SCA Dance Cheat Sheets

Black Nag

Source: Playford (1670), TPB.

Setting: A longways set of 3 couples.

Version: 1.1

Verse:

 1- 4  Double forward, double backward.
 5- 8  Repeat.

Chorus:

 9-10  Face partner, take 2 hands. First couple slips up hall,
11-12   followed by the second couple,
13-14   and then third,
15-16   all turn single.
17-24  Couples slip back to place in reverse order, all turn single.

Verse:

 1- 8  Siding.

Chorus:

 9-10  First man and 3rd woman change places,
11-12   first woman and 3rd man do the same,
13-14   followed by 2nd man and 2nd woman,
15-16   all turn single.
17-24  Do the changes again to return to place, all turn single.

Verse:

 1- 8  Arming.

Chorus:

 9-14  Men's hey,
15-16   [men turn.]
17-24  Women's hey, [women turn.]

Discussion:

The above steps are as I've seen it danced in the SCA. Playford has the heys taking 8 bars, with no turn single after. Sharp has the men turning single on the last 2 bars of the dance. You'll find all of these and more dance in the SCA; I suspect that the one I've seen adds the turn because there's particular music which always has a turn elsewhere in the dance.

Playford doesn't give any details about how the second chorus is conducted; Sharp specifies slip steps, leading with the right shoulder, and passing with one's back to the person you're changing with. I generally see it danced leading with the left shoulder and passing facing the person you're changing with, but have heard that it's done both ways in the SCA.