The Country Dancer

THE COUNTRY DANCER

VOLUME 1

NUMBER 2

JANUARY FIFTEEN CENTS 19 41 CONTENTS

page EDITORIAL ...... ··········------····························- ...... 15 AUTUMN MUSICAL MEETING IN BOSTON ...... ______16 Eleanore Hubbard THREE TRIPLE MINORS-Numbers Two and Three ...... 17 Frances H. Jackson RHYTHM AND THE DANCER ...... ··········· ...... 18 Melville Smith THE MUMMERS' PLAY ...... _ ...... 20 May Gadd CHRISTMAS REVELS IN NEVv' YORK .. ············· ...... 22 Adrian Hull THE COUNTRY DANCER ········ ...... 22 SPRING FESTIVAL ______...... ········ ... ······ ...... 22 NEW CENTERS ______...... 23 ADVISORY BOARD ...... -·------·--···------·--··· ...... 23 BEREA CHRISTMAS SCHOOL ...... 23 Marie Marvell NEWS FROM REGIONS AND CENTERS . ··············-······ ...... 24 GIFT TO LIBRARY ...... 25 HISTORY OF THE COUNTRY DANCE SOCi l::TY - Part Two ------·-····- ...... 26 NEW YORK ACTIVITIES .. ... ·····-····-··········· ...... __ ...... ____ .. 27

nOARD OF EDITORS May Gadd - Albert Meyer - Agnes Roger!: Ruth Sanders - Evelyn K. Wells PL•blished four times yearly November to May by THE COUNTRY DANCE SOCIETY, Inc. 15 ~as+ 40th Street, New York, N. Y. Telephone: Lexington 2-7137 Fifty ccn:s a year; Fifteen cen:s a copy

· ~· 357 15

THE COUNTRY DANCER THE MAGAZINE OF THE COUNTRY DANCE SOCIETY

Volume 1 JANUARY 1941 Number 2

EDITORIALS

FOLK DANCING AND DANCING IN ENGLAND THE WORLD TODAY N days to come it seems very po sible that the I pre ent i ue of periodicals such a Fnglish Dance and Song, may be trea ured as provid HAVE recently been r_e-reading ~h ~ life of ing valuable data concerning the attitude of the Cecil Sharp and I find It more thnllmg than I English people toward the series of "regrettable I found it in M ay, when I read it for the 1939, adventure " that they are encountering. We first time. Again I realize, and more than I did read in this magazine an account given by the before, that "he had the generosity and endur Briti h Drama League of its own activities, in ance of the Scholar" and that "he had passion which it state its plea ure at being able to offer for finding beauty in common things." This temporary hospitality to the offi ce of the Eng seems to me a moment in the world's history lish Folk Dance and Song Society, after the when men are searching for security as they bombing of Cecil Sharp Hou e, and announces never have sought for it before. They have that the league "is active in promoting enter never been so free to search for it as they are tainment for troop , munition workers and war today. And that security they must find in the workers of every kind and is encouraged to very heart of things-in the common things of know tha t its sister body, the E.F.D.S., is full life. That i why folk dancing i. coming more of life, and in no way di mayed by its recent and more into the hearts of the people, for more regrettable adventure." Most of the accounts of a nd more do people wish to do in common, the dance activities in the Branches, seem deter things that are common to all. mined to ignore any difficulties that there may In addition to thi is the great beauty of the be in their way. H ertford hire remarks philoso movements of the folk dance. Rhythm lies at phically that its nearne s to London used to be the base of our breathing, of our heart beats, of an advantage, as functions at Cecil Sharp our walking. And the respon e that we feel in Hou e could be easily attended, but that " natu the e dances is the response to our own personal rall y we can't have it both ways, so now we natural rhythm. In these times of anguish for are sticking out days and nights of Alerts, the whole world, whatever may bring people Barrage and Bang ." K ent make some_ conce - together to experience an uplifted heart, a sen e sion to wartime conditions by announcmg that of joy, a ense of belonging to one another, a the Beckenham Center will meet on Saturday physical exaltation, is a God end to men, and afternoons "Air R aids Permitting" and that the folk dancing doe all these things. It is a rhyth Brenchley Center will meet on the Wednesday mic re pon e to the call in our hearts to belong evening "nearest the full moon." Bedfordshire to one another and to do in common things of speaks of a Party arranged to entertain refugee Beauty. There ha never been a greater call from variou part of Europe and how they for it than there is today. found themselves partnering Austrians, Czecho Lucv MADEmA WrNG slovakians, Belgian , Poles and Germans. 16 THE COUNTRY DANCER

