WHAT IS ENGLISH DANCING?
Perhaps you have never heard of English Country Dancing, but if you've watched Pride and Prejudice on TV, or seen Sense and Sensibility or Emma at the movies, you have indeed seen it. It’s a form of participatory folk dance in which you and a partner interact with other couples in a repeating pattern of figures. Many of the figures will be familiar to anyone who has ever done square dancing or contra dancing. This graceful and elegant form of dance has been around for several hundred years, and is still thriving today. There is English Country Dancing all over the United States and new dances in the English style are constantly being written.
WHY DO PEOPLE LIKE IT?
For many, it's the music - hauntingly beautiful tunes that make the heart swell. Some dance tunes are taken from old ballads and political satire; others come from classical music and operas. This gives English dance music tremendous variety; sometimes sweet and melodic, sometimes melancholy, and sometimes absolutely driven with a pulsating beat. Others love English dancing for the grace and elegance with which you move as you dance. At times, you simply get swept away as you become one with the music. Many people love the beautiful patterns that you create as you dance and weave. Through it all, there's an indefinable quality to this style of dancing that makes it energizing, mesmerizing, and just plain fun.
IT’S NOT HARD TO LEARN
The emphasis is on simple, flowing patterns of movement rather than on elaborate footwork. If you can walk and know the difference between left and right, you already have much of the basic knowledge you'll need. Most of the movements are based simply on a walking or skipping step. Dancers move in a number of specific "figures", sometimes holding hands, sometimes by themselves. Each dance is prompted by a caller, so that each figure and movement is called in time to the music; you don't need to rely on your memory alone to know what to do.
BEGINNERS ARE WELCOME
Local dances are social and friendly, and the atmosphere is informal. At regular dances no special clothing is needed, other than clean, soft-soled shoes or sneakers. Partners are not necessary; you can come by yourself and be assured of dancing throughout the evening, since our tradition is to change partners for each dance. It’s fine to come try a bit of dancing (the easier dances are usually done at the beginning of the evening), or simply to watch to see if you like it.