"What kind of dancing? And please don't say Sailor's Hornpipe."

They did dance hornpipes, how do you think it got its name? Possibly not the stylised dance as it is known today, but step-dancing was commonplace on shore as well as shipboard, and they would dance usually to jigs and hornpipes. Worrall refers to a description of "a score of barefoot sailors dancing a hornpipe to the tune 'Jack's the Lad'" on HMS Excellent in 1872. They danced to amuse or exercise themselves, to perform for passengers for tips, and to attract women when in harbour!

He says that when playing for dances in harbour or for passengers they would play the ballroom dances of the period, including schottisches, quadrilles, waltzes and polkas.