Here's a glossary of the terms used in the 10 descriptor columns devoted to each dance.

Under Name is the common title of the dance.

Under Page I've noted on which page of this site you can find instructions to the dance (a proxy for origin). The first 2 letters denote the web-chapter, the next letters the page. Thus:

• the English Country chapter has Playford, Pride & Prejudice or Other Historic pages.
• the Lost Dance chapter has Spring, Summer, Autumn or Winter pages.
• the Christmas Dances chapter has Medieval/Renaissance, British, European, American, Australian or (?) uncertain origin pages (depending upon carol's origin -and where the tune has one origin and the words another, I offer both in that order).
• the Vintage Ballroom chapter has Mazurkas, Polkas&Galops, Schottisches, Varsoviennas and Waltzes pages
• the Other Dances chapter is divided into pages on dances that featured in Movies, Various set dances of my own devising that don't belong on any other page, and Hambo variants of my own devising.

Under Length I've offered a bar count for once through a sequence. Most dances listed are 16, 32, 48 or 64 bars long and can be done to any appropriately structured and timed tune of that length, but many of the Christmas Carol Dances are of idiosyncratic length and need to go to the carol to which they are tailored. Dances with lengths marked with an * go to tunes with mixed time signature or with extra introductory or concluding bars.

Under Form I've labelled dances as:

• Contra if danced in minor sets within in a column or double Sicilian circles
• Circle if that's the main shape of the dance and you progress on each time to a new partner
• Couples if you dance with a partner around the line-of-dance (whether or not you progress to a new partner)
• Long if dance in longways sets
• Odd if they involve no partner or trios
• Other if couples scattered randomly or in sets that are neither contras, longways or square
• Quadrilles if  4 couples in a square set
• Round if a fixed number in a circle and you return to your partner.

When a set requires a fixed number of couples I preface the formation with that number.

Under Step I've characterised dances as being:

• Renaissance if involving singles, doubles, kicks or reverences (including baroque minuet footwork)
• Schottisches if involving step-together-steps, chassees or step-hops or 'tango'-like one-steps
• Bourrees if to brisk triple time footwork and involving no ballroom holds
• Waltzes if a slightly slower triple time (even if it is a landler that doesn't involve turning in a ballroom hold)
• Walked dance if using walking step broken only perhaps by slip steps
• Polka or galop if it uses brisk step-changes
• Mazurka or polskas if it uses a so-accented slow triple time footwork.

Bear in mind that some dances classed as Bourrees could equally well be done to waltzes and vice-versa.

Under Style I've allocated a rough 'genre' label:  

• Anc. (Ancient) if something in the dance or music conjures images of a Medieval village or Renaissance court
• ECD (English Country Dance in the widest sense - not just historical material on this sites' English Country page, but flowing walked or waltzed set dances of all sorts - including New England style Contras)
• Bush (Bush or Ceilidh dance) if a lively set that might include galops, clapping, or basketing.
• Folk (Folkloric) if it uses fancier footwork or holds than are common in country dancing
• Vint. (Vintage Ballroom style - not just material on the Vintage Ballroom page) if a mid-late 19^th century style couples dance.  

Many dances could, of course, happily wear several 'style' labels simultaneously and it is not necessary to choose a program from only one box.  A Bushdance program might usefully contain some easy dances here labelled 'ECD', 'Folk' or 'Vint.' and elegant English Country dancers might lap-up some dances here labelled 'Ancient' or 'Bush'.

Under Foot I've noted if I'd recommend the dance start with Left, Right, Outside (M l.f., W r.f.) or Inside (M's r.f., W's l.f. - very rare) foot. If it doesn't matter or could be debated I've placed a dash '-' in this column.

Under Feat. (Special Feature) I indicated if the dance has an unusual Basket, Development, Figure (other than a fancy basket or knot), Gesture (such as a kiss, clap or bow), Hold, Knot or Step (e.g. a galliard, pavan, minuet, hop-first mazurka or polska step), or a surprising sudden Thrill. Every dance will have characteristics that makes it unique and worthwhile, and many will have several, but I have only allocated a letter where it might assist teachers in separating out exceptional examples.

Under Ease I indicate if the dance might be considered:

• 1 Easy (suitable to complete novices)
• 2 Moderately accessible
• 3 Challenging (but rewarding)

Remembering that the appropriateness of these categorisations will depend enormously on the background of the people who are going to be led on the dance (an experienced dancer in one genre may have difficulty with an easy dance in an another genre, while a group of fit and alert folk with no dance experience at all may surprise you by finding a supposedly challenging dance easy).

Under Video we hope eventually to be able to offer links to video snips of people enjoying the dance in a social situation. We have captured on video about 2/3 of the dances here listed, but have not yet got to editing the tapes for web presentation.

N.B. As the categorisation is approximate (especially ones such as 'style' and 'ease'), rather than relying entirely on the above descriptors to lead you to a selection, I suggest you cast your net widely and then read your way towards your favoured selection. For advice on how to best then lead the dances you've selected, see the Dance Tips page.