CONTRA DANCE - Rowan University



SQUARE DANCE

GENERAL INFORMATION

Introduction

Square Dancing had been around for centuries. It began in England and France and came to America early in the history of the new world. As the population spread westward so also did square dancing taking different forms as it went. The uniquely American contribution to this development was the caller, sometimes called the prompter because he prompted the dancers memory of patterns they had learned. Modern square dancing began with the advent of public address equipment good enough to allow changing dance patterns and the use of recorded music. In the next 20 years hundreds of new calls were created. Until the 1960’s there were two schools of Square Dance. The singing calls of the eastern states and the patter calls of the western states, appropriately called Eastern and Western Square Dance. Regional variations existed in basic steps, promenade positions, dance tempos, duration and type of swing, et. al.

The Callerlab under the direction of Bob Osgood was instrumental in standardizing square dance beginning in the 1970’s. Different plateaus of difficulty have been established (basic, extended, mainstream, and plus movements). The Basic Plateau consists of 50 basic calls most popular for the beginning dancer. The square dance calls listed in the glossary represent beginner and intermediate level basics.

History

Roots of Square Dance

Square dance as we know it today is one of the few dance forms that is identified as truly American in origin. However, American Square Dancing has two great ancestors, one English and one French.

• Morris Dance. (1600’s) The Morris Dance was a professional dance performed by trained teams who called themselves "Morris Men", and it was done with great gravity. Morris Dances were danced by six men (remember, the women didn't count!) in two rows of three.

• English Country Dance. The Country Dance is the dance of the common folks. The dancing included "longways" dances, some for six, some for eight and some for "as many as will". The ones for eight are square dances and the ones for "as many as will" have all the figures and subdivisions of our modern contra.

• French Contredanse. (late 1700’s) This dance form is a cousin of the English Country Dance performed for two and four couples in a square formation.

• Lancers. (early 1800’s) A Lancer is an elegant and elaborate form of the quadrille involving a five-part arrangement performed in a four-sided formation accompanied an orchestra. Each part is performed to a different rhythm. The last figure was always military in style and in march-time similar to the contemporary Grand Square.

• New England Singing Quadrille. This colonial dance form replaced the more elaborate five-part quadrille and was described as simple, freely moving and melodious singing squares. The tunes, the dances and the rhyming caller became very popular. The French-Canadians embellished the quadrille with the long count swing and buzz step. This dance form provided many of the basics for the 20th century square dance.

• Appalachian Mountain Running Set. The colonial Running Set was similar to the English Country Dance and dances from the lowlands of Scotland. The running set is more truly a round eight than a square eight. The action goes "around" the square rather than "across" it. The single visiting couple figure was a common element of the running set and later the western style of colonial square dance. The caller, a truly American innovation, could call within or outside of the set. The dancers used a bouncing run or clogging action. This dance form was discovered in 1917 by Cecil J. Sharp.

• Play Party Games. The Play Party Games (dances without fiddle music) were an offspring of the Running Set. These allowed dancing to continue and thus endure times of fanatical religious disapproval. The Puritan under the influence of General Cromwell and John Knox were a grim lot, believing, as they evidently did, that what was gay and light-hearted was also sinful. When they came across the sea during the first half of the 17th century, they simply left the whole lot behind.

• Texas Square Dance. (post Civil War) Texas square dance is characterized by colorful patter (rhyming) and intricate dance figures. These calls were created by the uninhibited imaginative callers. The calls were a product of oral rather than written tradition as the fiddler brought them along as he moved among different ranches to perform. Visiting couple, do-si-do, and allamende were popular traditions.

People in Square Dance

• John Playford. One of the earliest written records (and there are not many) of English Country Dances is contained in the works of John Playford, a musician and dance master. His book The English Dancing Master - Plain and Easy Rules for The Dancing of Country Dances, with Tunes of Each Dance was published in seventeen editions between 1650 and 1728 and contained 918 dances.

