Bridgewater Review

Volume 38 Issue 2 Article 6

11-2019

Dancing at the Canadian American Club

Jen Schoonover

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Recommended Citation Schoonover, Jen (2019). Dancing at the Canadian American Club. Bridgewater Review, 38(2), 14-17. Available at: https://vc.bridgew.edu/br_rev/vol38/iss2/6

This item is available as part of Virtual Commons, the open-access institutional repository of Bridgewater State University, Bridgewater, Massachusetts. Dancing at the Canadian American Club Jen Schoonover he tone of her voice is rising. There is a pause, and a pointed look from her pale Tblue eyes, focusing directly at mine. “Jen, I don’t want my steps to die with me.” I am talking with Judy McKenzie. Judy is Canadian, but has lived in the We are both attending a dance at United States for most of her life. the Canadian American Club in She came to Massachusetts when very Watertown, Massachusetts. Judy is a young, with her parents, who came dancer known for her inventive “steps,” for work. As a child, Judy studied combinations that incorporate familiar, tap dancing in Massachusetts, but rudimentary motifs with unexpected remembers seeing “Scotch” dancing Judy McKenzie dancing at the Canadian twists and pauses. Her short, cropped when she returned “back home” for American Club, Thanksgiving 2006. hair contributes to her striking appear- summer visits. It would be off in a (Photo Credit: Victor Maurice Faubert) ance, and reflects her forthright, direct corner somewhere, and was the sort personality. She loves dancing, but of thing people just picked up, not Sometimes, immigrant communities will only get up to dance when the learned at a dancing school. hold on to home traditions even more music is energizing, or, in Cape Breton closely than their original country On Cape Breton Island, the catchphrase parlance, “drivin’ ‘er.” does because the need to assert cultural “the Boston States” is used to refer to identity isn’t urgent there. For Judy, this the United States of America because “Scotch” dancing form is an assertion Boston had been a common destina- of her cultural background. As an adult, tion for many Cape Bretoners looking Judy spent a full summer immersing for work. Judy’s parents were not the herself in this style through one-on- only Canadians to come to the US; the one lessons with renowned dancer Boston States was a common destina- Harvey Beaton. Lessons took place tion for many Maritime emigrants in Harvey’s garage. Judy’s rhythmic between the 1920s and the 1940s. foundation in this form was established Many found work on the MBTA and here, and when, at the end of her les- as domestic workers. The Canadian sons, Harvey’s mother gave her a pair American Club was founded in the of red leather shoes, Judy was honored. 1930s by a large community of immi- She wore these shoes every time she grants from the Maritime Provinces of performed step dancing after that, but Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and because it didn’t take very long to wear New Brunswick. A few other institu- out shoes with all the shuffling, hop- tions supported this community: the ping, scraping, and stamping that this “Comunn Gailig Bhoston”/Boston Gaelic style requires, the shoes eventually Club, formed in 1924; and the Gaelic- fell apart. speaking Scotch Presbyterian Church, originally in the South End of Boston, The kind of dancing I am describ- but now in Needham, Massachusetts, ing here is today called “Cape Breton step dancing.” This is something of a Jen Schoonover step dancing in the pub at the and no longer offering services in the Canadian American Club in Watertown, Gaelic language. recent term, and is a classifying label Massachusetts. (Photo Credit: Maggie Holtzberg) placed on the dance form by outsiders, or onlookers. Before the early 1990s,

