====== The Touchstone ======

A triple minor longways dance \\
Thompson, Twenty Four Country Dances, 1780.\\
Recording: {{ ::music:touchstone--009.mp3.zip |}}\\
{{ ::music:touchstone-priprec02.mp3.zip |}}\\
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aku9eGoIz70\\
The video has 6 women dancing, with the camera at the 
bottom of the set. 
   
<code>
A1 Hey contrary sides by C1 crossing to start a hey 
   with the opposite line (M1 gives r.sh. to W3 and W1 gives l.sh. to M3)
A2 Then same on own sides by C1, crossing back to own side between C2, M1 
   giving l.sh. to M3 and W1 giving r.sh. to W3.
B1 Hands 6 quite round and back
B2 C1 Lead thro' the C3 and cast up to finish in middle place, then Lead thro' 
      the top and cast off to finish back in middle (progressed place)
</code>
====== The Touchstone ======
<code>   
Al 1-8 The first man, changing places with his  partner, does a 
       straight hey with the other women, passing the second woman
       by the right ; while the first woman does the same with the other men, passing 
       the second man by the left (sks). (The third couple start the hey by casting wp.)
A2 1-8 The first man and woman again change places; the man continues the hey on
       his own side, passing the second man by the left, while his partner does the
       same on her side, passing the second woman by the right (sk.s.).
Bl 1—4 The first couple lead down the middle through the third couple and cast up 
       into second place (sk.s.), the second couple moving up on the last four beats.
   5-8 The first man turns his partner.
B2 1—4 The first couple lead up through the second couple and cast off to the 
       bottom place (sk.s.), the third couple moving up into second place on 
       the last four beats.
   5—8 The first man turns his partner.</code>

Note.—The dance may be made a longways for as many as will, if, in B2, bars 1—4, 
the first couple cast only one place.\\        
Both the Apted book and The Playford Ball has entirely different B1&2 (involving leads, casts and 2hs) and the movie P&P has a different B2 involving setting and crossing.

**THE TOUCHSTONE**\\
Charles Dibdin's popular operatical pantomime The Touchstone; or,
Harlequin Traveller played nearly every night when it first opened at
Covent Garden in January of 1779.