Community Dances, 1826

Introduction

Cotilions

Quadrilles

Set Dances

Music


Introduction

These dances come from one of the manuscripts of the New Harmony Community. The volume is entitled "Commmunity Dances, 1826". This manuscript contains the music and instructions for forty-six dances, half of them quadrilles or cotillions and the other half longways set dances.

New Harmony, in south-western Indiana, was the site of two utopian communities in the 1800's. The first, Harmonie on the Wabash, was founded by the Harmony Society, a German relious group, in 1814. In 1824 they sold the entire town to Robert Owen and William Maclure and moved to Pennsylvania. Owen and Maclure renamed the town New Harmony and brought scholars, scientists and educators there to form a perfect society. The experiment only lasted for two years, but the resulting community was a center for progressive education and scholarly and scientific research until the Civil War.

I was made aware of the manuscript by Paul Tyler while gathering information to help some fourth grade children research the music and dance of the 1840's, the period when Abraham Lincoln was a lawyer in central Illinois. I later looked up the copy at the University of Illinois library and found that there were several dances that looked interesting. This gives us an insight into the culture on one part of the frontier in the 1820's and brings to light some dances that were, if not lost, then set aside for a time.

Further Information

For more information on New Harmony you can take a look at the following web sites.

Disclaimer

These reconstructions are works in progress. They are not meant to be the definitive versions of these dances and they may change as my understanding of dance from the 1820's increases. Please enjoy them in the spirit in which they are intended. Let me know if you try them and enjoy them or have any ideas for improvements.


Cotilions

  1. The Chain
  2. Chalenge
  3. The Chase
  4. The Exchange
  5. The Frolic
  6. Hope
  7. The Madrid (waltz)
  8. March Cotilion
  9. Prarie
  10. Prisoner
  11. Quarter Round
  12. The Return
  13. Semi Chain
  14. Social System
  15. The Star

The Frolic

Reconstruction by Jonathan Sivier

Cotilion for four couples in a square

To the tune of the same name.
Music for 8 of the dances (PDF - 57 KB)

AA The change
B1 Gents honor partners, balance and two hand turn
B2 Gents pass partners, go to the next lady, balance and two hand turn
AA Repeat with the two remaining ladies
BB Eight changes of rights and lefts (rights and lefts all round)

Original Instructions

Gent dance to their partner turn ditto _ then pass on to the 2d lady balance to and turn the same _ then 3d + 4th _ right + left. Then the Ladies pass round in the same way dancing to and turning each Gent right and left all round

Notes on the dance

On odd repeats of the main figure the gents travel around visiting the ladies. On even repeats the ladies travel around visiting the gents.

In the rights and lefts, make half turns by the right or left hand instead of pulling by. Also the dancers need to fudge things a little so that everyone ends up at home at the end.

Don't rush the dance, dance with the music.

Possible changes might be Grand Round, Ladies Hands Across, Gents Hands Across, Promenade and Grand Round again at the end. An additional AA part needs to be played for the final change.


Prarie

Reconstruction by Jonathan Sivier

Cotilion for four couples in a square

To the tune of the same name.
Music for 8 of the dances (PDF - 57 KB)

A1 All couples slip right (1-4),
Back to the left (5-8)
A2 Heads, with right hand couples, right hands across (1-4),
Left hands back (5-8)
B1 With the same couples Ladies chain over (1-4),
Ladies chain back (5-8)
B2 Promenade halfway around (1-4),
Promenade back home (5-8)

Original Instructions

The Whole Chassee to the right and back _ 1st & 2d, 3d & 4th couples hands across back again _ Ladies chain _ Whole promenade 1/2 round and back.

Notes on the dance

There doesn't seem to be music designated for the Change figures, so it is difficult to see how this would be danced as a Cotilion. I am continuing to work to figure out this dance.


Prisoner

Reconstruction by Jonathan Sivier

Cotilion for four couples in a square

To the tune of the same name.
Music for 8 of the dances (PDF - 57 KB)

AA The Change
B1 First lady dance to second gent (1-2), balance forward and back (3-4),
Turn third gent two hands round (5-8)
B2 First lady dance to fourth gent (1-2), balance forward and back (3-4),
Turn partner two hands round (5-8), ending in center of set
C1 All four gents dance a slipping circle around the lady in the center
C2 All turn partners two hands to places

Repeat once for each lady and then each gent in turn. The ladies dance the slipping circle when the gents are in the center.

Original Instructions

1st Lady dance to 2d Gent and turn the 3d _ then dance to 4th and turn your partner _ go to centre _ Gent hands 4 round the lady and turn your partners to places: Each Lady in Rotation the same: then Gents ditto

Notes on the dance

It's unclear what the traveling dancer should do when visiting the first and then third person of the opposite sex. A number of things could work, balancing, setting, etc. Or let the dancers improvise.

