The House That Sharp Built

I started folk dancing (contra-dance, english country dance, etc. etc.) in February of 1990.  By that same summer, I had attended my first CDSS dance camp (Pinewoods) and was in love with this style of dance, and the community that surrounded it.

A few years later, in preparation for a dance camp at (the now long-vanished) Buffalo Gap, I put those first memories together into "The House That Sharp Built" -- inspired, obviously, by the Mother Goose "House That Jack Built".  The caller with 'the charming wit' was originally Erna-Lynne Bogue, and the 'fellow with the ancient fiddle' was Steve Hickman.  The original version was published in the CDSS News in 1994(?); I've reconstructed it here, as well as I can, from memory.

(Update: I 'performed' this on Camper's Night at the 2016 Pinewoods "Harmony of Dance & Song" week: here's a somewhat wobbly video.)

The "house", of course, is Cecil Sharp (C#) pavillion at Pinewoods.  Or, really, any place where our dancing happens.

This is the house that Sharp built.

This the note
We heard In the house that Sharp built.

This is the chord
Based on the note
We heard in the house that Sharp built.

This is the key, that fits the chord
Based on the note
We heard in the house that Sharp built.

This is the tune
Played in the key
That fits the chord
Based on the note
We heard in the house that Sharp built.

This is the fellow with the ancient fiddle
Who led the tune
Played in the key
That fits the chord
Based on the note
We heard in the house that Sharp built.

This is the lady, who danced in the middle
Of the hall where the fellow with the ancient fiddle
Led the tune
Played in the key
That fits the chord
Based on the note
We heard in the house that Sharp built.

This is the lad, who in a fine fettle
Swung the lady who danced in the middle
Of the hall where the fellow with the ancient fiddle
Led the tune
Played in the key
That fits the chord
Based on the note
We heard in the house that Sharp built.

These are the dancers, who after their vittles
Circled the lad, who in a fine fettle
Swung the lady who danced in the middle
Of the hall where the fellow with the ancient fiddle
Led the tune
Played in the key
That fits the chord
Based on the note
We heard in the house that Sharp built.

This is the caller, who's charming wit'll
Direct the dancers, who after their vittles
Circled the lad, who in a fine fettle
Swung the lady who danced in the middle
Of the hall where the fellow with the ancient fiddle
Led the tune
Played in the key
That fits the chord
Based on the note
We heard in the house that Sharp built.