Physical Snob: A Historical English Country Dance

Physical Snob was part of my dance list for my event Jane Austen's 250th Birthday Ball, which I held on December 16, 2025. 

If you want to use my introduction and/or my version found below, contact me beforehand to tell me about it and then give me credit. :) 

Animation: The Physical Snob

Recorded Demonstration: Physical Snob – Old Dominion Dance

RegencyDances.org does not have Physical Snob in their list of dances, I think because the provenance is unknown.

Song: The Physical Snob | Bare Necessities
Note: I got permission from Bare Necessities to use their recording at my ball for free.

Introduction I used at my ball

This is our dance for Emma, because one of Emma’s shortcomings is snobbery toward Mr. Martin, a farmer and the suitor of her friend Harriet Smith.

Physical Snob

Longways proper                                                                                                                
Three couple
Chassé step

Introduction

• 2 beats: Honor your partner.
• Gentlemen bow and Ladies curtsy.

Dance

• 12 beats: The three Ladies lead round the three Gentlemen.
  
• The Ladies join hands and pass quite round the Gentlemen, the first Lady leading counterclockwise, till they all return to their places. As soon as the Ladies begin to move round, the Gentlemen join hands and advance to in front of the Ladies' places, to give the Ladies room to pass behind them. The Gentlemen retreat back to place when the Ladies have passed.
• 12 beats: The three Gentlemen lead round the three Ladies.
  
• The Gentlemen join hands and pass quite round the Ladies, the first Gentleman leading clockwise, till they all return to their places. As soon as the Gentlemen begin to move round, the Ladies join hands and advance to in front of the Gentlemen's places, to give the Gentlemen room to pass behind them. The Ladies retreat back to place when the Gentlemen have passed.
• 24 beats: Figure-eight pousette or draw.
• All three couples join hands at the same time. The first couple and second couple move round each other in a half oval, so they switch places (first Gentleman begins pulling, second Gentleman begins pushing). The first couple and third couple move round each other in an oval, then the first couple and second couple move round each other in a half oval to their places, which completes the figure. The first couple's movement through the set makes a figure eight.
• 12 beats: Cross over two couples.
• The first Lady and second Gentleman cross over at the same time: the Lady moves round the second Gentleman and between the second and third Ladies, while the Gentleman moves round the second Lady and between the second and third Gentlemen, which completes the figure. The first Lady and second Gentleman pass right shoulders both times they cross paths.
• 12 beats: First couple lead up the middle snobbishly, then cast down to third place. Second and third couples move up.

Repeat whole dance from progressed position.

Notes: The lead round and pousette figures are slightly different than what it is on Up a Double and Old Dominion Dance. This is because I am using the Thomas Wilson version of the lead round figures and his directions for pousettes: the first Gentleman begins pulling and the second Gentleman begins pushing.