun ~ Williams		John Young 1726 George Williams 2021		Duple Minor
The Prince of Westborough		Paula Kelley 2006	Bare Necessities	Duple Minor
The Princess 1701 ~ Hume		Henry Playford 1701 Colin Hume 2009	Bare Necessities	Duple Minor
The Prussian Waltz		Thomas Wilson 1816 Colin Hume 2023	Colin Hume	3 Couple Longways permutation: 312

R

Dance Title	Type	Deviser (or Editor/Publisher), Date, Interpreter	Music Performers	Formation
The Red Bull - Maggot Pie		Marjorie Heffer & William Porter 1932		Square
Redwood Romp		Gary Roodman 2008		Duple Minor
A Retiring Fellow		Gary Roodman 1999	MGM and Reunion	4 Couple Longways permutation: 3142
Rosamond's Pond		Thomas Bray 1699 Christine Helwig 1990 Playford Assembly		Duple Minor
Ruffs and Rhees		Ignatius Sancho 1779 Garth Notley ~2015		Duple Minor

S

Dance Title	Type	Deviser (or Editor/Publisher), Date, Interpreter	Music Performers	Formation
Salley's Fancy		John Young 1718 Andrew Shaw 2024		Duple Minor
Sally's Fancy		John Young 1718 Andrew Shaw 2024		Duple Minor
The Selkie		Jenna Simpson 2019		Duple Minor
Set For Spring		Joseph Pimentel 2015	Goldcrest	Duple Minor
The Shepherdess		John Playford 1651 Tom Cook Playford Assembly		4 Couple Longways permutation: 2413
Sir Nicholas Cully		John Playford 1651 Scott Pfitzinger ~2019		Duple Minor
The Soldier and the Sailor ~ Andrew Shaw		Henry Playford 1696 Andrew Shaw 2006		Duple Minor
Soldier's Joy Soldier's Joy ~ Duple Asa Willcox 1793 Kate van Winkle Keller & Ralph Sweet 1976 Duple Minor Soldier's Joy ~ Willcox Asa Willcox 1793 Kate van Winkle Keller & Ralph Sweet 1976 Triple Minor
Sophia		Jenna Simpson 2012		Duple Minor
The Spanish Flight - Wright		John Young 1718 Andrew Shaw 2024		Duple Minor
The Spanyard		John Playford 1651 Scott Pfitzinger ~2019		4 Couple Longways
Sprigs of Laurel for Admiral Nelson		Preston 1799 Anonymous ~2000		Duple Minor
Sprigs of Laurel for Lord Nelson		Thompson + Preston ~1794 Anonymous ~2000		Duple Minor
Spring in Sebastopol		Philippe Callens 2004		Duple Minor
Summer Circle		Fried de Metz Herman 2000		Becket
A Sure Thing		Chris Page (date unknown)		Duple Minor
The Sutherland Reel ~ Williams		Thomas Wilson 1816 George Williams 2024		Triple Minor
Sweet Potato Pie		Sharon McKinley ~2014	Odd Sundays Garage Band	Duple Minor

T

Dance Title	Type	Deviser (or Editor/Publisher), Date, Interpreter	Music Performers	Formation
Tenth Anniversary Idyll		Victor Skowronski 2010		Duple Minor
Three Weddings		Colin Hume 2007	Dampier's Round	Duple Minor
Thursday Mixer		Fried de Metz Herman 1998		Duple Minor
Time for a Little Something		Fried de Metz Herman 2000		Duple Minor
Treasure of the Big Woods		Joseph Pimentel 2005	Goldcrest	Duple Minor
Trip to Hoboken		Victor Skowronski 2001		Duple Minor
Trip to Komodo		Gary Roodman 2020	Anna Patton, Eric Martin, and Karen Axelrod	4 Couple Longways permutation: 2413
Triple Play		Gary Roodman 2020		Triple Minor
Tunbridge Castle		Thompson 1786 A. Simons ~1990		3 Couple Longways permutation: 231
Turn of the Tide		Ron Coxall 1999	Bare Necessities	Duple Minor
The Twenty-Nineth of May The Twenty-Nineth of May ~ Hume John Playford 1686 Colin Hume 1995 Colin Hume Duple Minor The Twenty-Nineth of May ~ Sharp John Playford 1686 Cecil Sharp 1911 Colin Hume Duple Minor
Two Rivers		Jenny Beer 2019		3 Couple Longways permutation: 231

