Folk Dancing

This overview of folk dancing in the United States showcases an important historical movement and explains how folk dance communities evolved to fulfill the needs of specific groups of people over time.While the general term “folk dance” encompasses a surprising variety of specific dances, there are three major recreational communities or forms: international folk dance, modern western square dance, and contra dance. Throughout the last century, millions of people have enjoyed folk dancing as an educational and recreational activity, regardless of the particular style.Folk Dancing explains the reasons for the folk dance movement that exploded in Europe and North America in the late 19th century. It describes the clubs, camps, festivals, and communities that sprang up, and examines the culture of the movement—the music, key individuals and events, types of clothing, and influences of technologies and popular culture. The book contains authoritative, original information gleaned from the author’s own research conducted with hundreds of folk dance enthusiasts across America.Presents information based upon hundreds of candid interviews and informal conversations with folk dancers across the countryProvides a timeline of dance trends in North America as related to the folk dance movementFeatures diagrams of dance formations such as square dance, quadrilles, and contra dance as well as illustrations showing dance positions and community dance events from pre-20th century sourcesPresents original photographs and images collected from interviewees to illustrate different facets of recreational dance communitiesContains a bibliography of resources that covers a broad scope of folk dance history as well as specific recreational communities Includes a glossary of commonly used folk dance terms

Erica M. Nielsen is a freelance writer based in Arizona. She holds a MFA in dance from Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ.