Provenance: The above is my interpretation of the original description, others are possible. According to the Wikipedia article on cotillions: "The cotillion was introduced into ... the United States in about 1772 ... quadrilles were termed cotillions until the 1840s, when it was realised that all the distinctive figures of the earlier dance had been taken up into the newer."

Source: Admired Cottillions for Balls and Private Parties. Baltimore: Geo. Willig Jr., [183-?]. p.2.

Provenance: The above is my interpretation of the original description, others are possible. According to the Wikipedia article on cotillions: "The cotillion was introduced into England by 1766 and to the United States in about 1772. In England from that time onwards there are a large number of references stressing its universal popularity in the best and highest circles of society, and many teaching manuals were published to help recall the vast number of changes that were invented... Dancing masters differed as to the exact way of doing these dances: some, recognising the affair as an English country dance, taught that the steps and jumps of these were appropriate, while others insisted upon French elegance, recommending the basic step of the gavotte or the minuet... The quadrille gained fame a few years later as a variety of cotillion that could be danced by only two couples... In the 1790s, the cotillion was falling from favour, but it re-emerged in a new style in the early years of the next century, with fewer and fewer changes, making it barely distinguishable from the newly-emerging quadrille, which was introduced into English high society by Lady Jersey in 1816 and by 1820 had eclipsed the cotillion, though it was recognisably a very similar dance, particularly as it also began to be danced by four couples. References to the English cotillion dances persist here and there until the 1840s, but these were more games than fashionable dances, and were often danced to the waltz or the mazurka."

Source: Wilson, Thomas/ The Art of Dancing, Comprising Its Theory and Practice, in Connexion with the Ball Room. London: William Mason, 1852. p.23.

Provenance: The above is my interpretation of the original description, others are possible.

Source: Carpenter, D. L./ The Amateur's Preceptor on Dancing & Etiquette. Philadelphia: M'Laughlin Brothers, 1854. pp.61-62.

See videos from/with Bush Dance & Music Club of Bendigo, Victoria Australia, October 2014 [figure 1], [figure 3].

Provenance: This description, purportedly by Karpeles, combines both the version of the 1800s, ie the progressive round dance (figure 1) with the mixer version (figure 3) which became popular in the mid-1900s.

Source: [Karpeles, Maud P.]/ Circassian circle [1928].
See also:
-- Sharp, Cecil J. & Maud Karpeles/ Notation and Music of Some English Country Dances. London, (ca 1933)
-- Sharp, Cecil J./ The country dance book - part 1. 2nd ed. rev. & ed. M. Karpeles. London: Novello & Co. Ltd., 1934. [descriptions of steps. holds and figures]
-- Scottish Country Dancing Dictionary Circassian circle [figure 1]
-- Scottish Country Dancing Dictionary Circassian (big) circle [figure 3]

See videos from/with 'Fröhlicher Kreis' Kärtner Volkstanzfest 2006; Kapelle Massanari 2023; Le Cercle Circassien 2017; OCCE C1et2 2010; OCCE Cycles 3 et 2 2010; Tuto danse bretonne 2018; l'association Rakvlaz 2022

Provenance: The dance in this form, of individual rather than couple progression, is attributed to having been documented by Maud Karpeles in May 1918 (1928?) in Netherwitton (Northumberland), and first published in about 1933. Now very popular internationally in folk dance and social dance circles, e.g. Scottish country dance circles.

Source: Enge, Nick/ The Circassian circle. s.l.: Library of Dance, [2015].