Square Dancing is the official folk dance of many states. "California leads the nation with more than 200,000 residents square dancing weekly. It conforms to our ever changing lifestyles and appeals to people of all ages, races, and creeds. Class distinction is forgotten when people join together to enjoy the true fellowship of the Square Dance," notes the California State Library
Square Dance in any form is a cooperative rhythmic activity or group dance involving four couples who stand on the sides of an imaginary 10 foot square. The dance is done to music with the steps choreographed or "called" by a "caller" so that all couples can coordinate their movements. Its roots go back to folk dances from past centuries in many countries but has developed into two distinct types or styles: old-time or traditional, and modern western or contemporary.
Old-Time or Traditional Square Dancing
Traditional square dance is simpler and less formal than the later "modern" version. The Canadian Olde Tyme Square Dance Callers' Association was founded in Toronto, Ontario, Canada in 1954 by a group of callers interested in preserving and promoting the traditional Canadian style of square dancing. A similar group, the North Carolina Old-Time Squares, works to preserve American styles.
According to material from these two groups, the following are characteristic of traditional or old-time square dance:
- Uses a basic set of steps or movements (the Canadian association lists 17 basic and seven secondary movements). They are the familiar "do-si-do" and "allemande left" seen in western movies, and are also part of another dance called contra, which is danced in two facing lines.
- Can be learned in half an hour or less
- Is generally done to live music with a heavy emphasis on fiddle and banjo
- Highly informal - does not involve levels, clubs, badges, colors and/or costumes
- Is generally combined with old-time couples dances (square sets interspersed with waltz, two-step, polka etc)
- Often involve a "visiting couple" sequence, where the figure (series of movements) is performed by couple 1, then couple 2, and so on. Couple 4 can be rank beginners but will have learned the figure by the time their turn comes to lead it.
Modern Western Square Dancing
The "modern" square dance movement began after World War II and swelled into the 60s as part of the "social activity" movement that saw the growth of fraternal organizations and bowling leagues.
Although it is derived from the traditional model, Modern or Contemporary Western Square Dance differs in many aspects. Modern square dance:
- Is divided into seven levels – Basic, Mainstream, Plus, Advanced 1, Advanced 2, Challenge I, Challenge II – administered by Callerlab, the International Association of Square Dance Callers. The levels are not progressive or sequential. Each level contains a variety of moves that range from very simple to more complex.
- Requires up to a year to learn the movements of each level (there are currently 68 movements in Basic/Mainstream, for example).
- Is generally done to recorded music with a live caller
- Is organized into clubs, which hire the caller, arrange a hall, have "club colors" or outfits, encourage fancy western costumes.
- Is danced internationally (dances in all countries are called in English)
- May be interspersed with round dancing or couples dancing in some clubs or at some dance nights
- Provides for more flexible choreography, depending on the experience/skill/creativity of the caller; it is this aspect that appeals to adherents
As recreation swings from social to couple/individual activities, contemporary square dance has experienced a decline. Many clubs are moving away from strict dress codes; couples-only clubs are giving way to singles and mixed groups. In this respect, the modern style is moving more towards the traditional.
Thomas Alan Gray - Tom has been writing for over 30 years; curiosity leads him to dig into a wide variety of topics.
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