V

Dance Title	Type	Deviser (or Editor/Publisher), Date, Interpreter	Music Performers	Formation
Valenciennes		Preston 1794 Pat Shaw ~1965		Triple Minor
Venables		Joseph Pimentel 2018	Goldcrest	Duple Minor
A Very Shadow		Fried de Metz Herman 2002		Duple Minor
Vines Entwined		Dan Blim 2024	Frank Hoppe	Duple Minor

W

Dance Title	Type	Deviser (or Editor/Publisher), Date, Interpreter	Music Performers	Formation
Warden of the Marches		Jenna Simpson 2010		Duple Minor
The Wedding Night		John Playford 1651 John Playford 1994 Playford Ball	Bare Necessities	Facing Couples
Wendel's Web		Fried de Metz Herman 2002		Duple Minor
What a Beau Your Granny Was		Longman & Broderip 1790 George Williams 2023		Triple Minor
Will o' the Wisp		Jenna Simpson 2020		Duple Minor
Wink		Renée Camus 2022		Duple Minor
The Witches		John Playford 1675 Colin Hume 1995		Duple Minor
The Wives' Victory The Wives' Victory ~ Helwig Thomas Bray 1699 Christine Helwig 1988 Duple Minor The Wives' Victory ~ P. Shaw Thomas Bray 1699 Pat Shaw 1962 Playford Assembly Duple Minor
Wonders are Many		Fried de Metz Herman 2003		Duple Minor
Woo'd & Married & A'		Thomas Wilson 1816		Triple Minor
The Woodshed		Lise Dyckman, Jim Saxe, Nancy Gaugh and Alan Winston 2012		Duple Minor

Y

Dance Title	Type	Deviser (or Editor/Publisher), Date, Interpreter	Music Performers	Formation
Yola's Invitation		Fried de Metz Herman 1978		Facing Couples
You'll Get There From Here		Fried de Metz Herman 2004		Duple Minor
Young Man's Fancy		Marjorie Heffer & William Porter 1932		Square
A Young Virgin of 15 Years		John & William Neal 1726 Rich Jackson & George Fogg 1990		Duple Minor

Warning: The set of figures for each dance is generated programmatically by regular expression matching and may be in error. Also, for old dances, they reflect the figures used by the interpreter which may not match those of the deviser.

Poussette

Also known as: Put Back, Draw.

Bars: 8 for a full, 4 for a half.

Poussette is a French term, originally meaning little push, and now meaning a baby stroller or perambulator.

Poussettes have a direction which may be specified in various ways as “clockwise”, or “1st corners push”, or “man 1 push, man 2 pull”. In a poussette you take hands with the person across the set (often your partner). Then one of you walks diagonally forward (1s down the set, 2s up) while the other backs up for 4 counts, then everything reverses and the one walking forward now backs up while the one backing up walks forward (but still moving the same way up or down). This is half a poussette.

In a full poussette you continue with the same circular motion until you end up exactly where you started.

Variants

Cooper's Rotational Poussette

Waltzing Turn Poussette

?Waltz Poussette

Old Scottish Poussette

(R)SCDS Poussette

(R)SCDS Strathspey Poussette

History

The poussette is an old country dance figure which acquired a French name in about 1770 when Cotillions came over from France. In Playford's day it seems to have been called "put-back" or, "draw" (depending on whether M1 was pushing, or pulling. Note: This is different from the modern "draw poussette", which Colin Hume suggests is a modern misunderstanding).

Playford's The 29th of May (1686) has a nice description of a(n English) poussette:

First cu. take hands, the 2. cu. doing the like at the same time; then the 1. man puts back his wo. and slips down behind the 2. wo. into the 2. cu. place, while the 2. man draws his wo. to him and slips into the 1. cu. place. Do this back again the same way;

While the even earlier Cuckolds all arow (1651) describes a half poussette:

Men put the co. we. back by both hands, fall even on the co. side

The Neals also give a fairly clear description from Dublin in 1726 in the dance A Young Virgin of 15 Years

1^st & 2^d men take both hands w^th their partner's and back to back till in their own places:

The Regency Dance Site has a nice paper by Paul Cooper giving the history of the poussette in English dancing. Most English Country Dances use what Cooper calls a "Rotational Poussette", either going half way round in 4 bars to be progressive, or all the way round in 8 ending back where you started.

In William Campbell's 14^th book (~1799) is a dance called Lord Nelson's Waltz. The instructions call for a "Poussette" to fill the last 16 bars (at waltz tempo). Both the Regency Dance site and Alan Winston say this should be a "Waltzing Turn Poussette". As yet I have found no contemporary description of this figure, and rely on Winston's description.

