The Merry Girls Of Epsom

Source: Rutherford (c. 1756), interpreted by Henry Garfath; published in English Dance & Song, Winter-Spring 1976. Vol XXXVIII. No. 1
Formation: Longways; Proper

A1	Star Right (8); #1s Cast Down (#2s Move Up) (4); Partner Set
A2	Star Left (8); #2s Cast Down (#1s Move Up) (4); Partner Set
B1	#1s Gallop Down (#2s Move Up); #1s Gallop Up and Cast into Second Place
B2	Four Changes of Rights & Lefts - start passing Partner by the Right Shoulder, without hands

	John Sweeney's Interpretation of the Original
A1	#1s Allemande Right; #1s Wide Cast Down (#2s Move Up)
A2	#1s Allemande Left; #1s Wide Cast Up (#2s Move Down)
B1	#1s Gallop Down (#2s Move Up); #1s Gallop Up and Cast into Second Place
B2	Four Changes of Rights & Lefts - start Right Hand to Partner, with hands

Music:
32 bar jigs. The original tune is shown below in the page from Rutherford's book. Any 32 bar jig will work.

Notes:
This was published in the same article as The Surrey Hornpipe.

Henry says he was adapting for present day use. In the first half of the dance the #2s do nothing; Henry's changes give the #2s an equal share in that part of the dance. Some documents from that period specify that Rights and Lefts are done with hands; the modern approach is to do what the caller tells you to do!

Original page from English Dance & Song, Winter-Spring 1976

Original page from Rutherford's Compleat Collection

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