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Square dancing is not native only to the United States,
there are importation's from the British Isles. The Square dance is a modern term (1870s
& up) to describe Country or Contra
dances (Contredanse Anglais) of the past such as Lancers
and, Quadrilles, Basse
and Hautes dances, Circle dances, String dances, Longways, and Reels,
Cotillions, Buck
and Wing, Jigs, etc. The
Quadrille which originated in 1740 is considered the start of traditional Square dancing.
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There Are different styles and mannerisms in square
dancing throughout the world. Originally these dances were primitive dances done in lines
(columns) and circles, then modified to Squares or Quadrilles (see Quadrilles
for more info). Square dancing which is basically a "Sequence dance" wa S one
of the popular of activities in colonial times. In the southern Appalachians, America
would make its only real contribution to Square dancing called Running Sets.
The term Square dance can be applied to many types of
American folk dances in which
an even number of couples participate, arranged so that they form a square, as in square
set and Quadrille (four couples), or in two lines facing each other called a
Contra or as in a Longways set (Side By Side) or in a circle as in a running
set. In Squares and Rounds, the term square dance is used for any type of dance that is
not done by individual couples. Round dancing is a form of choreographed ballroom dancing
with a cuer, like ballroom dancing, is done in couples. Clog dance is another form but
is done as an individual. Most of the original square dances / steps were brought to the
US (importation's) from England. Today there are basically two types of Square
dances 1) Traditional Square Dance 2) Modern Western Square Dance.
The square dance is made up of many figures that are
called out during the set by a trained caller who was originally a dance master (dance
Instructor.) These callers or 'Prompters' as they were originally known would call
out the steps to remind the dancers what to do next, with the traditional caller originating
with the Cotillions and Contredanses of an earlier, mostly forgotten
time. Square dancing became a part of the early 20th century barn
dance scene, unfortunately this would add a hillbilly or Hick stereotype with the
public towards Square dance.
During the early 1920s, the car maker Henry Ford would
take on a campaign to bring many of these dances back into popularity, although he failed
at his attempt, he did alot to help a later boom with Lloyd Shaw in Colorado creating
new styles of Square dance choreography which evolved with a ton of new calls and dances
along with the introduction of the Microphone and 45 rpm records would make Square dancing
a new and fun experience enmasse.
*Contra
dances (Contredanse) have sets with some couples being "active
and some being inactive." Contra dances have a beginning and end.
*Square dances have no inactive or active couples, instead
there are head couples (backs to caller) and side couples.
*Circle dances such as the big circle or big set, there
is an "active couple" and an "inactive couple" who face each other,
which are called "odd and even." Circle dances have no beginning or end.
*Barn
dances or Hoe Downs consisted of Waltzes,
Virginia Reels, Corn Husking
Dances, Jigs, Buck,
Schottische dancing etc.
General
Time Frame:
Colonial - 1700's, Quadrille - 1810's, Appalachian (English country
dance) - early 1850's, Frontier Farmer & Frontier Cowboy - 1820's, Southwestern
(Contradanza) - 1820's, Barn Dances - 1880s, Henry Ford era - 1920's, Western era
(Lloyd Shaw) - 1930/40's, Modern Square Dancing 1950's.
In
1976 the US Post office used cancellation stamps entitled: 25th
National Square Dance Convention Anaheim, June 24 - 26.
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