Annotation:Three around Three
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THREE AROUND THREE. AKAand see “Pleasures of the Town (5).” English, Morris Dance Tune (2/4 time). England, Cheshire. D Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABB. Three around Three is a dance figure that occurs in several late-19th century dances (and can be found, for example, in the 'A' part of the more recent English country dance "Go George, I can't Endure You"). However, the three-around-three figure was described in London dancing master Thomas Wilson's Complete System of Country Dancing (1821), and, still earlier, it was found in "The Barcelona Dance" in John Rutherford's Compleat Colletion of 200 of the Most Celebrated Country Dances (London, c. 1775). It is also the name of a dance itself (see dance directions, below), and the tune title "Three around Three" takes its name from association with the dance.
The original tune name may have been "Pleasures of the Town," perhaps in association Henry Fielding's playThe Author’s Farce and the Pleasures of the Town (1730). Somewhat confusingly, the three-around-three figure was used for a dance called Pleasures of the Town published in 1777 by Charles and Samuel Thompson in their Compleat Collection of 200 Country Dances.
It is also associated with a North West morris dance from Marston, Cheshire, and as one of the vehicles for the Rochdale Coconut Dance. English collector Reg Hall is said to have introduced the tune to 20th century trad. musicians. Salcombe, Devon.
THREE AROUND THREE: three gents face three ladies.
Top Lady pulls line of LADIES ROUND GENTS.
Top gent pulls line of GENTS ROUND LADIES line.
Top couple CAST to middle place, & SWING partner.
Then they RIGHT-hand-STAR with couple above them (old 2nds),
(No Left-hand-star back.) then Tops dive under ARCH of 3rd couple .
