Square Dance History

 

Square dancing has its roots in English Morris dancing. It later was combined with the French Quadrille and influenced by other European dances. New England settlers practiced an early form of square dance and it further developed in the Appalachian mountain region, where calling originated. The New England and Appalachian forms of square dance were combined and performed in the mining camps of the California gold rush. The "square" as we know it developed at that time.

In 1923 Henry Ford started a square dance program for the schools in Dearborn Michigan. He also sponsored a square dance program on national radio, constructed a large dance hall and maintained a staff of a dozen callers. In partnership with Thomas Edison, Henry also produced 78 rpm square dance records.

In 1938 Lloyd Shaw organized a high school student demonstration team in Colorado. This team performed in many of the major cities across the United States contributing greatly to the revival of square dancing. In recognition of his contribution to square dancing the Lloyd Shaw Foundation was formed in 1964 to promote all aspects of square dance activity.

During World War II, square dancing was promoted by the USO as a recreational activity. This produced a gain in popularity, particularly in California and Colorado, as the GI's returned after the war. In 1982, by an act of congress, square dancing was declared the national folk dance of the United States.

 

About Modern Western Square Dancing

 

Today, square dancing is unique among all other forms of folk dancing. It is the only dance form for which all the dance movements are extemporaneously announced by a designated "caller" who combines the dancers' knowledge of an average of 120 distinct moves to develop an original and unique dance sequence. The four-couple "square" and caller format allows for the infinite variety of dance experiences that continue to delight both veteran and beginning dancer. The building-block structure of modern square dancing makes mastery of the techniques easy and attainable for all ages.

The square dance caller is a vital part of square dancing. The caller provides the music and directs the dancing. At a dance, the caller calls a number of tips. A tip is a program of various square dance moves. In a tip, the caller directs the dancers through calls to a background of music and then does a singing call, usually to a popular song in which the caller sings the lyrics, interspersed with square dance calls. During a tip, the ladies progress from one partner to the next until they get back to their starting position.

Contemporary square dancing is divided into five programs: Basic, Mainstream, Plus, Advanced, and Challenge. Each program consists of a set of defined moves or calls. Our club is a mainstream-plus club.