In order to have the dance not take quite so long, have the head ladies both go at the same time. Then the side ladies. Then the head and side gents. This will result in only 4 rounds of the dance (and only 4 changes) instead of the 8 rounds it would normally take.


Quadrilles

  1. Circassian Circle
  2. La Croix
  3. Finale
  4. The Lancers
  5. La Pantalon
  6. La Paris
  7. Semi Square
  8. La Trenise

Finale

Reconstruction by Jonathan Sivier

Quadrille for four couples in a square

To the tune The Ball.
Music for 8 of the dances (PDF - 57 KB)
The Ball including a bass line (PDF - 35 KB)

A1 All eight circle left halfway (1-4),
Circle back to the right (5-8)
A2 First couple forward and back (1-4),
Forward again and place the lady on the left hand of the opposite gent (5-8)
B1 Line of three forward and back twice
B2 All four active dancers meet in the center and circle left halfway (1-4),
Two changes of rights and lefts back to place (5-8)

Repeat the figure for couples 2, 3 and 4

Original Instructions

Hands 8 round + back _ 1st Couple advance & retire, do advance, 1st Gent leaving 1st Lady on right of 3d Gent _ 3d couple & 1st Lady advance & retire 2d _ 1st + 3d hands 4 round and 1/2 right & left to place

Tune The Ball

Notes on the dance

After doing the dance 4 times with the gent in each couple placing his partner on the far side, I like to repeat it with the lady in each couple placing her partner on the opposite side.


La Pantalon

Reconstruction by Jonathan Sivier

Quadrille for four couples in a square

To the tune of the same name. There were several tunes with this name around in the 1800's.

A1
Head couples rights and lefts over and back (1-8)
A2
Head couples set to partners and 2 hand turn (1-8)
B1
Head couples Ladies chain over and back (1-8)
B2
Head couples promenade halfway (1-4),
Two changes of rights and lefts back to place (5-8)

Repeat the figure for side couples

Original Instructions

1st + 3d Couple right + left _ set to partner and turn them _ Ladies Chain _ half promenade and half right and left _ 2d & 4th couple do

Notes on the dance


Set Dances

  1. The Annivesary
  2. The Arch
  3. Chaplet Waltz
  4. The Circle
  5. Cheat The Lady
  6. Cora's Jigg
  7. The Cross
  8. The Crown
  9. The Descent
  10. The Escort
  11. The Farewell
  12. The Girl I Left Behind Me
  13. Irish Washerwoman triple minor
    Irish Washerwoman duple minor version
  14. New Series
  15. Orange Waltz or Chaplet Waltz
  16. The Pendulum
  17. Royal Entry To Dublin
  18. The Serpent
  19. Spanish Lady
  20. Triumph
  21. The Vineyard
  22. The Visit

Cheat The Lady

Reconstruction by Jonathan Sivier

Triple proper longways

The tune listed in the manuscript is just a fragment. I am working on identifying it. Until then this can be done with most any 32 bar tune.

A1
First lady dance to third gent and balance (1-4),
Two hand turn with second gent (5-8).

A2
First gent dance to third lady and balance (1-4),
Two hand turn with second lady (5-8).

B1
First couple down the middle and turn alone (1-4),
Return and cast off into second place, second couple moving up (5-8).

B2
First and second couples do four changes of rights and lefts.

Original Instructions

1st Lady balance to 3d Gent and turn 2d _ 1st Gent balance to 3d Lady and turn 2d _ down the middle and up _ right and left

Notes on the dance


The Girl I Left Behind Me

Reconstruction by Jonathan Sivier

Triple proper longways

To the tune of the same name. It can be found in the "Fiddler's Fake Book" by David Brody and a four part arrangement is in "Good Morning" by Benjamin B. Lovett, though repeats would need to be added to make it an AABB tune.

A1
First couples dance down the outside of the set and return to place, while the third couples dance up the middle and return to place.

A2
First couples down the middle, return and cast off to second place, the second couples moving up, while the third couples dance up the outside and return to place.

B1
First and third couples right hands across and then left hands back.

B2
First and second couples do four changes of rights and lefts.

Original Instructions

1st Couple down outside + back 3d Couple at the same time up the Centre and back _ 1st Couple down the middle and back casting off 3d Couple at the same time up the outside and back _ 1st + 3d Couple hands across 1/2 round changing hand and half round back _ 1st + 2d Couple right and left

Notes on the dance

A rather leisurely tempo seems to work best. Somewhere around 105 to 110 bpm. This is closer to the tempo used for the song than to that used in a modern contra or square dance.

