Tag Archives: colonial dance

Away to the Camp

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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

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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 →

Penington’s Rant

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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 →

The Convention (cotillion)

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The Convention is  found in John Griffiths’ publication Collection of the Newest Cotillions and Country Dances Principally Composed by John Griffiths, Dancing Master. To Which is Added Instances of Ill Manners, to be carefully avoided by Youth of both sexes, Northampton, Massachusetts, 1794. *

The Convention is a cotillion.  Cotillions were danced by an even number of couples, usually by four couples standing in a square set.     Continue reading →