Imogene Hoi t is in Somerset for twelve the e melodic , o truly an embodiment of month , as one of six Mu ic Travell ers cnt by the history and e sence of the people. the Pilgrim Trust into the country ide of Eng This is even more vital when these song are land to help in amateur mu ic-making, with in handed down in the properly traditional man truction to "Do what you want, and do it in ner, that i orally. For thus the stamp of many whatever way you like." After describing some individuals become impressed upon the ong, of her experience Mi s Hoi t remarks, "Some in words a nd air, and it is thereby kept liv:ng how the E.F.D.S. nearly alway ems to be and growing. mixed up in thi busine s of 'helping in the work We in the United State fortunately till have for the encouragement and entertainment of the a store-hou e of this traditionally pre erve"d people in dark and dangerous times. ' Perhaps mu ic among the people of the Southern it is the large number of familiar tunes or the mountains, and, a we know, Mr. Cecil Sharp fair number of familiar faces . . .. It is one more and hi succc sor have happily availed them small reminder, if any were needed, that Cecil elves of it trca ur , to our great enrichment. Sharp H ou c goe on all the time." To most of u , however, this tradi tional in The good news ha been received that the heritance has ncce sarily been enjoyed only by salvage and demolition expert have decided econd-hand means through transcriber , where that the wa ll s and foundation of Cecil Sharp by notation it become a fixed instead of a fluid H ou e are afe. Builders arc at work "making art. But if M ahomet cannot go to the mountain, good the roof of the M a in H all, clearing the sometime the mountain doe come to M aho debri and working hard to make the building met ; and so it did to the Bo ton Center of the waterti ght to prevent further deterioration." Country D ance Society on Sunday, November The Society hope that before long the offi ce 24, 1940, a t its first mu ical meeting of the will be re-establi hed in the ba cmcnt. Compen year, when the two Ritchie isters, M r . U na sati on will be obtained from the British Gov Ritchi e Yahkub and Mi J eanne Ritchie, ernment for the actual damage done but much from Pine Mountain in K entucky, entertained more will be needed in order to make the a t the H eadquarters the members of the Society building a beautiful a it wa before. A R ccon- and their fri ends, with folk ong handed down truction lund, for usc when the right time through generations of the Ritchie famil y. comes, ha been opened. We are hoping that They ang unaccompani ed, with a ll the im orne of our National and Center members may plicity of those accu tamed to expressing them have idea concerning the part of our American elves in natural mu ic, responding quickly to Society in thi work. Plea e write and tell us to the changing mood of the song with genuine about them. M. G. feeling for the dramatic. The songs themselves ranged from the sad and tragic to the amorous and humorous and, AUTUMN MUSICAL MEETING while sometime crude, were never vulgar. For the humor were of the arne naive ort a that IN BOSTON in orne of the medieval my tcry pl ay , robust and un-subtle-in a word, of the folk. JNr ecent year there ha been a great and To round out the delightful afternoon, after increasing interest in the folk arts of the general inging under the direction of Mis United States and other countries. The Coun Evelyn K. Wells accompanied by Mi s Alice try D ance Society i a leading and significant Main, colored moving picture of last sum factor in this revival, not only pleasurably but mer's Long Pond Camp were shown by tfis artisti cally. The Engli h and American dance Anna E. Holman. These gave many of u in the arc, of course, only one phase of this ancient audience a chance to "see ourselves a others art. The music, instrumental and vocal, is an ee us" and showed the variety, entertainment, important and inherent part of this movement and beauty of the Country Dance Society Sum and is being recognized as such by profes ional mer School. The fade-out scene of flaming sky, and lay musicians alike. Compo ers of all na darkening green wood , and purpling water tions, including our own, are ba ing many of made all anxious to participate further in the their compositions on the folk tunes of the peo activities of our Country Dance Society, with ple, and nationalistic movements have been, its varied plea ures and broadening intcre ts. and will be again, kept alive by the spirit of ELEANORE HUBBARD JA NUARY 1941 17

THREE TRIPLE MINORS- NUMBERS TWO AND THREE Copr. 1941. Frances H. Jackson

THE BANKS OF THE DEE THE CAMPBELL$ ARE COMING Arranged from a manuscript dat ed 1793, and This is the better known name of the old presented here by kind permission of the Trus tune " H ob or Nob" to which the dances " H alf ees of the Newberry Library, Chicago. Moon" or " H ob or ob" and others were per formed. The figures belo w are arranged from RIPLE minor longway formation for 6 early, middle and late 19th century sources. T couples. U c an easy walking tep unless otherwi e directed. For mu ic u e the tune of Triple minor longways forma tion for 6 the arne name, ometime known a the "New couples. U e an ea y walking step unle s othcr La ngolce" or adapt the A and B trains of wi e directed. For mu ic u e the tunc of the the Morris1 tunc, at a tempo uitcd to 2 tep a rne name, a t a tempo uitcd to 2 step to a to a bar. bar; somewhat gayer than THE BANKS OF TI-IE DEE. Str. Bars Music Nota tion Mu ic Notation Str. Bars A-1 1-8 H ead cpl2 cro over at beginning. A-1 1-8 3 L s2 draw around the 3 Gs2- Ls H ead cpl down outside, m eet below join !:and , move countcrclockwi e 3rd cpl, and cast back to places. a round Gs ( chassez or 2- tcp), Gs B-1 1-8 Down the middle, (hands cro ed ), turning to face them as they go. turn around ; back again and Yz A-2 1-8 Gs draw around the Ls, clockwise. cast off-L 2 to her left, G 2 right B-1 1-8 H ead cpl down the middle and back A-2 2nd cpl move up (progressive) . (inside hands joined) ani cast off A-2 1-4 Swing L below and G above ( G 1-2nd cpl move up (progre ive). swing 3rd L, L 2nd G, in waltz po A-3 1-4 Balance top and bottom-2nd and sition). 3rd cpls forward to each other and 5-8 Swing L above and G below. back. B-2 1-8 R ight and L eft at the top, a de 5-8 4 ~ands around head c pl, clock scribed below for 2 cpl . 0 R epeat until head cpl reach the top W ISe. A-4 1-8 Balance again and back to places. again ( tradi tiona! ) or as of ten as B-2 1-8 R ight and L eft at the top, as de· desired ; conclude as in THE IRISH scribed below for 2 Gs facing 2 Ls. WASH WOMAN,3 U ing B mu ic ad lib. R epeat until head cpl reach the top again (traditional) or a of In the original notation the 3rd figure i ten a desired ; conclude as in THE "6 hand around" ; the figure above ha been IRISH WASI-l WOMAN,3 using B music adapted from an authentic source dated 1808. ad Jib.

