Goodness gracious.

[rivka]

English Country Dances are just about always done in couples. Many are danced longways (a double line of however many couples want to dance), while others are written for (for example) three-couple sets.

wcg pointed me to a dance in the original 17th century collection of English Country Dances. It was written for sets of six people, but not for three couples - instead it distinctly calls for two men, who have two female partners each. Isn't that interesting.

Here are some excerpts from the dancing instructions:

Each man goes to his L, leads 2 women out, all turn round and lead back; men turn each other 1#/4 while each man's 2 partners turn each other. Each man leads his 2 partners out and back; men turn each other as do opposite women.
[...]
1st man faces half L towards 2nd man's 1st woman, they balance back, meet, and form arch; the others hands-4 round the 1st man, under the arch. 2nd man and 1st man's 2nd woman do the same; hands-4 round him.
[...]
Each man leads his top partner down and then up making an arch, while the other woman casts up outside, then goes down under arch; the 2 single women turn, while the men turn the women they have. Repeat with the other women.

Quaint English custom, or stage directions for a bisexual polyamorous orgy?

Comments

[adjectivemarcus.livejournal.com]

Always trying to have your cake and eat it too.

Baking industry relies on that, we can too!