The Essence of Old Virginia or Virgina Essence was Minstrelsy's most famous dance as it became the first dance that all professionals needed to learn. In the 1850's Minstrel man Dan Bryant would lead the way for it's acceptance into the Minstrel shows.
The Shuffle dance was to play a major role in it's creation which eventually led the way for the Arkansas Traveler and the Soft Shoe!. The dance is said to be based entirely on the old 'rude plantation Negro' dance material, described as a combination of old 'Darky steps' and intricate shuffles. The dance when done properly appeared as if the dancer didn't move the feet at all, very smooth, so smooth you would think they wore skates as they
progressed forward rapidly.
The Essence eventually lost it's eccentric steps and helped shape the Soft Shoe dance routines, as some say the Soft Shoe was the refinement of the Essence with its graceful movements that eventually became known as a "Class Act". The dance was originally done to 6/8 time, but was later changed to 4/4.
The South
reportedly 1736
n/a
Folk / Plantation Dance
Narcissus
Wait tile the Clouds Go By
Basse Dances
Chicken Reel
Hornpipe
La Volta
Reels
Barn Dance
Contredanse, la
Jig
Old Paul Jones
Square Dance
Buck Dance
Clog
Lancers
Pigeon Wing
Virginia Reels
Carmagnole, la
Folk
Landler
Quadrilles
Virginia Essence
Billie Kersands
Greenlee and Drayton
Dan Bryant (1858)
Eddie Leonard
Eddie Girard (1872)
James Barton (1910's)
Basic Steps:
Ballrooms