Time to Dance - Gathering Peascods

Since I spoke about the dance not too long ago, I thought it might be fun to go ahead and post my version of Gathering Peascods. For the most part, this is how it was taught to me all those years ago. Now - mind you that this may not look like how you were taught it. One of the delightful and wonderful things about dance is there's never just ONE way to do them. Dance is a living, breathing art form, and because of that everyone is constantly innovating in one way or another.

I will also readily acknowledge that there are some stylistic differences between this version and one straight from Playford's "The English Dancing Master". There is a very simple reason for such differences: The Play's the Thing. All the changes you see incorporated here were added to make the dance a little more interesting and fun to watch. Besides, who doesn't like spinning around?

Now, if you're new to dance, you might have looked ahead and gone...what? Slip who? What's a worship? Counts? Don't worry! We'll go over the whole thing together. First, I'm going to paste the whole monster in here and then we'll take it piece by piece.

Gathering Peascods

Originally from “The English Dancing Master” by John Playford, 1651
A circle dance for 8 couples, ladies on the men’s right, facing the center of the circle

Introduction (8 counts total) 8 counts - Reverance all, then take hands with the people on both sides of you


A Section (24 counts total) - Everyone holding hands in a big circle facing the center

8 counts - Slip 8 counts to the Left in the big circle, then drop hands
4 counts - Turn single Left, then take hands to make the big circle again

8 counts - Slip 8 counts to the Right in the big circle back to your place, then drop hands
4 counts - Turn single Right


Chorus I - Gentlemen First (56 counts total) - Everyone facing the center of the circle

12 counts - Men take 2 steps inward, take hands in a smaller circle, and slip all the way around to the left, ending back in their spot in the big circle.

12 counts - Women take 2 steps inward, take hands in a smaller circle, and slip all the way around to the left, ending back in their spot in the big circle.

16 counts - Men Worship:

• 4 counts - Men double Left into the center and clap
• 4 counts - Women double Left into the center and clap while the Men double Right back
• 4 counts - Men double Left into the center and clap while the Women double Right back
• 4 counts - Men turn over their right shoulder to their places

16 counts - Women Worship:

• 4 counts - Women double Left into the center and clap
• 4 counts - Men double Left into the center and clap while the Women double Right back
• 4 counts - Women double Left into the center and clap while the Men double Right back
• 4 counts - Women turn over their right shoulder to their places

B Section (24 counts total) - Facing your partner

8 counts - Side Right
4 counts - Turn single Left

8 counts - Side Left
4 counts - Turn single Right


Chorus II - Ladies First (56 counts total) - Everyone facing the center of the circle

12 counts - Women take 2 steps inward, take hands in a smaller circle, and slip all the way around to the left, ending back in their spot in the big circle

12 counts - Men take 2 steps inward, take hands in a smaller circle, and slip all the way around to the left, ending back in their spot in the big circle

16 counts - Women Worship

16 counts - Men Worship

C Section (24 counts total) - Facing your partner

8 counts - Arms Right
4 counts - Turn single Left

8 counts - Arms Left
4 counts - Turn single Right

Repeat Chorus I - Gentlemen First (56 counts total)

Reverance at the very end


Seems a bit overwhelming, doesn't it? Here's the thing: its all just patterns. English Country Dance is all about repetition and mirroring. Meaning, if you do one step on the right, you're going to do it again on the left. The English are symmetrical like that. So, then let's get started!

First of all, 8 couples is a good size for this dance. We've done it with 12, but you end up practically running at one point, and no one likes to do that. Besides - why tempt fate by putting your dancers in danger of spraining something? You start out in basic partner formation - man on the left, lady on the right, with both of you facing the center.

A Reverance is a fancy word for a bow or curtsy. Face your partner and give that a try. Almost all dances will start out with a reverance, so if you're working on building a character for interactive theater, here is a great place to showcase some of your character-specific movement.

Now, everyone takes hands, making a big circle and they all slip to the left for 8 counts. What is a slip, you might ask? It is a sashay step to the side - step left, then bring your right toe up next to your left instep, and push off of it a little to skip to the left again. After 8 counts, drop hands with everyone and turn once around to the left. Now, slip back to the right for 8 counts. When you get back to where you started, drop hands with everyone and turn once around to the right. You will end up with everyone facing the center of the circle.

Here is where we start the "Chorus" of the dance - its called so because it will be repeated (in one form or another) between each of the "Verses" (the slipping was the first verse of the dance). Here's the interesting thing - Gathering Peascods has two different choruses - a Gentlemen first and a Ladies first version. This one is the Gentlemen first.

The men are going to step into the center of the circle and form a smaller circle inside by taking hands and slipping all the way around the circle to the left until the get back to where they started, backing into their spots by their partners. Then, the ladies are going to do the same by stepping to the center, taking hands and slipping all the way around as well, ending by backing gracefully into their spots.

Before we get to the worshipping, we need to learn another quick basic step – the double – and its nice and simple. Starting on your left foot, take three steps forward, then touch your right toe next to your left instep: the pattern is ‘left-right-left-touch’ and it takes four counts. To get back to your spot, double backwards – starting with your right foot (the one that’s not even all the way on the ground yet), step backwards, then back with your left, then right again, and bring your left toe next to your right instep. I usually call this ‘back-left-right-touch’. That’s it – a fancy way of walking forwards and backwards.

Now for the worship: While the ladies stay put, the men double in towards the center, clapping on the fourth count (the one where you touch your right toe to the left foot), then as they double back the ladies double in and clap. As the ladies double back to their spots and stay put, the men double in again and clap. This time, however, instead of doubling back to their spots, the men turn over their right shoulders and spin around while they fall back into their spots next to their partners. This is called “Men worship” because they go in first.

Remember that symmetry thing? Since we did all that doubling with the men going first, we’re going to do it again with the ladies going first: ladies double in and clap, ladies double out while the men double in and clap, then the men double out while the ladies double in, clap, then turn over their right shoulders back to their spots.

Believe it or not, that’s the hardest part of the dance. Now on to easier things! The next figure is called siding. You’ll need to face your partner and, using that double step we just learned, do a double with small steps to meet right shoulders with your partner (Side Right), then double back to your spot. Once you get back, turn around once over your left shoulder. Now, do a double with small steps to meet your partner’s left shoulder (Side Left). Once you get back to your spot, turn once over your right shoulder.

Now we’re going to do another chorus (Chorus II), but this time the ladies will do everything first: ladies slip around the inside of the circle, then the men. Then the worship section, with the ladies going in and turning first, then repeating with the men going in and turning first.

Last verse – arming. Facing your partner, grab right forearms and turn each other around in a circle – all the way around – until you make it back to your spot (Arms Right), then turn one time over your left shoulder. Luckily, you’re momentum is already carrying you that way so it is fairly easy to get both parts in. Then, repeat the same with your left forearms: turn each other all the way around (Arms Left), then turn once over your right shoulder.

Last time through the chorus, so we’re going to do it just like we did the first time (Chorus I) with the men going in first to slip around. Once everyone has had a chance to worship and turn, everyone can turn outwards and Reverance to the lovely audience.

That’s not too bad, is it? You learned your first dance!

If you’re still confused, here’s a lovely version of Gathering Peascods danced in Regency clothing. There are a few stylistic differences, but the main portions are the same :) Enjoy!