Three Musketeers / Skirmish

Tune: The Rambling Sailor/The Trim-Rigged Doxy (traditional)
Source: adapted from the Bledington dance attributed to Roy Dommett
Chorus: 1^st corners step in & clash high-low while middles clash high-low with 2^nd corners. Then 2^nd corners step in & clash high-low while 1^st corners clash with middles. Then all clash high-low-high (forehand)-high (backhand). half hey. Repeat.
Figures: once to yourself, foot up & down, half gyp, back-to-back, rounds

Detailed Description

Chorus

First corners step in & clash high (forehand)-low (backhand) while middles step out and clash high-low with 2^nd corners. 1^st corners return to position.
2^nd corners step in in clash high-low while middles clash high-low with 1^st corners. 2^nd corners return to position.
All dancers clash across high-low-high (forehand)-high (backhand)
Half hey.
Repeat.

Figures

Once to Yourself

Hankie dances: stand in position, trying not to look stupid. Five beats before the end of the tune, bring the hankies up to chest-level and rise onto your toes. Then two hop backs and a foot-together-jump.
Stick dances: stand in position, trying not to look stupid. Two beats before the end of the tune, do a foot-together-jump.

Foot Up & Down

Face up. Two double steps in the “up” direction (one stationary, one in place). Galley (out from the center). Foot-together-jump to face down.
Face down. Two double steps in the “down” direction (one stationary, one in place). Galley (out from the center). Foot-together-jump ¾ of the way around to face across.

Half Gyp

Face across. Two double steps, one to cross to your partner's position (starting on the left foot¹⁾ and passing by the right shoulder) and one in place. Hop backs to return to place. Foot-together-jump.
Face across. Two double steps, one to cross to your partner's position (starting on the right foot²⁾ and passing by the left shoulder) and one in place. Hop backs to return to place. Foot-together-jump.

Back-to-Back

Face across. Two double steps: on the first one cross to your partner's position (starting on the left foot and passing by the right shoulder), and on the second one slide to your right. Hop backs to return to place, this time passing your partner by the left shoulder. Foot-together-jump.
Face across. Two double steps: on the first one cross to your partner's position (starting on the right foot and passing by the left shoulder), and on the second one slide to your left. Hop backs to return to place, this time passing your partner by the right shoulder. Foot-together-jump.

Rounds

On the catch-step (“and”) before the downbeat, hop into a circle and face clockwise. Middles will need to move outwards (“bulge”). One double step around the circle (clockwise). On the second double step spiral into a clump, ending halfway around the circle but closer to the center. Hop backs to your corner's place (halfway around the circle). Foot-together-jump.
On the catch-step (“and”) before the downbeat, all dancers turn a little more than 180° over their left shoulders (“hard turn”) and go back the way they came (counter-clockwise). Again, on the second double step spiral into a clump, ending halfway around the circle but closer to the center. Hop backs to your original place. Foot-together-jump.

Tune

X:1
T:Rambling Sailor
T:(Three Musketeers)
C:Traditional
M:4/4
L:1/8
Q:132
P:A.(AB)4
K:D mixolydian
V:1 clef=treble
P:A
D2 D2 A>FG>E | D2 D2 c3 d | c>AB>G A>FG>E | D2 D2 D4 :|
P:B
A>Bc>A d2 d2 | A>Bc>A d4 | c2 A>c B2 G2 | A>BA>G E>FE>D |
D2 D2 A>FG>E | D2 D2 c3 d | c>AB>G A>FG>E | D2 D2 D4 :|

¹⁾

this will be the outside foot as you pass

²⁾

this will again be the outside foot as you pass