Table of Contents

0-9

Dance Title	Type	Deviser (or Editor/Publisher), Date, Interpreter	Music Performers	Formation
The 29th of May The 29th of May ~ Hume John Playford 1686 Colin Hume 1995 Colin Hume 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
Alexander's Birth Day		Gary Roodman 2003	Doug Creighton, Erica Morse, Gene Murrow, Naomi Morse, Peter Barnes	Facing Couples
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
Auld Lang Syne ~ Williams		Thomas Wilson 1816 George Williams 2022	Colin Hume	Triple 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
Bishops Hey		Jill Lawrence 1979	Colin Hume	5 Couple Longways permutation: 23451
Bransle in the Barn		Melanie Axel-Lute 2015	Odd Sundays Garage Band	Duple Minor

C

Dance Title	Type	Deviser (or Editor/Publisher), Date, Interpreter	Music Performers	Formation
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
Christina		Naomi Christina Alexander 1992	Bare Necessities	Duple Minor
Christine's Conundrum		Colin Hume 2001	Colin Hume	Facing Couples Becket
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
Companions		Victor Skowronski 2003	Bare Necessities	Duple Minor
The Cressons		Gary Roodman 2018	Cilantrio	Duple Minor
Crosbey Square ~ Bolton		Henry Playford 1701 Charles Bolton 1997	Colin Hume	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

F

Dance Title	Type	Deviser (or Editor/Publisher), Date, Interpreter	Music Performers	Formation
The Fast Packet		Bob Lilley 1987	Bare Necessities	Duple Minor
Father's Day		Gary Roodman 2000	Cilantrio	4 Couple Longways permutation: 3142
Flowers of Edinburgh - Mayfaire		Traditional (date unknown)	Colin Hume	Duple Minor
The Flying Sorceress		Kalia Kliban 2007	Bare Necessities	Duple Minor
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
Goddesses #2		John Young 1721 George Williams 2026	Colin Hume	Quadruple Minor

H

Dance Title	Type	Deviser (or Editor/Publisher), Date, Interpreter	Music Performers	Formation
The Happy Pilgrim		Gary Roodman 2023	Anna Patton, Karen Axelrod, and Kate Barnes	4 Couple Longways Becket permutation: 2341
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
Hey, Boys, up Go We (Sharp)		Lovelace Manuscript ~1649 Cecil Sharp 1911 Playford Ball	A Playford Ball Bare Necessities	Facing Couples
Hobb's Wedding		Henry Playford 1695 Colin Hume 2007	Colin Hume	Duple Minor
The Hungarian Waltz The Hungarian Waltz J. P. Boulogne 1827 George Williams 2026 Colin Hume Duple Minor

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
Joy(ce) of the Town		Gary Roodman 2008	Bare Necessities	Duple Minor

K

Dance Title	Type	Deviser (or Editor/Publisher), Date, Interpreter	Music Performers	Formation
A Kissing Dance in the Country Wake		Henry Playford 1695 Colin Hume 2007	Colin Hume	Duple Minor

L

Dance Title	Type	Deviser (or Editor/Publisher), Date, Interpreter	Music Performers	Formation
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's Ruby Surprise		Gary Roodman 2015	Cilantrio	Duple Minor
Longevity		Orly Krasner 2000	Bare Necessities	Duple Minor

M

Dance Title	Type	Deviser (or Editor/Publisher), Date, Interpreter	Music Performers	Formation
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
Mayfair		Colin Hume 1990	Colin Hume	Facing Couples
Michael and All Angels		Fried de Metz Herman 1992	Bare Necessities	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

N

Dance Title	Type	Deviser (or Editor/Publisher), Date, Interpreter	Music Performers	Formation
New Friends		Gary Roodman 2003	MGM and Reunion	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

P

Dance Title	Type	Deviser (or Editor/Publisher), Date, Interpreter	Music Performers	Formation
Passages		Kalia Kliban 2008	Odd Sundays Garage Band	Duple Minor
Petronella Petronella ~ Anderson Nathaniel Gow 1820 D. Anderson 1897 Colin Hume 4 Couple Longways permutation: 2341 Petronella ~ Lowes J. P. Boulogne 1827 The Lowes 1831 Colin Hume Duple Minor Petronelle ~ Improper J. P. Boulogne 1827 George Williams 2026 Colin Hume Duple Minor
The Physical Snob		Unknown ~1800 Bernard Bentley 1962 Playford Assembly	Bare Necessities	3 Couple Longways permutation: 231
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
A Retiring Fellow		Gary Roodman 1999	MGM and Reunion	4 Couple Longways permutation: 3142

S

Dance Title	Type	Deviser (or Editor/Publisher), Date, Interpreter	Music Performers	Formation
Set For Spring		Joseph Pimentel 2015	Goldcrest	Duple 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
Three Weddings		Colin Hume 2007	Dampier's Round	Duple Minor
Treasure of the Big Woods		Joseph Pimentel 2005	Goldcrest	Duple Minor
Trip to Komodo		Gary Roodman 2020	Anna Patton, Eric Martin, and Karen Axelrod	4 Couple Longways permutation: 2413
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

V

Dance Title	Type	Deviser (or Editor/Publisher), Date, Interpreter	Music Performers	Formation
Venables		Joseph Pimentel 2018	Goldcrest	Duple Minor
Vines Entwined		Dan Blim 2024	Frank Hoppe	Duple Minor

W

Dance Title	Type	Deviser (or Editor/Publisher), Date, Interpreter	Music Performers	Formation
The Wedding Night		John Playford 1651 John Playford 1994 Playford Ball	Bare Necessities	Facing Couples

Number of dances	Number of versions	Number with music
58	66	65

Warning: The 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.

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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?	(R)SCDS Poussette	(R)SCDS Strathspey Poussette	Chevron 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 pulling, 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 same dance appears in the Lovelace MS which was penned a few years before Playford. It also uses a poussette, though it does not describe it as well:

then each man shall take the woeman, that is right over against him, and the one shall draw her upwards and the other downwards; and presently draw them againe close together in theire places halding hands

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.

Wilson, in his Complete System of English Country Dancing defines a "Half pousette or draw" which is what most people before him called a full poussette, while his "whole poussette" goes round once and a half times.

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.

By ~1820 something called a "Waltz Poussette" appeared (this may be the same as the waltzing turn poussette?). As far as I know no one ever bothered to define it, so we aren't sure what it entailed. However on page 9 of Lowe's Selection of Popular Country Dances (Edinburgh, 1853) in the description of Spanish Country Dance:

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

This is the final figure of the dance, and needs to be progressive. It suggests to me that the two couples waltzed around each other several times (they had 16 bars) before ending in each others' places. Cooper's paper says that in dances imported from Spain the words "waltz" and "poussette" were used synonymously.

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.

See Also

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