• Cecil J. Sharp. In 1917, the great English folklorist, Cecil J. Sharp, was prowling the southern Appalachians, hunting for folk songs and ballads. Descendants of the early settlers who had come to the new world during the reign of James I and later, had drifted into the back country, established little settlements, and remained so out of contact with the world over many generations that their customs, their speech, their songs and their crafts had been preserved unchanged, as a fly is caught and held intact in amber. He documented the relationship between the Running Set and English Country Dance.

• Herb and Pauline Greggerson. (early 1900’s) Herb was a dancer, caller and writer who had a strong influence in making El Paso, Texas one of the centers of western square dance. The Greggerson’s published two books, West Texas Square Dances and Herb’s Blue Bonnet Calls (1939). They traveled with the Blue Bonnet Dance group.

• Lloyd and Dorothy Shaw. These leaders are among the giants in the development and Square Dance in the West. Lloyd was a writer, teacher, principal and innovative leader. He traveled with the Cheyenne Mountain Dance Group. He published the Cowboy Dances (1939) and later the Round Dance Book (1948). The Lloyd Shaw Foundation is a nonprofit organization that trains teacher and leader, produces records, sponsors conventions, publishes books and pamphlets, and disperses historical information.

• Bob Osgood. Was the publisher of Sets In Order which first appeared in 1948. This publication was later called Square Dancing Magazine that ceased being printed in 1985.

• Anne Pittman and Marlys Waller. These woman were the editors of Foot and Fiddle (1946), the first square dance publication to chronicle the early years of square dance. They were physical education instructors at the University of Texas.

Formations andTeaching Suggestions

There are many different formations that can be used to teach square dance movement and concepts.

Big Circle Methods

The Big Circle approach to teaching square dance is most effective for beginning dancers (young and old) to introduce new calls as well as to review selected dance steps. However, the teacher should not hesitate to use this circle method to accommodate demonstrations, maximize participation and add variety to any lesson.

• Single Circle. Dancers are in a single large circle with partners. This formation is ideal for: (1) young students who are beginning to learn the basics of square dance; (2) to maximize participation when there is an imbalance of males and female in the class; and/or (3) to demonstrate new and review movements for any dancers. The use of an odd/even rather than male/female designation would mean that the majority of students participate. Square dance movements appropriate for the single circle are: circle right/left; allemande right/left; single file promenade; grand right and left; weave the ring; twirls; elbow or waist swing; forearm turns; do-sa-do; see-saw; forward and back; and others. Basic terminology can also be introduced to include: partner; corner; forearm; direction of movements (clockwise, counterclockwise); and others.

Double Circle. Dancers are in a large double circle with partners. Males are closest to the center; females are on the outside of partner. This can be used in combination with the single circle formation and for similar reasons. Square dance movements appropriate for the double circle are: promenade; California twirl; back track; and others. Basic terminology to introduce would include: promenade position; direction of movement; and others.

Sicilian Circle. Dancers are in a double circle with partners while facing another couple (sets of two couples). The movements to be presented in this formation would be advanced beginner and therefore more appropriate for upper elementary dancers and older. The square dance movements to teach using the Sicilian Circle are: ladies chain; right and left thru; pass thru; circle four; star four; and others. This simulates head couples or side couple movements when the class progresses to the square dance formation.

Scattered Formation Approach*

This approach works best with an even number of students and, much like the single circle method, it is great for young and/or inexperienced dancers, to accommodate a large number of movers, and to maximize participation. The male/female ratio is not important in this activity. The teacher presents square dance movements to the class as a whole that they practice with any partner. The teacher will call out different movements while background music is playing. Initially, the students move individually through general space, on the teacher’s call they will find a partner and perform different movements provided by the teacher. Students are encouraged to move to the beat of the music.

Sample Call Sequence:

Hit that lonesome road (walk individually through general space)

Find a partner and give them a swing (find with another dancer and do an elbow swing)

Face your partner and do-sa-do

Partners… Hit the lonesome road (stay with partner and walk through general space)

Circle up the wagons (two couple to make a circle four)

Circle to the left the circle right

Squeeze the lemon (move forward and back while in a circle)

Hit the lonesome road (all dancers move individually)

Find a partner and right elbow swing

Wring the dishrag (join both hand and slowly turn under joined arms)

(This simple sequence uses movements specific to this experience, the teacher can include any other movements for partners or groups of four dancers. The calls used can be the more traditional terms (do-sa-do, forward and back, promenade, etc.) and will depend upon age of dancers.)

