SCA Dance Cheat Sheets

Beggar Boy

Source: Playford (1651), TPB.

Setting: A longways set of 3 couples.

Version: 1.1

 1- 4  Double up and back. 
 5- 8  Repeat.

 9-10  All face partners. Couples 1 and 3 double backwards, away
        from each other, while couple 2 doubles forward to meet
        each other,
11-12  All double back to place
13-16  The 3 men circle half round (1st and 3rd men changing places),
        while the women do the same.
17-24  Repeat 9-16, all ending in their original places.

 1- 8  Siding (with your partner).

 9-12  The second couple takes a double away from and then towards each
        other, while the 1st and 3rd man and 1st and 3rd women change places
        along the sides using two doubles, passing right shoulders.

13-16  1st couple sets and turns single, while the 2nd and 3rd couples
        (at the top of the set) take hands and circle once round.
17-24  Repeat 9-16, all ending in their original places.

 1- 8  Arming.

 9-12  All take a double away from their partner, and a double towards
        their partner,
13-16  The men do half of a hey, while the women do likewise. End with
        1st couple at the bottom, and 3rd couple at the top.
17-24  Repeat 9-16, all ending in their original places.

Discussion:

Sharp has the 1st and 3rd couples face each other when going towards it in the first chorus. Playford, as usual, simply says ``First and last on each side to the wall,'' without specifying which way you face. Sharp also has the men and women circle once round instead of Playford's halfway round. There is too much time in the first chorus to go only halfway around, but the other two choruses do not have the dancers in their original position in the middle of the chorus. Finally, Sharp specifies that the 1st couple go between the 3rd couple in the second chorus, while Playford is silent on the issue, and the contributor for this dance says she's seen it passing right shoulders.

In the first chorus, note that the 2nd couple won't be able to advance very far towards each other while taking their double forward.