H ead cpl cross again on reaching bottom This dance lend itself readily to a longway place. - for- 2-cpls formation : head cpl move down OTES: In both dances the 4th cpl is also out ide a t the end, and new top cpl lead off. a head cpl. Two couples at the foot m ay per A few words about "Right and Left" fi gure form the dance, but at the head only a com· as u ed in Three Triple Minors: Thomas Wil plete minor set may begin. son, early 19th century English dancing mas ter, says tha t this figure in the country dance i not the arne as in the quadrille,-but he i Book VIII, " Morris Dance Tunes"-Sharp. so emphatic that one suspects it was a contro 2 C pl-couple; L- Lady; G---Gentleman. ver ial detail. Nevertheless, it was the quadrille 3 See THE CouNTRY DA NCE R for Nov. 1940. ( Continued on page 19 ) 18 THE COUNTRY DANCER

RHYTHM AND THE DANCER Melville Smith

S Ruskin said that music is " frozen architec ward forms of the dance which through genera A ture," so we might paraphrase hi orne tion have been built up by countless contribu what ambiguou definition, and say, "the dance tors as a fitting expression of what wa felt in is melted music." o doubt the conception is wardly-in hort, the tradition. Second, we just as ambiguous, and is, as Irving Babbitt was mu t learn, through analy is, ob ervation, and wont to say, a confu ion of the genres, but at practi ce, to expre s our sen e within these forms any rate, the intimate as ociation between music in a beautiful and moving way. By means of and the dance cannot be denied. Every dancer the Ia t process, we arc able to give plea ure to is to a certain extent a mu ician, just as every other as well as to ourselves, and we rai c our musician is a potential dancer, and no dancer is expression to the plane of art. ignorant of music, though he may often in Stre ha been laid in the foregoing remarks dulge in the elf-derogatory exclamation, " I on the word rhythm, for if there is one factor don't know anything about mu ic." In this re which the dancer mu t certainly feel, and with mark he may be correct, if we accept the usual out which he cannot be a dancer, it i rhythm. meaning of the word "know." But if we ub And since rhythm in music include and relie stitute for it the word "feel," such a confession upon for its very existence all the component is a patent contradiction of fact. Without feeling factor of which mu ic i made, he who knows anything about music, one would not and could rhythm, in this instinctive sen c, automatically not be a dancer, and it i extremely que tion know music. able if he would ever care to be one. We may It is curious, in view of the all-embracing im know mu ic uncon ciou ly, without critical portance of rhythm in music, and con equently analysis or conscious ratiocination, and when in the dance, that so little is understood about we dance we express this instinctive knowledge it. It is safe to say that no definition of rhythm to a greater or a le s degree. The excellence of i satisfactory, a fact in itself which points to our dancing probably depends upon two factors, the complexity of this factor which we all feel how much of music we uncon ciously know, but cannot explain. Perhaps, indeed, the at and how much of our in tinctive knowledge we tempt to explain it is a misplaced effort. Surely, are able to express through the medium of our for purpo es of the dance, it is ufficient to feel bodic . The one who knows more unconscious and expre s it, and the m ajority of our effort~ ly will have the more to e,.,:press, but on the should certainly be directed to this end. Some contrary, the one who i able to express more of us, however, wish to delve more deeply into beautifully what he knows will dance better the inner meaning of things, and at least for than he who, knowing a great deal, is unable the teacher, such an attempt, if properly to put his knowledge into action. directed, can do little harm. With these Our innate knowledge of mu ic, in its broad thoughts in view, and with the purpose of mere es t ense, is perhaps incapable of improvement. ly clarifying somewhat what we all feel, I shall T o borrow a term from the p ychologists, our try to carry out, in this and ub cquent articles, sense of rhythm, or sense of pitch, or sense of some explanations of the mechani m of rhythm, any of the other factors which go to make up a 5ubject far too vast, let me say at the outse t, music is more or less static. It has been with us for me to do justice to except in the most from our earliest years, and is the raw material meagre way. with which we have to work in our outward ex Perhaps the reason why a conscious under pression through the dance. Our basic inner per standing of rhythm has eluded so many who ception will not change, we will merely through have paid their tribute to it is because they have development Jearn to translate it into action, often mistaken the outward manifestations for in one fi eld or another. If, for instance, we find the inner reality. Seeing that music employs the expression of lhis inner faculty through the differences of intensity, or loudness and softness, morris dance attractive to us, we have two as one of its contributing means of expression, duties to perform. Fir t, we mu t Jearn the out- they have often jumped to the unwarranted ...

JANUARY 194 1 19 conclu ion that rhythm and intensity are inex terms, ha always been doomed to failure. The tricably bound up together. ow it is true that intensive definition of rhythm, which you will we may be made to feel rhythm through inten incidentall y find perpetuated in many diction sity, but the very fact that I am able to say aries, is only one example of thi failure. Again, 'we may be made to feel rhythm' points to the however, we mu t not fall into the error of a - fact that rhythm itself is something above and surning, becau e we cannot define rhythm in beyond the means which we may employ in ex phy ical terms, that it is expressed to the outer pressing it. If we carry this though to its logical world in anything else but physical terms. In conclusion we must unequivocally reject such mu ic, for instance, since the four attribute of definitions of rhythm as "the alternation of tone named above constitute all there is, it is loud and oft beat ," or any one of in apparent that rhythm must be expressed out numerable verbal attempts to explain rhythm wardly through these attributes, either singly ba ed upon such a simplisti c idea of its nature. or in combination. Failure to recognize this The con cious musici an may have been taken fact has led to such fantasist expres ions as in by such misleading statement ; the dancer "the rhythm of the universe," "rhythmic never could. He ha no truck with alternating flow," "the principle of unity," and other intensitie. . The attempt to bang out the beat in concepti on too vague to be of value. the accompaniment of the dance will only (To be continued ) make him uncomfortable. H e will dance worse instead of better, and he would much prefer to hear the tune played on the recorder, for in stance, all the tones of which are at approx THREE TRIPLE MINORS imately the same degree of intensity, than on (Continued from page 17) the piano, an intensive instrument which, under pattern that establi hed it elf in the New Eng the hands of the misguided or inarti tic player land "contry," and its problems have been can degenerate to depths of unmusicality dif solved to the satisfaction of traditional danc ficult to equal on any other in trument. er in the western Massachusetts region as fol The fact that the dancer, or in fact any_ lows : listener, can experience rhythm when differ 1-a) When a G(entleman) and his L (ady) ences of intensity are absent must in the end face a G and his L. both Ls being on their convince us that these intensive differences are partners' ri ght (which seldom happens in not a sine qua non of rhythm, b.ut are only one a country dance) the fi gure is like the 4 of the means of making us experience rhythm. changes in the Engli h hey except that But it is inexcusable to mistake the part for the G turn to face his partner when the whole, and to understand rhythm we must pas ing her in the second and fourth go back beyond the possible outward means of changes,-a movement of courtesy simi calling our attention to it, and try to under lar to the turn in siding. The figure is stand its very nature. performed with or without giving hands, The physicist, who is able by means of his and is the same as in the quadrille. sensitive apparatus to measure the properties b ) If the L is not the G's own partner of the material world, can in reality help us (which sometimes happens) the move little in the comprehension of rhythm. If we ments are the same. ask him to reduce the material of music, for 2-a) When 2 Gs face 2 Ls (which often hap example, to its simplest measurable terms he pens) the courtesy movement is of course will speak of four properties, all of which can meaningles and can be omitted if the be observed and measured in the laboratory. above pattern is followed. Pitch, intensity, duration, and quality are gen b ) More often the Ls join hands as they erally conceded to be the four attributes of cross the set, and their partners move tones, by means of which one is distinguished around outside them, passing by the left from the other, and in terms of which all con shoulder behind them ; with this slight ceivable tones which can ever be produced may shift of pattern they have preserved the be accurately defined. And yet we see here no feeling of courtesy,-a happy solution allusion to rhythm. Indeed, the attempt to ex which the editor of THREE TRIPLE plain rhythm in this material way, assuming MI JQRS hopes will become better that we can measure and define it in physical known. F. H . J. 20 THE COUNTRY DANCER THE MUMMERS' PLAY May Gadd