*Idea from Gregg Montgomery, Gym Dandies Series: Volume 3.

Longways (contra) Set Formation

Dancers are in two lines, a line of males facing a line of females, facing their partner in the opposite line. This formation is also effective for younger dancers, appropriate when introducing some square dance movements, and when there is an imbalance of males and female. It sometimes involves moving across the set as well as up and down the set that is not necessarily used in the traditional square dance set. Square dance movements to teach using the longways set are: do-sa-do; see-saw; forearm turns; swing; ladies chain; pass thru; courtesy turn; allemande left/right; forward and back; and others. This can incorporate some of the movements learned in both the single and Sicilian circles. The Virginia Reel is a very good dance to use as part of the square dance unit. (See the Contra Dance section for additional ideas.)

Set Approach

The students are now ready to use the square dance movements they have performed in the scattered, circle and longways formations in a square dance set. They only need to think of the square as a combination of a single circle, double circle, Sicilian circle; and longways (contra) set in order to successfully perform the movements. The teacher can now introduce the concept of the total square dance including: (1) parts of the square dance; (2) rule for maneuvering the set; (3) relationship of the members of the set; and (4) courtesies. The teacher can call his/her own square dance sequence or find appropriate square dances performed by professionals. (See list of music resources.) A combination is often the most effective approach.

Organizational Procedures for Forming Sets

The process of forming a set of four couples (eight dancers) needs to be completed in an efficient manner in order to maximize the time for dancing. Assigning partners to sets at the beginning of the unit is obviously the most time efficient method. However, the motivation and interest of the students must also be considered. Incorporating a change of partner, change of set, and occasionally a different method of forming sets should be considered.

• Grand March. This is a traditional method in American Square Dance for forming sets. Dancers start in two separate lines (one male only, one female only) facing the front of room. The first person leads the line in a file formation until each person matches up with a partner in the opposite line and walk down center of dance area. The couples peel off with the first turning to the right, the second to the left, and walk up their respective side of dance area. The dancers continue to walk with new partner to make a line of four dancers, each set of four then peels off and walk up the respective side of dance area. The four join to for a line of eight. These eight dancers would then form a square dance set as directed by caller.

• Assigned Sets. When the unit involves a large group of students it may be most time-effective to assign students to specific sets for the duration of the unit. This will maximize dancing time and minimize time spent organizing students.

• Color Code. The teacher prepares different colored cards (divide class size by eight to determine the number of different colors needed). You will need eight cards of each color. Write Couple 1, 2, 3, and 4 on each card. You will need a set of cards for the boys and one set of the same color for the girls. When students enter randomly distribute one set of cards to the boys and the other set of cards to the girls. Have them find the person of the opposite gender who has the same couple number on their card. Then find the three other couples that have the same colored cards. The teacher then directs them where to form the set. You may want to do this at the beginning of the unit and have the students remember their color. Once students are color- coded you can use this designation to move dancers around during lessons and throughout the unit… Blue boys dance with yellow girls, etc. (BE SMART…COLLECT THE CARDS AND KEEP THEM IN A FILE TO USE AGAIN.)

• Teacher Count-off. The teacher can go down the line of males and give them a number from one to four. The number will represent his respective couple number. The teacher designates where the four gents will form a set and ask them to move to that location. Once the males are in position, the females are given a number and asked to move to a set of male dancers.

• Big Circle to Square Method. This is most efficient when students have begun the class learning calls in a single, double, or Sicilian circle formation. The students would already be with a partner. The teacher can have the dancers join hands with their partner. The teacher can move around the circle assigning each couple a couple number (1 to 4) and ask them to form a set in a designated location. Note: When students are not familiar with the square dance positions the teacher may want to sit the class down, select four couples, and demonstrate each of the four positions in the center of the circle.

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