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ins_faithful_swain_the

The Faithful Swain or The Constant Lover

Longways duple minor

A1      1st corners dance a whole figure 8 round 2nd corners.
        Starting by 1st corners crossing R.S. and dancing anticlockwise round their 
        own partner who (without leaving their
        place) help them round. 1st corners then cross L.S. and dance
        clockwise round their neighbour who again without leaving
        their place help them round.
A2 1-4  All fall back and move forward to place.
   5-8  3 changes circular he5 partners facing to progressed places.
B1      1st man cast one place into the centre of the set below the
        NEXT 2nd couple while 1st woman cast up into the centre of
        set above her own 2nd couple.
        1st man hands 4 to the R. once round with 1st woman and
        2nd couple of the new set. Finishing with the 2nd couple
        proper in their progressed place with the 1st man in the centre
        facing up, and woman facing down. (Note the 1st man and
        1st woman in each set are not partners).
B2 1-4  All dropping hands, 1st man and 1st woman pass L.S. the
        dancers they faced in the ring of 4, meet their partner and
        turn 2 hands anti-clockwise three-quarters, opening out into
        the middle of a line of 4 facing up, while the 2nd couples cast
        out onto the ends of that line with their own 1st couples.
B2 5-8  Lines forward and 1st couple gates up through 2nd couple to
        finish progressed and proper.

Source Walsh/Kynaston 24 Dances for 1710 (CONSTANT LOVER)

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZ5zsq_ONik

THE FAITHFUL SWAIN

In its original form the dance was almost certainly triple minor. By compressing it to duple minor the long rest period at each end of the set is eliminated. At the start of the dance after A2 the lst couple have progressed one place. During Bl the lst woman of the top set will cast above her own 2nd couple but there will not be a lst man from the next set to complete the hands 4 ring so there will be a hands 3 ring instead. 'When there is a neutral couple at the top the neutral man must cast down ar rhe start of 81 and join in the hands 4 ring, moving up the middle and turning his waiting parrner ar rhe top of the set. The neutral couple should then lead up and back a double in front of the other dancers ro finish in lst place ready ro sran rhe next round of the dance. At the bottom of the set if there is not a neutral couple the lst man should casr into the centre of the set leaving room for the other dancers to circle R. before moving up ro meer his partner and turn 2 hands. \When there is a neutral couple at the bottom the lst man should casr down ar rhe start of 81 and make a hands 3 ring with the neutral couple before moving up the middle to meer his Partner and complete the sequence. After the ring the bottom couple are neutral till the beginning of the next round. An alternative formation suggested by Tom Cook is given below.

SICLLIAN CIRCLE.

First couples facing anti-clockwise women on their partner's right.

A1      Women dance a whole figure 8 starting by crossing L.S. and
        taking R.H. with their neighbours who help them round, then
        crossing R.S. and taking L.H. with their partner who help
        them round to places.
A2 1-4  Neighbours taking inside hands fall back a double and return
        to places.
   5-8  Partners face and 3 changes circular hey.
        (All are progressed.)
B1 1-4  1st man and 1st woman cast right to finish on the centre line
        of the set, woman facing anti-clockwise and her own 2nd
        couple, man facing clockwise and the NEXT 2nd couple, and
        2nd couples facing their partners.
   5-8  Each facing four dancers, take hands and circle L, once round.
B2 1-4  All dropping hands 1st man and 1st woman pass R.S. the
        dancer they faced in the ring of 4, meet their partner and turn
        2 hands three-quarters, opening our into the middle of a line
        of 4 facing clockwise while 2nd couples cast our onto the ends
        of that line with their own 1st couples.
   5-8  Lines forward a double then 1st couples cast to face their new
        2nd couples helped round by their own 2nd couples.
        (Progression.)

NOTE: 1st couples remain 1st couples and 2nd couples remain 2nd couples throughout the dance. O Copyright 1,995 Kepas Consultants. Eynsham Oxford

ins_faithful_swain_the.txt · Last modified: 2022/11/19 02:21 by mar4uscha