14 Bridgewater Review this modality didn’t really have a name, grandmother, Sandy Sheumais Gillis, creates routines, which help dancers though the moves were sometimes was a Gaelic singer, and a source for catalog steps they know. described as “Scotch” steps. Steps were several songs recorded, transcribed, A different type of platform, a step performed and shared informally at and notated by Helen Creighton and dancing festival competition, was held dances, Scotch Picnics, or house parties. Calum MacLeod in their book reflect- for a brief span of years in Waltham at This style of dancing is prevalent in ing some of the oral history of Gaelic the French American Victory Club, areas where Gaelic is spoken in Cape speakers, Gaelic Songs of Nova Scotia. a separate Canadian-heritage organi- Breton Island and Eastern Nova Scotia. Often a person who lived in a taigh zation formed by French-speaking ceilidh would know a large repertoire In the early 1990s, Scottish fiddler immigrants from the Maritimes and of songs or tunes because of the fre- Alasdair Fraser began to bring Cape Quebec. Mary won first place one quent interaction with and repeated Breton fiddlers, dancers, and piano year; a well-known step dancer from hearing of them. Mary observed players on board to teach at summer Canada, Alexander MacDonnell, won dancers performing steps through her festivals in Scotland. These percussive in 1983. Competitions are relics of childhood and grew up amidst music. steps generated great interest, possibly another aspect of the dance form’s roots: Mary’s sister, Peggy Morrison, also a buoyed by the popularity of the show competitive Highland Games dances, piano player, hosted the Gaelic Club/ Riverdance, featuring Irish step danc- which look quite different today than ing. While the “Cape Breton” steps had come from Scottish Gaelic communi- ties, there were no longer practitioners of this kind of dancing in Scotland. To I am learning that the work of differentiate the form from Irish danc- ing, it was labeled Cape Breton step carrying on a tradition is never dancing around that time. done. It is work that requires Four on the Floor generous sharing of everything Judy McKenzie’s passion for step danc- ing is matched in Mary MacGillivray, you can share with others, another dancer in the Boston area. Mary is taller than Judy and has short, and, if you are lucky, some dark, wavy hair. Mary usually dresses in a well-put-together, professional of what you’ve shared may take fashion, and her manner of dancing matches her elegant look as her long root and carry on after you in legs move easily in time to the rhythms of the music. others’ dancing. Mary was born in Massachusetts but her family roots are in an area of Cape Breton known informally as Comunn Ghàidhlig Bhoston gatherings older versions of the same dances that “Gillisdale,” part of Upper Margaree in at the Canadian American Club every survived in Canada. In the early days Inverness County, Cape Breton. This month for many years. of Highland Games in Canada, step area held on to distinctive dance and dancing was an included category, but Mary and Judy together taught a group music traditions brought from Scotland, standardization of competitions in the of four performing step dancers, named and was a place where a number of mid-twentieth century saw that end. “Four on the Floor,” for years. Mary longer, older dances endured, though taught the strathspey steps and Judy Competition is no longer a primary in a different form than practiced in taught the reels. All of these young platform for these steps. Improvisation Scotland today. dancers had family ties to Cape Breton. is an aspect highly valued in today’s Mary’s grandmother’s house was what One year, the group performed abroad step dancing, and spontaneity doesn’t is known in Gaelic culture as the at various venues in Scotland, and the fit comfortably with standardized “taigh ceilidh”/visiting house. In other dancers performed regularly in New competition. More often, solo step words, it was the place where everyone England and in Canada. Performance is dancing occurs during a break at a would come together for parties. Her a good way to share the dance form and

November 2019 15 Four, which consists of a sequence of traveling along a circular pathway interspersed with dancing fancy steps on one spot. This dance was mentioned in a Gaelic song written to celebrate the Boston Gaelic Club titled Oran do Comunn Ghàidhlig Bhoston/Song to the Boston Gaelic Club: Far ’m bi pìobaireachd is òrain, Dannsadh ceathrar air a’ chòmhnard; ’S fidhleirean ag cumail ceòl ruinn, Oganaich à Margaree. This verse can be translated as: Where there will be piping and songs, A foursome dancing on the floor; Jen Schoonover dancing at the Boston Celtic Music Fest Nightcap concert in 2018, to music by And fiddlers playing music Rachel Reeds and Jake Brillhart on fiddles and Janine Randall on piano. (Photo Credit: Courtesy with us, of Boston Celtic Music Fest) Youth from Margaree. Today, at some point during a social The kind of dancing I am dance, when a fiddler feels the time is right, they will play a strathspey, a type describing here is today called of tune originating in Scotland. That tune will be the signal that it’s time for a “Cape Breton step dancing.” solo dancer to come up and share a few steps. Any dancer who feels comfort- … Before the early 1990s, able or confident enough to do so goes to the top of the hall near the music and this modality didn’t really begins dancing. After about two rounds have a name, though the moves of strathspey-time tunes, the fiddler will switch gears and begin playing were sometimes described reel-time tunes. A good step dancer listens for the moment this will happen as “Scotch” steps. and switches steps to fit the music. After the dancer has danced for a little while, they will stop or dance off, and then the social dance. Social dances are held in couples will make a set, enough to get floor is open for any other dancers who halls across Cape Breton, from Brook the dancing started. Square sets are might want to come up. Solo dancing Village to Baddeck, from Christmas usually prompted or called, with calls continues for as long as there are danc- Island to Cheticamp, from Valley similar to American square dancing. ers who want to share some steps, and Mills to Sydney. The patterns of the Sets in Inverness County tend to follow inclination of the fiddler to continue. social dances differ slightly from place a structure allowing as many couples After that brief performance, everyone to place. Often a “set” will consist of as want to join in today, and are not grabs a drink, and launches into another three “figures,” sequenced patterns for called because sets of different sizes take social, couples dance, usually kicked off couples to dance in square formation, longer or shorter times to finish. in jig-time. a structure derived from Quadrille There is also a performance dance for The Boston Set is Massachusetts’s own dances. The catchphrase “Four on the just four dancers, typically two men expression of this culture. This square Floor” comes from this tradition: four and two women, known as the Scotch formation social dance took shape