ASI look back to early Christmas Eves spent thei r purpo e much more cl early defined. K :ng in England, one thing th at e pccially and Queen- the familiar "Man-Woman" of tands out, is the thrilling moment when it wa folk rituals-entered and went through a comic announced that the "Tiptecrcrs" had come to courtship and then the Clown announced, in the hou e and were a king permission to present ong, the various characters who were to per their play. No one explained to me what thee form the first part of the ritual-the killing of Sussex lads were doing but I wa evidently im Winter. They were disguised by blackening pres cd, for I can till remember the dif their faces (hence the term "Gui cr ," often ferent character , who introduced them clve. applied to the pl ayer ) reduced nowaday to a with the formula "H ere comes Oi" etc., in mudge of bl ack on each check. They met with broad us ex di alect, the combat and the cure clashing of words, then joined in a circle, un-

Ampl eforth Sword Dance

(Copyright 1940 by PM I nc. R eprinted by special permission ) of the victim and the triumphant departure for broken until the end of the da nce and went another hou c-after they had coll ected their through intricate figure , pa ing under and just reward for what they had done for us. over arches, in a manner which, so the folk What they had done, of cour e, was to carry lorists tell us, is a ymbol of life eternall y re on the old ritual that ensured the end of Winter newed. Towards the end of the dance, excite a od the re-birth of Spring. ment mounted; the Clown seemed to be urging Later on, when I grew up and met Cecil on the dancer , the swords were woven into a Sharp and the Engli h Folk D ance Society, I hexagonal figure and eli played by the leader, came to know the Sword D ances of Northern a bystander entered the ring and the sword England, and heard Mr. Sharp speak of the " Lock" was placed around hi neck, the dancers folk play with which they were connected. But clapped three times and danced round the they did not really come alive for me until I "victim" wiftly, holding on to the hilts of their saw a performance of the Ampleforth Sword swords o that the Lock revolved around his Dance Play-and then I at spellbound. H ere, neck ; then they drew out their swords, the man it was evident, were the Tipteerer , but with fell "dead" and the dancer fl ed in panic. The JANUARY 1941 21 ritual killing of Winter wa performed, but no to accept a common origin. Combat, death and individual must be re ponsible for so dreadful cure form the central theme of both. M any of an act. the character that at first eem to be different, The Tipteerers' play had no such intricate turn out to be the arne ritual figure appearing dance a thi . The victim was lain in a conflict in a different guise-The Clown or Fool b ~ which consisted mo tly of knockabout buffoon comes Saint George, The Queen becomes M a1d ery, and, unless my memory plays me fal e, M ari an and o on. The dialogue of the Mum there wa not ju t one corp e, but everal. But mers' play i more artificial, but many _f?lk during the next part of the play Sus ex and qualities are present, while the more pnm1t1ve Yorkshire came together. A doctor was called Sword-Dance play often introduces passages for and in each play boa ted of his magic from "composed" plays. power in almo t identical words-"Cure men Mr. D ougla K ennedy, in the 1930 E.F.D.S.

Ampleforth Play Winter lies dead Doctor arrives on "Horse"

Th is photograph and the one oppo site were taken at the Christmas Country Dance Party in New York

