This is a dance that can be interpreted many ways. I have come up with six which are described here. That is two different ways of doing the trace and 3 different ways of dancing the main body. For 3 dancers either in single file or side by side.
Al the 6 singlis with a trett.
Then he first man goo compas til he come behind, whil the medyll retrett thre, and the last 3 singlis,
and the medil 3 singlis, levyng the last on the left hand, and the last 3 retrettes.
Thus the medill endyth before the last in the meddist and the ferst behynd.
Thus daunce 3 tymes, calling every man as he standdith.
After the end of the trace, the ferst 3 furth outward turning ayen his face.
Then the last contur hym,
and the medill to the fyrst; and then the first to his place.
Then the last to the medyll and the medyll to the last mans place.
The first and last chance place whil the medyll tornyth.
Al at onys retrett 3 bake. Bak al at ons.
Then the first turne whill the last turne in his own place.
Then al togeder thre furth.
| A1 | 1 - 6 | All together 6 S forwards starting left. |
| 7 - 8 | The leader turns left and goes to the back of the set with 6 S starting left. | |
| B1 | 1 | At the same time the rear two exchange places with 3 S. The middle goes directly backwards. The last dancer goes forward and to the right of the middle. |
| 2 - 4 | As the leader finishes his movement to the back the other two dancers exchange places again. The original middle goes forward with 3 S passing to the right of the original last dancer, who takes 3 S straight backwards. |
At the end of this section the original middle dancer leads, the original last dancer is in the middle, and the original leader has moved into the last place.
A2 + B2 - Repeat A1 + B1 with everyone starting from their new places (i.e. the original middle is now the leader).
A3 + B3 - Repeat A1 + B1 with everyone starting from their new places to end back in your original places.
| C1 C2 |
1 - 2 1 |
The first dancer Vt left with 3 P (left, right, left). |
| C3 | 2 1 - 2 | The last dancer Vt right with 3 P (right, left, right). |
| D1 | 1 -2 | The first dancer and middle dancer circle round each other turning |
| D2 | 1 | clockwise passing through each others places and then returning to their own place in 3 P (left, right, left). |
| 2 | The middle dancer repeats this figure with the last dancer | |
| D3 | 1 -2 | this time they turn anti-clockwise starting with the right foot, so that the middle has executed a figure of 8. |
| E1 | 1 -2 | The first dancer and the last dancer exchange places going anti-clockwise (leader turns left, last dancer goes to the right of the middle) with PP (left, right). At the same time the middle dancer Vt turning clockwise in PP (left, right). |
| F1 | 1 -3 | All back 3 S (left, right, left) |
| 4 | (a half bar) Mv or right foot. | |
| G1 | 1 - 3 | All forward 3 P (left, right, left) . |
| C1 C2 |
1 - 2 1 |
The first dancer Vt left with 3 P (left, right, left). |
C3 | 2 1 - 2 | The last dancer Vt right with 3 P (right, left, right). |
| D1 | 1 -2 | The first dancer and middle dancer exchange places (clockwise) with PP (left, right) |
| D2 | 1 -2 | The original first dancer (now middle) and last dancer exchange places (anti-clockwise) with PP (left, right) |
| D3 | 1 -2 | The first dancer and the last dancer exchange places going anti-clockwise (leader turns left, last dancer goes to the right of the middle) with PP (left, right). At the same time the middle dancer Vt turning clockwise in PP (left, right). |
| E1 | 1 -2 | All back 3 S (left, right, left) pause for a half bar. |
| F1 | 1 -2 | Leader full turn left in PP (left, right) |
| 3 -4 | Last dancer full turn right in PP (left, right) | |
| G1 | 1 - 3 | All forward 3 P (left, right, left) . |
| C1 C2 |
1 - 2 1 |
The first dancer Vt left with 3 P (left, right, left). |
C3 | 2 1 - 2 | The last dancer Vt right with 3 P (right, left, right). |
| D1 | 1 -2 | The first dancer and middle dancer exchange places (clockwise) with PP (left, right) |
| D2 | 1 -2 | The original first dancer (now middle) and last dancer exchange places (anti-clockwise) with PP (left, right) |
| D3 | 1 -2 | The first dancer and the last dancer exchange places going anti-clockwise (leader turns left, last dancer goes to the right of the middle) with PP (left, right). At the same time the middle dancer Vt turning clockwise in PP (left, right). |
| E1 | 1 -2 | At this point the two ends are facing in towards the middle who is sideways on to them with the original leader on his right. All back 3 S (left, right, left) fanning out into a triangle. pause for a half bar. |
| F1 | 1 -2 | Leader full turn left in PP (left, right) |
| 3 -4 | Last dancer full turn left in PP (left, right) | |
| G1 | 1 - 3 | All forward 3 P (left, right, left) to meet (leader still on right. Original last dancer is now "sopra" and leads off starting again from the top (turning left with the 1st S. Repeat twice more. |
In the trace I think P could be substituted for S to liven things up a bit.
If the dance is done by 3 dancers side by side then the leader is the dancer on the left hand end of the line and section 1 becomes:
| A1 | 1 - 6 | All together 6 S forwards starting left. |
| 7 - 8 | The leader turns left and goes behind the other two to the right hand end of the set with 6 S Starting left. | |
| B1 | 1 | At the same time the other two exchange places with 3 S. The middle goes behind the right hand dancer. |
| 2 - 4 | As the leader finishes his movement to the right the other two dancers exchange places again the original middle goes in front of the original right hand dancer. |
At the end of this section the original middle dancer is on the left, the original right hand dancer is in the middle, and the left hand dancer is on the right.
A2 + B2 Repeat A1 + B1 with everyone starting from their new places (i.e. the original middle is now the leader).
A3 + B3 Repeat A1 + B1 with everyone starting from their new places. to end back in your original places.
The remainder doesn't change much, just read left hand for leader.
Copyright Robert Huggett 2002