strathspey@strathspey.org:43959

Steven Epstein

RE: Scottish Country Dancing VS Scottish Folk Dancing

Jan. 30, 2006, 7:42 p.m. (Message 43959, in reply to message 43917)

Thomas Mungal III wrote:

*For example, the waltz after the beginning of the 20th Century,
went out of style when the fox trot became popular. The waltz had strong
Germanic associations so after WWI it fell into disfavor. It had to be
resurrected in the UK and was standardized, etc. So, one could say the waltz
is folk dancing. However, we know it is not considered folk dancing. It is
living dance in the same sense as SCD.*

Waltz is really both, and at the same time. Go to any contradance,
English country dance, or SCD event (at least around the Delaware
Valley) and there is at least one *free* waltz, usually two, done
throughout the evening, usually at the end and at the halftime break.

The style of waltz that predominated about ten years ago when I
started contradancing was referred to as *country* waltz. That's
country as in the rural sense. Poor dance posture, no
leading/following, no giving weight, spaghetti arms. In other words,
untutored. In other words, folk. :-)

Since then, most people have learned to dance a ballroom style of
waltz, owing to the many workshops held over the years. But this more
ballroom style still has a *natural* feel, as opposed to the dance
studio variety.

Steve Epstein