Ring O' Bells Band - "Square Dance" Party

Singing calls are the most exciting and unique country dances of all. There are very few callers who can do them. Unlike patter calls these dances are walked through first and then the caller sings the reminder. Included in this compilation are a number of dances by one of the great exponents of the genre, John Meechan. Also included is that great dance 'The Northern Lights-Oy' made famous by the late Ray Taylor and also Mic Spenceley of the Folk Camps Society. We have included the instrumental version and also the sung version so you can get a flavour of what one of the best sounds like.

Derek Jones - Summer 2012
Old Couldsdon - Surrey

Square Dance is a folk dance with four couples (eight dancers) arranged in a square, with one couple on each side, beginning with Couple 1 facing away from the music and going counterclockwise until getting to Couple 4. Couples 1 and 3 are known as the head couples, while Couples 2 and 4 are the side couples. Each dance begins and ends each sequence with "sets-in-order" in the square formation. The dance was first described in 17th century England but was also quite common in France and throughout Europe and bears a marked similarity to Scottish Country Dancing. It has become associated with the United States of America due to its historic development in that country. Nineteen US states have designated it as their official state dance.

The various square dance movements are based on the steps and figures used in traditional folk dances and social dances of the various people who migrated to the USA. Some of these traditioanl dances include Morris Dance, English Country Dance, Caledonians and the Quardrille. Square dancing is enjoyed by people around the world, and people around the world are involved in the continuing development of this form of dance. Square dances are prompted or cued throught a sequence of steps (square dance choreography) by a square dance caller to the beat of the music - almost a "Simon Says' in the dance. The caller leads, but susually does not participate in the dance. Whether a square dancer travels to China, France, or Mexico, he or she can enjoy attending a square dance because it will only be called in English. This is the only form of dance that is not translated into other languages.
 
CD:
 
 
 
 
  
 
   
 
Track
 
 
   
 
Dance
 
 
   
 
Bars
 
 
   
 
Type
 
 
  
 
  
 
   
 
1
 
 
   
 
Redwing
 
 
   
 
16 bars then     4 x 48
 
 
   
 
Set Dance Reel
 
 
  
 
  
 
   
 
2
 
 
   
 
Himazas
 
 
   
 
5 x 30
 
 
   
 
Set Reel
 
 
  
 
  
 
   
 
3
 
 
   
 
Bonnie Prince Charlie
 
 
   
 
6 x 32
 
 
   
 
American Reel
 
 
  
 
  
 
   
 
4
 
 
   
 
Day Trip to Bognor
 
 
   
 
7 x 32
 
 
   
 
Set Jig
 
 
  
 
  
 
   
 
5
 
 
   
 
Down Yonder
 
 
   
 
7 x 40
 
 
   
 
American Reel Set Dance
 
 
  
 
  
 
   
 
6
 
 
   
 
Grandfather’s Clock
 
 
   
 
4 x 48
 
 
   
 
Reel
 
 
  
 
  
 
   
 
7
 
 
   
 
The George Cross
 
 
   
 
7 x 32
 
 
   
 
Reel
 
 
  
 
  
 
   
 
8
 
 
   
 
Swanee
 
 
   
 
19 bars   Chorus x 5     4 x 48
 
 
   
 
Set Dance