The Triumph

Source: Wilson 1817; published in English Dance & Song, Spring 1966 Volume XXVIII No. 2
Formation: Longways; Triple Minor; Proper

A1	Second Corners take Left Hands & Lead down past two couples WHILE #1 Man: Cross Over and Cast Down past two ladies In a line of three #1 Man takes right hands with Lady #1, #2 Man takes left hands with her; the two men make an arch above the lady with their other hands Lead Up in Triumph to place, the Lady passing in front of Man #1
B1	Repeat for First Corners and #2 Man who waits for them to pass him before his Cross Over After the Lead Up, #2 Man cross to his place behind the others
C1	#1s Lead Down (4) & Back (4) into Second Place - #2s Move Up Top Four: Second Corners Cross Over by the Left Shoulder WHILE First Corners Cross Over by the Right Shoulder (First Corners must let Second Corners cross first) (4) Repeat (4)

Music:
Own Tune. 24 Bars. It is usually played these days at 80 to 90 bpm to allow plenty of time for stepping.

Notes:
The figure "right & left" is defined by Wilson as the Interlocking Gypsies described above, although often interpreted as "four changes of rights & lefts".

The Triumph

The signature figure in all Triumph dances is one man leading a lady down the set and two men leading a lady back up the set in a line of three with the men making an arch over the lady:

The Triumph

There are lots of variations. All the historical dances are Proper. If the other man crosses the set and casts down outside the ladies then the active couple can turn alone; if he dances down his own side than the active couple need to switch places, usually with half a hand-turn or a Wheel Around. After they lead up then they need to find an easy way to get home without getting in each other's way, usually by letting the lady cross to home in front of the men.

Wilson's diagrams, showing the paths of the dancers in the Triumph figure, are at the bottom of this page.

As you can see from the ED&S page below, Wilson give two versions of the dance. Here are a few more!

Dorset Triumph

Source: Thomas Hardy's manuscript, interpreted by Peter Swann and the Ashmore Group; published in Community Dances Manual 5, 1957
Formation: Longways; Duple Minor; Proper

A1	Second Corners Set & Turn Single; First Corners the same
B1	Second Corners take Right Hands: Lead down past two couples and Wheel Around WHILE #1 Man Casts Down the Men's side In a line of three #1 Man takes left hands with Lady #1, #2 Man has right hands with her; the two men make an arch above the lady with their other hands Lead Up in Triumph to place, #1 Man turning #1 Lady with his left hand
C1	All Lead Down by the right hand, the Ladies turn AC under the arms, Dance Up, #1s Casting down one place

Notes: There is a letter from Thomas Hardy in which he states, "I found a copy, or rather a leaf or two, of the original edition of the Triumph (to which you allude) among my grandfather's old music. The page is entitled "New Dances for the year 1793," so that seems to be when it came out."

Preston's Twenty four COUNTRY DANCES for the Year 1793 does indeed include "The Triumph:

The 1^st. Lady set to the 2^d. Gentⁿ. & turn -- the 1^st. Gentⁿ. set to the 2^d. Lady & turn -- the 1^st. Lady take the 2^d. Gentⁿ. by the right hand & lead him down to the 3^d. Cu^s. place -- the 1^st. Gentⁿ. cast off & his Part^r. all 3 lead up to the top together -- the 1^st. Cu lead down the middle up again & cast off --

No mention of an arch! Did everyone know that they should make the arch? Or was it introduced later?

The dance would have been a Triple Minor, but, since the #3s do nothing, modern interpretations are all Duple Minor.

Here is animation of an interpretation of that notation.

Here is video of it being danced these days.

The Triumph (Surrey)

Source: Cecil Sharp; published in The Country Dance Book Part 1 (1909)
Formation: Longways; Triple or Duple Minor; Proper

A1	Second Corners take Left Hands & Lead down past two couples WHILE #1 Man: Cross Over and Cast Down past two ladies In a line of three #1 Man takes right hands with Lady #1, #2 Man takes left hands with her; the two men make an arch above the lady with their other hands Lead Up in Triumph to place, the Lady passing in front of Man #1
A2	Repeat for First Corners and #2 Man who waits for them to pass him before his Cross Over After the Lead Up, #2 Man cross to his place behind the others
B1	#1s Lead Down & Back to place
C1	#1s & #2s Swing & Change: Polka, Swing or Two Hand Turns to change place CW

Notes:
The A1 and A2 are exactly the same as Wilson's first version. A few decades later the ED&SS suggested that it would be good to standardise on Swing & Change being Anti-Clockwise to avoid crashes.

The Triumph or Follow Your Lovers

Source: collected by Peter Kennedy in Northumberland; published in Community Dances Manual 3, 1952
Formation: Longways; Duple Minor; Proper

A1	#1s Lead Down & Back (#2s may follow and make an Arch for #1s so that all finish at Home) OR Star Right; Star Left
B1	Second Corners take Left Hands & Lead down; Turn Alone but keeping hold Left Hands WHILE #1 Man follows down the centre, crossing to the other side of the lady In a line of three #1 Man takes right hands with Lady #1, #2 Man has left hands with her; the two men make an arch above the lady with their other hands Lead Up in Triumph to place, the Lady passing in front of Man #1
C1	Swing & Change: Polka (or Swing) around each other AC (once and a) half

Notes:
Danced with a polka step throughout.

See also Step and Fetch Her.

Ladies' Triumph - A New England Contra Dance

Source: Community Dances Manual 5, 1957
Formation: Longways; Duple Minor; Proper

A1	Second Corners take Left Hands & Lead down; Turn Alone but keeping hold Left Hands WHILE #1 Man follows down the centre, crossing to the other side of the lady In a line of three #1 Man takes right hands with Lady #1, #2 Man has left hands with her; the two men make an arch above the lady with their other hands Lead Up in Triumph to place, the Lady passing in front of Man #1
A2	First Coners the same, Man #2 falling back into place at the end
B1	#1s Lead Down & Back; Cast down one place - "round 2nd couple who give a helping arm, as is usual in the American longways, never in the English".
B2	Right & Left Through & Back

Music:
Ladies' Triumph or any 32-bar reel or jig.

Notes:
For the Right & Left Through it states, "Optional hand to partner, not to neighbour." That was the style that was collected in New England at that time. For lots more information see Rights & Lefts - Circular Hey - Square Thru - Right & Left Through - Two Changes.

The Triumph - Scotland

The Scottish have their own The Triumph dance. This is the only one where the lady has her arms crossed during the triumph.

Jubilee Triumph

Jubilee Triumph is a 1961 dance that uses the triumphal arch in a different manner.

Original page from English Dance & Song, Spring 1966

Wilson's diagrams from "The Complete System of English Country Dancing"

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