(Copyright 1940 by PM Inc. R eprinted by special permission) with their hea ds off, men with hearts out" etc. Journal, comes to the conclusion that the Mum But in the Ampleforth play he fails to restore mer ' Play is a sophisticated version of a tradi the man to life, and it i the Clown who finally tional Folk-Play adapted for stage performance work the magic and brings back Spring. The somewhat as follows: "When the folk 'Country victim sing " I've had such a sleep as the like Dance' began to oust the orman-French was never seen." The sleep has been no ordinary dances and o win popularity at the Tudor one, but a whole winter of darkness; the death Court, what was more likely than that tlie was for the benefit of the community. In Mum Folk-Play should also attract attention. Per mers' and Sword-Dance play alike, the climax formed on the stage as an interlude or an comes with the triumphant renewal of life. epilogue, it would, of course, be bound to be In spite of differences in dialogue, characters, popular with the common people, for it was use of the dance, etc., these two forms of the their own native drama, and to be English Folk-Play have too much in common for us not rather than Norman-French was the new 22 THE COUNTRY DANCER fashion among the nobility." Mr. K ennedy Boar's H ead Proccs ional, with a group of points out that the Sword-Dance may have revelers who danced in a double line round the been included at fir t, but that the difficulty of room to the singing of the Wassail carol, by getting actors to perform so complicated a Cath rine Wright. Waldo Winger, as the herald, dance many have accounted for it later omis sang the beautiful old Boar' H ead carol, while sion. "And yet the drama demanded a death the dancer circled round in the style of the old and if there were no Sword-Lock to claim a carole. A pecial arrangement pf "Draper's victim, then there had to be a fight. Probably M aggot" followed, and the singing of "The the knockabout business involved by a fight First Nowell" by all present. The Mummers was more popular with townsfolk even than the knocked at the door, and, on being admitted, Sword-Dance." entered and gave a pirited rendering of the Later on a tereotyped form of the play Arnpleforth Sword Dance Play. would be carried all over the country by the Later in the evening Catherine Wright sang strolling players. By this time printed copie a delightful selection of carols and the Morri would be available, and what more likely than men gave a rousing performance of the Royton that the local village players, impressed by this Morri from Lancashire. They wore shirts more fa hionablc ver ion of their own tradi covered with loop of multi-colored ribbons ti onal pl ay, would adopt a part, or even the and the traditional peaked caps of the Royton wh ole, for their Christma fe tivities. "Then, if dancers. frequent recourse were not made to printed "Oranges and Lemons," "The Old Mole," copies, the popular play would once again begin "Portland Fancy," "Square Dance " etc. con to undergo the gradual evolution involved by tinued until midnight and everyone left, feel the proces es of oral tradition." ing that Friday the 13th was not an unlucky So the Tiptcerers acted a play that began in day! ADRIAN H ULL the dim pas t, became urban in the days of Eli zabeth and then pa sed once more into rural tradition. Why are Mummers call ed "Tipteer THE COUNTRY DANCER ers" in Su ex? "The English Folk Play" by E. K . Chambers gives two explanations. Su ex UR magazine continues to be received with did not bother about meanings; they were "Tip O favorable comments. Mr. John Martin tccrcrs" and always had been-and that was speaks of it in the dance column of the New enough . Y ork T im es, as follows : "The Country Dance Society, which during the first twenty-five years of its life was known as the English Folk D ance CHRISTMAS REVELS Society, has just begun its econd quarter cen tury by publishing "Volume 1, Number 1" of NEW YORK-December 13th a quarterly magazine entitled suitably enough, T HE COUNTRY DANCER. THE annual Christmas Party was again held "It is a well-designed and well-printed little at Beckman T ower and was a ttended by book, consisting of a modest sixteen pages, but, about two hundred and fifty people. The ball judging from the contents, ready for immediate room was attractively decorated with red and expansion. Its general subject ma tter treats of silver bell s, brightly colored balloons, and huge English and American dances, music and folk silver word locks. Prior to the dancing, sixt:v lore, activities of various affiliated folk-dance nine people attended a dinner held in a private centers, and material for teachers. It is smartly dining-room adjoining the ballroom. illustrated with half-tones and gives a distinctly A spirit of revelry prevailed from the very up and coming impression." fir t number on the program, the ever popular Chri tchurch Bells. A well-balanced program of English and American dances gave everyone SPRING FESTIVAL plenty of opportunity to dance, whether he be expert or beginner. True, the floor was rather We hope that Saturday, M ay 3rd, will be the crowded for some of the dances, but this added date of the annual Festival in New York. We to the gaiety of the occasion. are looking for a Hall. The Armory is not The first interlude was a Wassail Bowl and available for dancing this year. JANUARY 1941 23

NEW CENTERS BEREA CHRISTMAS SCHOOL ANCERS began arriving in Berea from all The dance groups listed below have re D direction the evening of D ecember 27th, cently been formed and affiliated with the for the opening of the third annual Folk D ance Country Dance Society. W e are delighted School sponsored by the Conference of South to welcome them and wish them a long life ern Mounta in Workers on the Berea College and a great deal of happiness. campus. Few introductions were ncces ary a t the fir t ENGLEWOOD, NEW JERSEY Intcre t evening's party for m any had met at previous in t h c Berea Christmas se ions, at the Short Course use of Ameri can and English dances a a stimul for recreation leaders at the John C. Camp ating recreation, was arou ed by a dance even bell Folk School, or Pincwoods Camp at Long ing given a t Englewood by the demon tration Pond. R e

