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In contrast to the dark days of the English civil War, the English
country dances popular at the time (such as those collected and
published by John Playford) are jolly and light hearted. These were
danced in the country houses while the court was in exile, to lift
the spirits of those who did not know when they would be next called
upon to fight and die for their beliefs.
These dances continued to be popular in the Restoration court of
Charles II, the 'Merry Monarch', who also introduced some of the
more formal dances popular in the French court where he had spent
his exile.
(Photograph courtesy of David
S. Brett)
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