In Thomas Wilson's A Companion to the Ball Room, London, 1816 he introduces something called a "waltz whole poussette" for the dance L'Augustin Waltz on page 143. In a footnote he explains that he will bring out a book describing it. But if he did, I can't find a copy. As far as I know no one else in England ever bothered to define it, so we aren't sure what it entailed.

The National Library of Scotland has a manuscript (MS 3860), probably written between 1820 and 1830, which contains a description of what "Poussette" meant to them. Perhaps this is the Waltz Poussette? The dancers do not use ballroom position though. Dancers start near the center line (this isn't mentioned in the section on Poussette itself, but appears in the descriptions of the country dances later) and take both hands with partners and the couple moves in a large counter-clockwise circle around the other couple (as in a traditional poussette), but also the couple describes a clockwise epicycle about their center point. Each time the couple has moved 90° around the big circle, they have turned 180° around their epicycle. (Like a moon orbiting a planet orbiting a star).

The author describes, a half poussette (which is progressive, and takes 4 bars), a full poussette (which is not progressive, and takes 8 bars) and a double poussette where the center couple of a triple minor does a full poussette with the top couple and then another with the bottom couple (non progressive, 16 bars). He also goes on to explain what to do if one couple starts improper, saying they should end the figure proper. This explains a number of 19^th century scottish dance descriptions where such behavior is needed.

This manuscript says in several places (here and here) that Sauteuse Waltzing steps should be used for the country dance poussette. I don't understand how one can use waltz steps in a reel or jig though. In very faint ink, on page 104 there is a description of these steps entailed.

I have looked though 11 dance manuals from the 19^th and early 20^th centuries from Scotland, Ireland, and the north of England. In them the poussette is almost always preceded by "down the middle, up again" so it can be hard to tell which of the two is progressive.

But we know that in MS 3860 "down the middle, up again" was progressive. In almost all the other books I looked at there are dances where "down the middle, up again" is used alone, and in these cases it needs to be progressive: (The Fairy Dance for instance). In almost all the books there are dances were there are non-progressive stand-alone poussettes (Captain White for instance). So it seems likely that in most cases, even around 1900, the 8 bar poussette was non-progressive.

In D. Anderson's Ball-Room and Solo Dance Guide (Dundee, 1897) there are 10 dances (out of 42 total dances with poussettes) where couples start the poussette improper and need to be proper at the end of it. These are also all non-progressive poussettes in 8 bars. The poussette described in MS 3860 has this property.

There are also a few dances which appear to use a progressive half poussette that fits into 4 bars. Oddly the instructions don't call it a half poussette, they just say "poussette". For instance in St. Patrick's Day:

Four hands across half round and poussette, back to places, the first couple down the middle and turn half round and up again, four hands round at top, then turn to proper sides.

Here the poussette must undo the effects of four hands across half, so it must be progressive, and return people to their proper sides. This all seems to fit the description of poussettes and half poussettes given in MS 3860.

But there are some counter-examples

The Waltz Country Dance also called The Spanish Dance, or The Guaracha, (or some combination) has a 16 (later 8) bar progressive poussette described in Lowe's Selection of Popular Country Dances (Edinburgh, 1853) as:

Then pousette, Waltzing round each other. (16 Bars)

As far as I can tell this version of the poussette is only used in this dance or slight variations of it. This may be the same as Campbell's "Waltzing Turn Poussette"? It seems odd that one needs to remind people to waltz in a waltz so that suggests to me that this dance is an aberration and normally the poussette took a different form.

Then around 1870 we start finding a few progressive 8 bar poussettes, as in The British Grenadiers.

Bars of Music

1.	Gentlemen No. 1, 2, and 3 join hands and advance and retire,	4
2.	Ladies No. 1, 2, and 3 do likewise,	4
3.	The three couples promenade to places,	8
4.	Gentlemen No. 1 and 2, and ladies No. 1 and 2, give right hands across, back giving left,	8
5.	Pousette, (using Galop step, making a half turn with each,	8

I can't help but wonder... given that St. Patrick's Day above uses "poussette" to describe a half poussette, if this might just be another half poussette masquerading as a full one. MS 3860 says to fill up unused music with setting (when describing an improper poussette), so perhaps that should be done here too.

This last line is frustrating, it is as if the author intended to describe a poussette, but broke off right after beginning. However it does sound rather like the description in MS 3860 where couples do a half turn about their own center as they turn 90° about the center of the minor set. Wallace published another book in ~1900 with the same words describing the poussette. So presumably he thought the poussette hadn't changed in the intervening 30 years.

Note that this description does not fit the (R)SCDS poussette which involves two quarter turns and a half turn, nor their diamond poussette.

Looking back from the 1964, the Fletts say:

The Pousette. This figure, which is performed by two couples starting from adjacent positions, is one of the principal figures used to achieve the progression down the set. It occurs only in dances in quick tempo and occupies eight bars of music.

In the form of the pousette used in Scotland within living memory, the two couples essentially just waltz round each other. The dancers take ordinary ballroom hold or some similar hold with their partners and use a simple waltz-type step, and the two couples move around each other in a counter-clockwise direction to exchange places, each couple at the same time rotating on its own axis in a clockwise direction, making two or more complete turns in the performance of the figure. The two men place their partners in position on the ladies' side, and fall back to their own side with one or two pas de Basque while their partners dance pas de Basque on the spot.

Usually the two couples just passed directly into each others place, as in Diagram 10.2, but sometimes they circled round each other one and a half times; in neither case were the turns made in a precise manner. The poussette is also sometimes performed with one of the two couples starting improper; here the relevant couple simply insert an extra half turn into the figure.

Diagram 10.2

This seems rather like what might happen to a figure which became sloppier over the years. Instead of the precise: "half turn about the small circle for every quarter turn about the big" it becomes "in neither case were the turns made in a precise manner". Then instead of the two hand hold we have a ballroom hold as that became more common. Note that this retains the ability to make a couple proper.

The Fletts say that poussettes only occurred in quick tempo dances, but we know they occurred in Waltz Country Dance, which was not quick tempo.

The difference I find most surprising is the change from non-progressive to progressive. It still looks to me as if, even in the books written in ~1900, most of the poussettes were non-progressive. Of course, it might be that the dancing masters in the cities were more conservative, and their books reflect what they wanted their students to do, rather than what rural dancers were actually doing.

In the US, in 1802, Saltator wrote:

POUCETTE, is to give both hands to partners, by couples and dance round each other, in the time of right and left.

Asa Wilcox was using poussettes in ~1793:

Colledge Hornpipe

Four hand cross roud back again first & third Couple Draw cross over one Couple - Right & left at top -

As was Saltator in 1802 (see Lasses of Glasgow).

But after that Poussettes died out in the United States, and Howe (who published from 1858-1880 in Boston) did not used them.

References

• Mozart Allan, Allan's Reference Guide to the Ball-Room, Glasgow, 1900.
• D. Anderson, D. Anderson's Ball-Room and Solo Dance Guide, Dundee, ~1898.
• G.M.S. Chivers, The Modern Dancing Master, London, 1822
• Nicholas Dukes, A Consise & Easy Method of Learning the Figuring Part of Country Dances, London, 1752.
• J.P. & T.M Flett, Traditional Dancing in Scotland, London, 1964
• Kate Hughes, Kate Hughes' "Dance Book", Dundalk, Ireland, ~1867.
• Colin Hume, Website, UK, Current.
• Kent & Co, The Victoria Miniature Ball Room Guide, Nottingham, ~1850.
• Messrs. Lowe, Lowes' Ball-Conductor and Assembly Guide, Edinburgh, ~1831.
• Joseph Lowe, Lowe's Selection of Popular Country Dances, Edinburgh, ~1853.
• Garth Notley, Regency Dances (website), UK, 2010-2024.
• Francis Peacock, Sketches relative to the History and Theory, but most especially to the Practice of Dancing, Aberdeen, 1805.
• Royal Scottish Country Dance Society, Website, UK, Current.
• Scottish Country Dance Database, Website, UK, Current.
• Scottish Country Dance Dictionary, Website, UK, Current.
• Smyth, A Pocket Companion of Young Ladies and Gentlemen, Edinburgh, 1830
• Hugh Thurston, Scotland's Dances, London, 1954
• J.F. Wallace, The Excelsior Manual of Dancing, Glasgow, 1872
• J.F. Wallace, Wallace's Ball-Room Guide, Glasgow, ~1900
• H. D. Wilcock, Ball-Room Guide; A Manual of Dancing, Glasgow, 1868
• Thomas Wilson, An Analysis of Country Dancing, London, 1808
• Thomas Wilson, An Analysis of Country Dancing, 3rd Ed., London, 1811
• Thomas Wilson, A Companion to the Ballroom., London, 1816

See Also

• Draw Poussette
• Scottish Poussette
• Diamond Poussette
• Chevron Poussette
• Waltzing Turn Poussette
• Old Scottish Poussette

This website is copyright © 2021-2026 by George W. Williams V
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.