NEWS FROM REGIONS AND CENTERS

BOSTON One hundred and fifty dancers CLEVELAND A long and intere ting bul were present at the Christmas letin ha arrived from the Party, which wa held at the Winsor School. Cecil Sharp Club and from it we have ex Mrs. Storrow "received" and brought with her tracted the following i terns: several British guests. The entertainment feature The plan made at the beginning of the year, of the evening was a folk "Ball et" arranged by by which variou members of the Club are Mr . Conant. Parties planned for the future re ponsible for teaching the dances (two being include one for member at the Win or School in charge a t each meeting) i working out well. on Friday, January 17th and a Square D ance Some mistake were made but opportunity to Party at the Girls' Latin School on Friday, correct the e i to be given. A rule that no teach February 14th, when Ralph Page will be the er should be interrupted while teaching, by an Caller. A Chri tmas M asque arranged by other member with different ideas, would eem Mr Conant was held at Cabot Hall, R adcliffe. to be a wise one. The Christmas Pa rty was held It wa very successful and aroused a great deal on December 14th ; a demon trati on by Lithu of interest. Two new classes arc being taught anian dancer wa a feature of the evening. The by Mis Chapin on Mondays, under the Club ha received the following letter from Mr. au pices of the Cambridge Center for adult Tom River Chairman of the 25th National education. The Boston Society's Second Mu ical R ecreation Congress, concerning the demon tra Afternoon will be held on J anuary 26th under tion given at the Congress in O ctober: "The the direction of Miss Evelyn Well . An account Folk Dance Demon tration marked a highlight of the Fir t Musical Afternoon of the ea on in the Congre M eeting . I hope that everyone appears on another page. who helped to arrange such an unu ual pro P ENELOPE NovEs gram realize that the member of the Congres consider that program the outstanding feature CAZENOVIA The high spot in our fall of the week' meetings." A new beginner ' clas term of dancing was an open ha been formed by the Club and it already evening party on the Saturday of Thanksgiving has twenty-four members. Miss Ruth Baier and week-end, conducted by Miss Gadd. About Mi Dora Wood once again a ttended the sixty- five people, half members and half gue t , Christmas School at Berea and Miss Olive Whit had a very good time with a great many "dances worth visited for several days. The bulletin ends for everybody" and a few for " tho e who know with an account by Mrs. Jame Aliferis of her them." The problem in the fir t half hour was fir t vi it to Pinewoods Camp last ummer. We to get the newcomer into the Circassian Circle, were relieved to find that her report of a begin and the problem at the end of the evening wa , ner's experiences ends with the words: "All I a I needn't tell you, to keep them out of ew can say is-I hope I can go again next urn castle. I need not tell you either, how sati - mer!" factorily our Director broke down resi tance with that cri p rising inflection of hers, that MONTCLAIR A this issue goes to press the even those who do not know her would never Montclair Center is on the mi take for a question. We issued a rather more threshold of its second course of ten lessons. general invitation to this party than ever before, Our Ia t session was by far the best we have announcing it in the local paper and using Mi s ever had. Parties interspersed through the Gadd's visit as a bait. A mall charge of admis course were a huge success bringing new courses sion to non-members paid for the hall and the and increasing the class membership. cider. We look back upon our Thank giving Dancing in Essex Fells is getting a better party with the appropriate sense of rep-letion, foothold a winter goe on. We were fortunate and the Cazenovia Center hope that Mi s in obtaining permis ion to u e the school every Gadd will be an annual guest at this time, hap other Saturday. Once a month we hold an pily as ociated with the turkey and the pump Open Party. On the other Saturday a group kin pie. of us get together to practise dances for local MARGARET JUDSON demonstrations. We made our debut at the JANUARY 1941 25

Co mopolitan Club of M ontclair on J anuary chool rc ted until ew Year' Eve, when they 7th, demon trating to about seventy people. were again gue t of the Association at the General dancing was very enthusias ti cally annual party at H arold T own end's farm- but received. this time for dancing, no more lesson . Our next Open New Jersey Party is at Essex J m·rN GouLD Fells School on Saturday, J anuary 18th, at 8 : 15 p. m. We hope to cc many of our fri ends SWARTHMORE COLLEGE The follow- from New York and urrounding point . ing invita Dances were taught in the Mutual Benefit tion ha arrived from Swarthmore : "The folk Life Insurance Company's recreation hall in dancers of Swarthmore Coll ege invite you to ewark to members of variou co llege during join them in an evening of English and Amer their Chri tma holiday . This party was given ican dances to be held on Saturday, February by one of the executive of the firm for his 15, 1941, at 8: 15 p. m. in the Coll ege Field family and fri end . H ou e. Only oft- oled shoe all owed on the On Saturday, J anuary 11th, the member of floor. R cfrc hment tax 25c." Miss M ary Pulvcr the cast of "The Browncc" were put through man write that all vi itors will be very wel their paces at the Paper Mill Play H ouse. The come and says, " I can only add that we had a occa ion wa an informal party and hot dog very succe sful party Ia t year; and that our roast. Some time wa pent in brushing up the fl oor is, we think 'tops' and can accommodate dance which concl ude the play. It was arranged almost any number of dancers. T he coll ege is to the tunc of Brigh ton Camp Ia t year, by the onl y a few mile off both U. S. 1 and by-pa s writer, and preparations are under way to take U. S. 1. I t i about 12 m'les sou thwest of Phila the plan on the road in February. delphia, 12 m ile from Chester, Pa. I t is easil y R oBERT H IDER accc iblc by both au tomobile and train."

PLAINFIELD, VERMONT The Wa bing- VIRGINIA R eport show that much work is ton Cou n ty being done with dance and Folk Dance A ociation held it fir t winter song in the outh-wcst region of Virginia. school at Goddard College, Pl ainfi eld, Vermont, Schools, oll ege and community group arc all the three day foll owing Christma , with a big taking part. M any of the clas c arc under the attendance that included an unexpectedly large auspi ces of the Adult Education Council. Mr. number of younger folks. While the school wa Richard Chase, who i in charge of the work, one of a scrie. of adult chools, the yo ungsters se nds the following account of recent acti vities: more or le took over, and the old folks prc~e n t Abingdon and M arion had each a ten lc on devoted much time to teaching the dances al class in country dancing. Both Center ended ready well known to the As ociation. their course with a party. T he children in the The A ocia tion has sponsored the annual chools of both town had Chri tmas Festivals. Vermont Folk Dance Festival at Goddard for We ang traditional carol , played many folk over a decade, but thi is the first winter school. ·~a rn e and did orn e of the easy country dances. Emerson Lang of D anville wa director, assi ted ,\ t both Fe ti val we had our good fiddler, Hun by members of the A ociation. The older ter Lester, who plays "H a te to the Wedding" group was deligh ted to ce the youthful in his own tradition and many good tunes for enthu iasm, fee ling that new blood would give Square dancing. Horton Barker al o took part, the already veteran organizati on further stabil inging " As Jo eph was a-walking," "Wondrou ity in years to come. Love," "The Farmer' Cur t Wife" and other In addition to the common Vermont country folk song . Rrc r-IARD CHA E dance whjch have always been a Saturday njght diver ion among the bjll and valley peo GIFT TO LIBRARY ple, the school took up cvcral English dances, We acknowledge with pleasure the gift of an and found the young tcrs anxjous to rna ter arrangement for four voices of the North Caro "Shrewsbury Lasses" especially, which was done lina Folk Song "Awake ! Awake !" The four part over and over until everyone had it. Thr school set was pre ented to the library by Mr. M elville also speci alized jn the dances with strictt·; V er Smith, who made the arrangement for Mr. mont tradition , mostly unknown elscwher,•. George Pullen Jackson and the O ld H arp After three full days of dancing, tho e at the Singers. The ong was enjoyed at camp. ...

