Community Dances, 1826
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.
For more information on New Harmony you can take a look at the following
web sites.
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.
- The Chain
- Chalenge
- The Chase
- The Exchange
- The Frolic
- Hope
- The Madrid (waltz)
- March Cotilion
- Prarie
- Prisoner
- Quarter Round
- The Return
- Semi Chain
- Social System
- The Star
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.
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.
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.
- Circassian Circle
- La Croix
- Finale
- The Lancers
- La Pantalon
- La Paris
- Semi Square
- La Trenise
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.
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
- The Annivesary
- The Arch
- Chaplet Waltz
- The Circle
- Cheat The Lady
- Cora's Jigg
- The Cross
- The Crown
- The Descent
- The Escort
- The Farewell
- The Girl I Left Behind Me
- Irish Washerwoman triple minor
Irish Washerwoman duple minor version
- New Series
- Orange Waltz or Chaplet Waltz
- The Pendulum
- Royal Entry To Dublin
- The Serpent
- Spanish Lady
- Triumph
- The Vineyard
- The Visit
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
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.
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.
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.
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)
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