Category Archives: Description of dances

Away to the Camp

Away to the Camp is a triple minor longways dance, which was published in London in 1782 in 24 Country Dances by Samuel, Ann & Peter Thompson, as well as in Thompson’s compleat collection of 200 favourite country dances: perform’d at court, Bath, Tunbridge & all public assemblies with proper figures or directions to each tune, set for the violin, German-flute, Volume 5 of 5, printed in London, c. 1788.  It was handwritten by Jeremiah Brown in a Massachusetts manuscript circa 1782.

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Black Dance

We found Black Dance in a manuscript written by Jeremiah Brown of Seabrook, New Hampshire, in 1782.  It was described in several manuscripts in the United States late in the eighteenth century and early in the nineteenth, and various versions appear in English sources (sometimes called “Black Dance”, and sometimes “The Black Dance”). Continue reading

Swiss Allemande

The tune The Swiss Allemande was published in London by Mr. Werner in Humbly Dedicated to the Gentlemen & Gentry Subscribers in 1780, and by Charles and Samuel Thompson in 24 Country Dances of 1782, published in 1781, as well as in Thompson’s compleat collection of 200 favourite country dances: etc. (Volume 5) published in 1788. It crossed the Atlantic rapidly and Continue reading

Allemande Swiss

The tune Allemande Swiss, and the dances written to go to it, were extremely popular in late eighteenth century America.  (It is not to be confused with the tune “Swiss Allemand”, and the dances which were written to go to it.)   Approximately 20 dance manuals and hand-written manuscripts from the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century include both country dances and a cotillion with the name Allemand Swiss.  As spelling was not standardized in the 18th century, we find many varied spellings of the title, like Continue reading

Penington’s Rant

Penington’s Rant was published in London by John Johnson around 1748 and by Samuel and Charles Thompson in their Two Hundred Country Dances Vol. 1, published in 1758 (or, according to the Tune Archive, published in 1757). It was likely published in Thompson’s Twenty Four Country Dances for 1751 or 1752,  We have not found any written record of this dance in the colonies, but it is likely that it was enjoyed on both sides of the Atlantic! Continue reading