26 THE COUNTRY DANCER

HISTORY OF THE COUNTRY DANCE SOCIETY 1915 TO 1940 Part Two

Shakespeare Tercentenary celebrations held and singing in order to devote himself to t~ e all over the country in 1916 offered pecial op teaching of English folk music a n~ dance, ~:hd portunitie to arouse intere t in English dances. much to arouse enthusiasm by filhng teachmg When the New York Center was invited to pro engao-ements about the country. But the lack of vide an English "Interlude" in Percy M ac a ce~tral headquarters made it difficult to fol K aye' "M a que of Caliban" Mr. Sharp agreed low up his work, or to give help to existing to compose the scenario and direct the per Centers when it was needed, and before long formance. The M a que was performed in the the United States Branch was di solved and only Lewi ohn Stadium and the English Interlude, Boston and New York remained as affiliated which represented the celebration of an Eliza Branches of the Society in England ; and they bethan M ay-Day Festival, was awarded the had little connection with one another. first prize. It was repeated a t other Shakespeare In Boston, the work was carried on by Lily celebrations in St. Loui and Cincinnati. Roberts until she became Mrs. Richard Conant, Summer school held by the Society at Am and then, while she remained Director of the her t Agricultural College in 1916 a nd in 1917 Branch, the main part of the teaching was un were directed by Cecil Sharp, but by the end of dertaken by Loui e Chapin, whose wide knowl July, 1916, he was free to vi it the Southern edge of the dancing had been gained from Mr. Highlands. H e spent twelve month there be Sharp, from Mrs. Conant, and by means of fre tween this time and December, 1918, forty-six quent visits to the summer schools of the So week being devoted to actual collecting. ciety, held in England. In ew York the teach Always punctilious about trespassing on the ing was carried on at different times by a _num work of other coll ectors, Mr. Sharp had written ber of people including Miss Susan G1lman to Mrs. Campbell before deciding to undertake (who had given wholehearted upport to Mr. further investigation, and had received the fol Sharp and had done much to prea~ knowledge lowing generou reply: "I want the collecting of hi work through her dance stud10 ), Charles done and done by the per on mo t competent R abold, Milton Smith, Sydney Parsons, K en to do it, and if I could have wished for a def neth Wheeler and H arry Curwen. But no one inite re ult from my work it would have been was able to give full time to New York work to attract to this region ju t such a person as and m 1926 the Branch applied to England for yourself."·X· With this encouragement he started a full-time organizer and teacher and M arjor!e on the work which produced the wonderful col Barnett came here in the Fall. After a year m lecti on of Appalachian Song , and, when he ar New York she went on to the newly formed rived at Pine Mountain, brought u in touch Rochester Branch, organized by M elville Smith with " et-running." In November, 1917 he gave in connection with the Eastman School of Mu an invitation-lecture at the Russell Sage Foun sic. New York again applied to England for dation on the current year's work in the moun help and May Gadd was appointed. Both she tains, together with a performance of the K en and Miss Barnett were members of Mr. Sharp's tucky Running Set. His work not only turned teaching and demonstrating staff. After two the attention of the members of the Society to years in Rochester, Miss B a r~ et t r e tu_r~ e d ~o ward the so ngs and dances to be found here, England to be married and IS now hvmg m but aroused the interest of a great many other South Africa and org;.nizing the dancing there. people. After Mr. Sharp' final vi it ended in Decem ln 1927 the Boston and ew York Branches ber, 1918, interest in the dancing continued in cooperated, together with Charles ~ ~bold and many place . Charl e Rabold, who had become with the help of teachers and mu JCJ ans from one of Cecil Sharp's mo t ardent followers after England, to revive the ummer school at Am the summer school at Eliot, M aine, and who her t last held in 1917. This school was con had given up his work as a teacher of piano tinue'd for ~ix more summer until it accepted the invitation of :Mr . Storrow ~\:? P i n~ * From CECIL SHARP, by A. H. Fox Strangways. woods Camp, on Long Pond, CY .. here rt t \1\~-f) JANUARY 1941 27 ha now been held for even successive sum annual meetings of the Council, and an Ad mers. visory Board consisting of experts in various The necessity for further cooperation between fi elds related to the Society's work; the Society the various groups, in order to aid growth be as a whole to retain its affiliation with the Eng came evident. At a meeting held at the 1928 lish Society, the total of the affiliation fee be School the que tion of orne type of central ing based on the number of National and Cen organization wa discussed and in December of ter members forming the Society here. Thi re that year a meeting of repre entative of the organization was accepted by the Bo ton and Boston, New York and Roches ter Branches was New York Branches at meetings held in the Fall. held, and "The Federation of American In D ecember of the same year Miss Gilman Branches of the Engli h Folk D ance Society" retired from her office of part-time secretary, was formed, with a central committee compo ed and, due to the generosity of Mr . Storrow, of three delegates from each of the three President of the Society, a full-time national Branches and two additional delegates repre secretary was engaged, and, a little later, the enting centers of dancing outside the area of headquarter office at 15 East 40th Street was a Branch- Mr. Rabold representing Fairhope, opened. Miss Gadd was appointed National Alabama, and other area that he visited, and Director by the Council. Miss Olive Whitworth, repre enting Cleveland, The growth of the Society re ulting from the where she had carried on the dancing since the increased cooperation is evident. There are now early days of the Society. Mrs. Storrow was twenty- even Affiliated Centers and others arc appointed Chairman and Miss Susan Gilman being organized. Fifteen of the e have open part-time Secretary. member hip and twelve are formed within an Each of the Branche and Centers still affil other organization such a a a College or a iated directly with the Society in England, a School and so have restricted membership. They well a with the Federation, and in 1933 an are, however, all active dance groups formed other step was taken towards making an effec for the purpose of danci ng Engli sh and Amer tive central organization, by arranging that they ican dances. The national headquarters also or should affi liate with the English Society through ganizes dance activities in New York and vicin this central organization and that the name of ity in addition to carrying on promotion work "The Engli h Folk Dance Society of America" in any part of the country. Direct result of the should be adopted. Later, the words "And combining of interests have shown in the in Song" were added to our title, as they had been creased registration at the ummer chool and in England. in the fact that the Society wa able to arrange, The H eadquarters office in New York still, in the Spring of 1939, a teaching and lecture however, acted merely as a bureau of informa tour for Mr. Douglas K ennedy, who uccceded tion, and organized no activities except the Cecil Sharp a Director of the Society in Eng summer chool. It became increa ingly evident land. The tour took Mr. K ennedy as far west that more direct action was needed if the So as Chicago and could have been extended to ciety was to become effective for the whole the west coast if time had allowed. country. At the 1937 summer meeting of del (To be continued) egate it was voted that the ew York Branch hould be di olvcd and that in its place cw York should be organized a the National H ead NEW YORK ACTIVITIES quarter of The Engli sh Folk Dance Society of THURSDAY AND FRIDAY CLAS SES begin new America, with a national membership and with cssion the fir t week in February. They will the Boston Branch and all Centers becoming continue until the end of April. affili ated Centers of the national organization; THE NEXT OPEN PARTY will be held at the the Society to be governed by a ational Coun Russell Sage Foundation at 130 Ea t 22nd St., cil consisting of officers and repre entativcs New York, on Saturday, M arch 8th, at 8: 15 elected by the national membership and with p.m. other repre entatives elected by the Centers, THE MARCH M EMBERs' EVEN! ·G will be with an Executive Committee, consisting of held on Tuesday, M arch 18th. H all to be an people able to attend monthly meeting in ew nounced. York, appointed by the Council to carry on the SQUARE DANCE EvENINGS WITH T EAC HIN G. national work of the Society in between the bi- Anyone intere ted please notify the office. ..

