The Ash Grove – English Country Dance by Chris Kermiet

I haven’t created very many English Country Dances, since there are so many good ones already out there. However, I was surprised to find that no one had ever written a dance for the Ash Grove – one of the most beautiful melodies I know. So here it is. The tune should be played a little slowly and romantically – the tune is best that way, anyhow. Since I didn’t know a good source for the music, I wrote out a copy which you may download as a pdf.

You can listen to the tune as well, as a midi file. (The quality of this will vary depending on the quality of your midi soundbank.)

If you want to, you can also download the midi file (you may need to alt-click or right-click on this link to start the download). The midi file plays five times through the tune. You may also download a copy of the dance notes.

Duple Proper

The Ash Grove (AABA)

A1: Ones lead down and cast around the twos (4 wz. measures) while the twos wait 2 wz. measures, then turn half by the right to change sides.

Ones lead up, to cast round the twos above, while the twos wait 2 wz. measures, then turn half by the right to change sides.

At the top of the set, the ones will need to dance through a ghost number two couple.

A2: Twos lead up, and cast around the ones above (4 wz. measures) while the ones wait 2 measures, then turn half by the right to change sides.

Twos lead down and cast round the ones below, while the ones wait 2 measures, then turn half by the right to change sides.

The twos at the foot of the will need to cast around a ghost couple as well.

B: First corners cross (2 wz. measures), Second corners cross (2 wz. measures)

This corner crossing is almost a half-gypsy.

Circle half (2 wz. measures), Ones cast as the twos lead up (2 wz. measures).

This circle should collaspe a little bit, and the ones should sort of peel off, as the twos lead up the middle.

A3: Ones full figure eight through the twos above OR

Double figure eight, twos casting to start as the ones pass between them (8 wz. measures).

The hardest part of this dance comes right at the end, where the ones, who have been moving up the set doing the figure eight, have to start the next round of the dance by leading down through a new number two couple below.