The Twenty-Ninth of May

Index Download Print Music Help Home
The Twenty-Ninth of May    John Playford, 1686   Longways duple

First figure:
A:   Whole poussette (first man push, second man pull to start).

B:   First corners cross; second corners cross.  Circle left half-way; ones cast, twos lead up.

Second figure:
A:   First corners fall back a double on the diagonal; come in and stand back to back.  Second corners same.

B:   Back-ring to the right half-way; lead out a double with neighbour.  Turn and lead back; cross with partner.

Third figure:
A:   Ones cross, go down outside twos, to the middle of a line of four facing up.  Up a double and back, then bring the ends in (and keep hold of neighbour).

B:   Honour neighbour, and partner (2 beats each).  Two-hand turn neighbour (6 steps).  Two-hand turn partner (half-way or all the way, to finish proper) (6 steps).

This is Palmer's version which is much better than Sharp's.  Doing the figures 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3...  is a real memory trick and not what they would have done - they would have done the first figure all the way down and back, then the second, then the third.  I suggest doing the first figure a number of times, then (as a neutral couple is about to join in at the top) the second figure a number of times, then the third.