When it's done, it's usually a 24-bar version. That said, the 32-bar version is,
indeed, what was standard for much of the 19th century and on into the 20th in
numerous sources, so by doing that version, it is indeed more historic and fits
the chestnuts theme perhaps even more!

To do that one, though, you'll need music that is AABB rather than what is now
more common, ABC.

If you want to do the dance as a triplet, you might instead do 4-couple sets, in
the Scottish style. The first couple would do the dance the first time with the
2nd and 3rd couples, then the second time through with the 3s and 4s. After
that, they'd drop to the bottom of the set and the new top couple would start
in.

A note on timing: The version you're calling #1 (where you reference the video
showing Nils Fredland calling Money Musk) is actually a little different than
you have it noted. Here's how you timed it:

A1	Actives allemand right 1 1/2 (8), Go outside, below one couple (4),
            Balance six (4)			
A2	Actives allemand right 3/4 to lines of 3 across the hall (4), Balance six
(4),
            Actives allemand right 3/4 (4), fall back to place (4)			
B1	Top two couples (1s and 2s) right and left through (across and back) (16) 	

It's actually a little different in the middle part:

A	Actives allemand right 1 1/2 (8), Go outside, below one couple (4),
            Balance six (4)			
B	Actives allemand right 3/4 to lines of 3 across the hall (8), Balance six (4),
            Actives allemand right 3/4 (4)
C	Top two couples (1s and 2s) right and left through (across and back) (16) 	

And, historical note, most callers didn't call it a balance. It was "forward
six," not not forward and back for eight counts.

Anyhow, that's the way we like to do it, although there are many other ways of
timing the dance. This way, though, there's a nice contrast between the
leisurely hand turns at the start of the phrase, and the rapid hand turns
leading into the right and left.

> Right and lefts thrus (with same sex couples) and New England style may be
hard for some

Nothing like a careful walkthrough to help with this. Have those two couples
walk across the set (two men working together and two women), each passing right
shoulder with partner. When they reach the other side of the set, still facing
out, put their closer arm around their neighbor's waist. They pivot around their
joined arms, with the person on the left side backing up and the person on the
right going forward. Repeat all that and they're back on the original side,
still in their progressed place.

If by "New England style" you're referring to folks crossing the set without
touching each other, well, that can be taught but there are plenty of places
where folks do arm around turns and that extra connection is helpful. In the
video, at 1:27 you can see that those two dancers (caller Ralph Sweet in the
checked shirt) had their arms around each other. If folks understand which way
they're moving, then instead of putting aroms around each other, they just look
at each other and turn as a linked pair. Given your situation, though, that may
be more teaching than you want to do.

Just a reminder, everyone. March 14 is the International (thanks, Bill!) Money
Musk Moment. A bunch of us are calling the dance the first dance after the break
that evening, as was the custom in some locations. (And if you want to join us
but don't have a dance that night, well, do it as close to then as you can-- the
folks outside Zurich won't have their regular dance until later in the money,
but they're going to join in.)

David Millstone
Lebanon, NH