THE COUNTRY DANCE SOCIETY, Inc.

NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS 15 EAST 40TH STREET, NEW YORK, N. Y.

MRS. JAMES J. STORROW, President MAY GADD, National Director HELEN DENTON , Secretary

REGIONS AND CENTERS *C.D.S. Representative BIRMINGHAM , MICHIGAN LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY Mrs. George T. Hendrix (Chairman) Mrs. Raymond Mclain (Chairman) * Mrs. Fred Farrar (Director) * M. G. Karsner (Director) Mrs. W. A. P. John (Secretary) MONTCLAIR, NEW JERSEY BOSTON , MASSACHUSETTS Jeanette Taylor (Chairman) Mrs. James J. Storrow (President) * Rob ert Hider (Di rector) . Louise Chapin (Director) Mrs. H. E. Thompson (Secretary) * Mrs. R. K. Conant (Artistic Advisor) Anna Kloss (Secretary) NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT * Bruce Simonds (D irector) CAZENOVIA, NEW YORK * Margaret Judson (Director) PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA Mrs. lvol Curtis (Secretary) • Walter Coppock (Director)

CLEVELAND, OHIO PLAINFIELD, NEW JERSEY * Olive Whitworth (Honorary Director) Clarissa Wells (Chairman) Virginia Whitworth (Cha irman C # Club) Mrs. James Aliferis (Secretary C # Club) PLAINFIELD, VERMONT Washington County Fo lk Dance Association DETROIT, MICHIGAN • Mrs. J erome Johnson Florence Cassidy (Chairman) * Emerson Lang * Mrs. Fred Farrar (Director) VIRGINIA ENGLEWOOD, NEW JERSEY * Richard Chase (Director) Helene VanZandt (Chairman) Kathe rine Chase (Secretary)

HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT WELLESLEY Mildred Dawson (President) Helen Jones (Chairman) * Katherine Colton (Director) * Evelyn K. Wells (D irector) Mary O 'Keefe (Secreta ry) El isa beth Curtiss (Secretary) CENTERS WITHIN OTHER ORGANIZATIONS BELLEVUE SCHOOL OF NURSING LINCOLN SCHOOL OF TEACHERS COLLEGE NEW YORK, N. Y. (Parents Association) NEW YORK , N. Y. * Geraldine Smith * Mrs. Albert Meyer BRYN MAWR COLLEGE, BRYN MAWR. PA. MADEIRA SCHOOL, FAIRFAX COUNTY, VA . * Ethel Grant * Mrs. David Laforest Wing CONFERENCE OF SOUTHERN MOUNTAIN OJAI VALLEY SCHOOL WORKERS, BEREA, KY. OJAI, CALIFORNIA * Frank Smith * Mrs. Cordelia Kingman FRIENDS SCHOOL (Parents' Association) PINE MOUNTAIN SETTLEMENT SCHOOL GERMANTOWN, PA. PINE MOUNTAIN, KY . Mrs. Pierce Delaphine (Chai rm a n) * Glyn Morris * John Hodgkin SANTA PAULA, CALIFORNIA JOHN C. CAMPBELL FOLK SCHOOL * Mrs. Cordelia Kingman BRASSTOWN, N. C. * Marguerite Butler Bidstrup SWARTHMORE, COLLEGE, PA. * Alice Gates KIMBERLY SCHOOL, MONTCLAIR, N. J. * Mary Pulverman * Mrs. P. G. Griffen Emilie Sylvester (Se cretary) CORRECT!ON

In pa.ro.graph on NE\1 YORK P.CTIVITI~S on page 27 the r::onth giVf~n for the Open Pa.rty and tlle Hem bt-rs! Evening shouJ.d. be- F:CB::FJI\:=t.Y lnstcad of HA.t1CH. Eott, 8 V