The Fair Quaker of Deal

Source: Playford; interpreted by Pat Shaw & A. Simons; published in English Dance & Song, March 1960, Vol. XXIV. No. 1 and September 1960, Vol.XXIV. No. 2
Formation: Longways; Duple Minor; Proper

Pat Shaw
A1	First Corners Set Forwards & Turn Single Back to Place #1s Cast - #2s Lead Up
A2	New First Corners Set Forwards & Turn Single Back to Place #2s Cast - #1s Lead Up
B1	First Corners Meet & Stand Back to Back(4) Second Corners Meet & Stand Back to Back (4) Back Ring Half Way Clockwise (4) All: Turn Right and Pass Through with Partner, stay facing out (4)
B2	Lead Out a Double to the Wall, Turn Alone; Lead Back #1s Lead Up and Cast Down

A Simons
B1	First Corners Meet & Stand Back to Back (4) Second Corners Meet & Stand Back to Back (4) Set Right & Left in a Back Ring (4) Back Ring Half Way Clockwise (4)
B2	Lead Out a Double to the Wall, Turn Alone; Lead Back #1s take right hands: Assisted Half Figure Eight WHILE #2s Cross (giving hands)

Music:
32 bars. The original tune, or anything you like; the Orpington dancers in the 1950s appear to have enjoyed Jimmy Shand's Cumberland Reel.

Notes:
The dance as described in Playford doesn't quite work. It is all a matter of working out exactly what B1 means. Pat Shaw's solution is to break the flow between the Back Ring and the Lead Out with a Cross Over. A. Simons prefers to end the Back Ring on the wrong side and fix it with various crossings in B2. I like the whole flow of the Back Ring and the B2 as Playford wrote it.

The dots in Playford's original version indicate the end of a musical section. B1 appears to consist of three four-step moves. So four steps are missing. Pat adds them in as a Cross Over at the end of the Back Ring. A. Simons adds them as Setting in the Back Ring.

But let's analyse the dance. If you start at the beginning, A1 and A2 are straightforward and flow well, ending with everyone unprogressed and proper. If you start at the end and work backwards, then, starting on step five of B1, the dance is straightforward and flows well as long as you all start unprogressed and improper.

So we have four steps at the beginning of B1 to fill in, and we just need to get everyone improper. If you move Pat's Pass Through to the beginning of B1 as a Cross Over, then the whole dance flows beautifully. That is my suggestion for the solution.

It is fun to jump into position in the movements where you end with your back to someone: two steps and jump with a turn.

Original pages from English Dance & Song, March 1960.

Original pages from English Dance & Song, September 1960

Pat Shaw was a leading figure in the 20th century dance world. As well as writing his own dances and interpreting dances from the 17th and 18th centuries he also researched traditional dances from the 19th and early 20th centuries. He was a regular contributor to the English Dance & Song magazine.

Pat Shaw 1917-1977 gives a flavour of this man of many talents.

The Pat Shaw Collection includes over 60 of Pat's own compositions.

Another Look at Playford has 120 of Pat's interpetations of older dances.

Back to Dance Index

I'd love to hear from you if you know anything more about this dance, its composer, its style, or its history.

Feedback is very welcome on any aspect of these dances or Web pages.

Please contact John Sweeney with your comments.