Re: Origins of Calling

Looks like an efficient way had developed in England to facilitate any short, repeating pattern dance. It solves the issue of mixed abilities of those present. BRAVO. Evolution was needed as dances lengthened and complexified. This is the case with the quadrille where prompting is first observed. Prompting may have two or more paths of development. The children's singing games of antiquity grew into the play party games for older children by the 1840s. Many books exist on this subject.These parties were facilitated and led by adults. They had great variety of formation and action. Some had songs. Could a next step have been square dance as children grew up. SD was a term by the 1870s when there was a famous winning race horse named Square Dance. Pre-MWSD prompting was in place by the 1890s. This idea supports a bottom-up development. It emphasizes the game-like aspect of community dance. It aligns with a recent thread about "see saw your pretty little Taw" being a reference to the game of marbles. Fred Feild, sheet music singer Happy Connecting. Sent from my Sprint Samsung Galaxy S® 5 -------- Original message -------- From: "john(a)modernjive.com [trad-dance-callers]" <trad-dance-callers(a)yahoogroups.com> Date: 8/14/17 5:29 AM (GMT-06:00) To: trad-dance-callers(a)yahoogroups.com Subject: [trad-dance-callers] Origins of Calling There is an interesting article on JSTOR entitled "Square Dance Calling: The African-American Connection": https://www.jstor.org/stable/41446577?mag=the-slave-roots-of-square-dancing… It suggests that: "calling might have evolved in the black culture as an alternative to the formal instruction that white dancers received at dancing schools" with the earliest reference of someone calling a dance being a ball in New Orleans in 1819. However back in England... Thomas Wilson "The Complete System of English Country Dancing" 1816 Page 172. = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = The persons who take upon themselves the CALLING OF THE DANCE, Should possess the necessary prerequisites for performing the duty they have to execute, in setting the company an example, and directing them (when required) in the performance of the Dance. Such a Dance should be called, as they thoroughly understand, and are able to perform with facility. When part of the company are indifferent Dancers, the persons forming the Dance should be selected and placed according to their talent and knowledge of Dancing; the best couples at and near the top, that by their performance the others may become instructed in the Figure, previous to their having to lead off, otherwise it frequently happens, that the Dance is obliged to be changed. CROWDING TO THE TOP, Is too frequently practised, and should be prevented by those whose province it may be to see that due respect if paid to the person calling the Dance; it being impossible to perform the Figure of the Dance with effect, or correctly, when the couples stand too near to each other. = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = But what did Wilson's caller actually do? I doubt it was calling as we know it today, but it probably contained some of the elements of it. I guess calling evolved in parallel in many places. Does anyone have any other insights? Happy dancing, John John Sweeney, Dancer, England john(a)modernjive.com 01233 625 362 http://www.contrafusion.co.uk for Dancing in Kent