Remind the first couples to not go too far down the center since they will need to return and cast off. The second couples need to stay alert, since they don't do much until the first couples return to cast off around them. Also the second couples need to be aware that after the rights and lefts they become third couples and immediately begin moving up the center of the set.

The transition from the end of the dance to the beginning of the next repetition is very nice for the first and second couples. As they finish the rights and lefts the first couples are moving down and the second couples are moving up and they just continue this motion at the beginning of the next time through the dance.

There are other dances known today that are set to this tune, including a dance which is probably related entitled "I Left My Sweet Girl Behind Me" in "Heritage Dances of Early America" by Ralph Page. However the New Harmony dance is very different from most of the dances of the same name and has some nice features not found in any of the others, such as both the first and third couples moving together, though in opposite directions.


Irish Washerwoman

Reconstruction by Jonathan Sivier

Triple proper longways

To the tune of the same name.

A1
First couples cast off to second place, second couples move up on the last four beats (1-4),
First and third couples circle left (5-8).

A2
First couples cast back to first place, second couples move down on the last four beats (1-4),
First and second couples circle left (5-8).

B1
First couples down the middle (1-4),
Return and cast off to second place, the second couples moving up (5-8).

B2
First and second couples do four changes of rights and lefts.

Original Instructions

Cast off outside and hands 4 round at the bottom _ Cast up again hands 4 round at the top _ down the middle up again Casting off one _ Right and left

Notes on the dance

A rather leisurely tempo seems to work best. Somewhere around 105 to 110 bpm.

Remind the first couples to not go too far down the center since they will need to return and cast off. The music at this point seems to say for the first couples to lead down the center and then come back and cast off with a skipping or skip-change step.


Irish Washerwoman

Jonathan Sivier

Duple proper longways

To the tune of the same name.

A1
First couples cast off to second place, second couples move up on the last four beats (1-4),
First couples circle left with next second couples (5-8).

A2
First couples cast back to first place, second couples move down on the last four beats (1-4),
First couples circle left with original second couples (5-8).

B1
First couples down the middle (1-4),
Return and cast off to second place, the second couples moving up (5-8).

B2
First and second couples do four changes of rights and lefts.

Notes on the dance

It occurred to me that this triple minor dance could be collapsed into a duple minor very easily without really losing any important aspects of the dance.

Having the 1's skip as they return back up the center in B1 seems to go well with the music.


Triumph

Reconstruction by Jonathan Sivier

Triple proper longways

To the tune "Kenlock of Kenlock".
Music for 8 of the dances (PDF - 57 KB)

A1
Second man leads first lady down the center, first man following. Second man and first lady turn alone and first man joins the right end of the line of three facing up (1-4) (first lady crosses her arms in front of her, left arm over right arm, first man takes his partner's left hand with his right hand, second man takes first lady's right hand with his left, the men join their free hands in an arch over the lady's head)
Come back up the set in a line of three, second man drops into his home place and first man hands his partner across as they change places to home (5-8)

A2
First couple down the center and back, casting off one place. Second couple move up.

B1
First and third couples do four changes of rights and lefts.

B2
First and second couples couples pousette CCW, first man starts by moving forward.

Original Instructions

1st Lady down the centre with 2d Gent the 1st Gent following forming an arch over the ladies head while returning up _ 1st Couple down the centre and back casting off one _ right + left _ pousette

to the tune Kenlock of Kenlock

Notes on the dance

This dance is obviously related to such dances as "Lady's Triumph" and "Dorset Triumph".

When turning alone in A1 don't let go of hands. The 2nd man is holding the 1st lady's right hand with his left, as they turn back-to-back she places her left arm over her right arm and takes her partner's right hand.

When the 1st man hands his partner across she unwraps and he takes her other hand to get ready to go down the center.

Consider having the first couple go down the center and back and cast off in A2 like this:

A2
First couple take two hands and chassee four slip steps down the center (1-2), turn single down and away from partners(3-4), four chasse steps back to place (5-6), cast into 2nd place, second couples moving up (7-8)


Music

Some of the dances have the same name as traditional tunes. I am assuming that those tunes go with those dances. Some dances specify another traditional tune. Some dances just include a fragment of the tune. Supposedly this would be sufficient to remind the musicians which tune to play. In addition there are some original tunes written in the manuscript. Larry Stout has transcribed most of these tunes. They can be found in the files listed below. He was assisted by Richard Engelbrecht-Wiggans and Tom Anderson. All three are members of the Flatland Consort, the house band for the Central Illinois English Country Dancers.
Send me a message at:
jsivier@illinois.edu

Last updated on May 15, 2008