16 Bridgewater Review in the dance halls of Roxbury in the and dance these long chains of steps that 1930s and 40s, and migrated to both didn’t repeat motifs. From an archival the Canadian American Club and perspective, it was a great way to share the French American Victory Club. and document lots of steps. Popular through the 1990s, its practice At the end of my apprenticeship with has declined due to a lack of callers, Mary and Judy in 2017, I performed and because many people who danced their step routines as an opener for it regularly are no longer living. About a dance at the Can-Am Club with ten years ago it was done steadily at Andrea and Betty Lou Beaton, a the Club, but the popularity of the mother/daughter fiddle and piano Inverness County style has crept into lineup from Cape Breton. A young Boston and so, today, it’s mostly Mabou local fiddler, Elizabeth Kozachek, Sets at local dances. who completed a separate MCC Passing on a Tradition Apprenticeship with fiddler Emerald Rae, played for one of the dance In the face of a tradition declining, a routines as well. Judy and Mary and custom fading away, what does one do? I and five other dancers performed For me, it has been to learn as much as an “Eight-Hand Reel,” and then the possible, participate as much as possible, social dancing began. and try to teach what I have learned to others. Without people and musicians During that evening, I also called a in the room, dances won’t happen. Mary MacGillivray step dancing at the Boston Set. Just four couples got up Sharing knowledge of these dance Canadian American Club in 2011. to dance, and so we had “Four on forms with others is the only way I can (Photo Credit: Victor Maurice Faubert) the Floor.” I called the figures while give back to a dance form that I love also dancing. Because I had not lined worked with each dancer separately and and enjoy. In these days, however, love up someone to call the figures from intensively over the course of one year. is not enough. Hundreds of people used the microphone, a number of more to pack the hall when a dance was on It can be tricky working with two experienced dancers didn’t get up to at the Club; now, we gauge a respect- different teachers who sometimes can dance as I’d hoped they would. The able turnout by having enough people have very different opinions about old way was to have a caller. So my to make one set. If we have enough for how things should be done. However, next goal is to offer to serve as a caller two, it’s a big night! Judy and Mary had a long history of for a dance and hope to persuade more working with each other, and were dancers to get up on the floor. I am I approached Mary and Judy about extremely respectful of differences that learning that the work of carrying on learning steps with each of them. They they have from each other. They had a tradition is never done. It is work were graciously willing to work with quite a shared repertoire of steps but that requires generous sharing of eve- me in depth on this. To support this, went out of their way to make sure the rything you can share with others, and, we reached out to the Massachusetts routines they taught me didn’t repeat if you are lucky, some of what you’ve Cultural Council, and applied for a steps. From my performer’s perspec- shared may take root and carry on after Traditional Arts Apprenticeship grant. tive, it was a challenge to remember you in others’ dancing. We were awarded this grant, and I

In the early days of Highland Games in Canada, step dancing was an included category, but standardization of competitions Jen Schoonover is a Part-time in the mid-twentieth century saw Faculty Member in the Department of Movement Arts, Health Promotion, that end. and Leisure Studies.

November 2019 17