A Basic Folk Library - Dance

Morris
Social Dance
Sword Dancing

Dance - Morris

NOTE: The Morris Ring's official bibliography is available here and there is another by Tom Keays here.
There is also a brief Biography of Cecil Sharp here.

FORREST, JOHN "The History of Morris Dancing, 1438-1750" (University of Toronto Press, 1999)
If you are academically inclined I suggest reading this book. I don't necessarily agree with his interpretation of the evidence but he has compiled a lot of interesting material. ISBN 0802009212. Synopsis from Amazon: "This analysis shows that morris dancing does not have pagan or ancient origins. It examines the passage of dance ideas between groups of people who have conventionally been considered folklorically distinct and ties morris traditions into the wider area of communal customs and public celebrations."

Dance - Social Dance

NOTE: A history of Western Social Dance with bibliography here. Includes an online copy of Arbeau's "Orchesographie"
There is an online version of Playford's "Dancing Master" here.

BARNES, PETER "The Barnes Book of English Country Dance Tunes" (Canis Publishing, 1986)
This is a collection of 426 of the most commonly used English traditional dance tunes, for all instruments. Chords are included for piano or guitar accompaniment, and there is an extensive appendix on accompaniment tips for all the various types of dances. This collection has sold thousands of copies all over the United States and is considered to be the standard source for both the Playford and 'barn dance' styles of English traditional dance music. Metal spiral binding to lie flat for easy sight-reading. This book, originally published in 1986, has been completely revised and expanded with new typesetting, 120 new tunes, accompaniment tips, indices and cross-references. "I haven't heard anyone else's comments on it, but I'm enjoying learning tunes from it." Available direct.

RAVEN, MIKE "1000 English Country Dance Tunes" ()
1000 plus tunes, from the 13th to the 20th century. Morris, ceremonial and sword dances, jigs, reels, waltzes, cotillons, polkas, scottisches, marches quadrilles, branles, old English hornpipes, square dances, long dances, mazurkas and galliards not to mention laments, listening music and exotic novelty dances. Available from Hobgoblin Music.

TOWNSEND, A. DAVE "A First Collection of English Country Dance Tunes" (Oxford, Ferret Music, 1982)
Contains 130 traditional English dance tunes. They are part of the common repertoire of musicians playing English music for barn dances, ceilidhs, and country dances.

Dance - Sword Dancing

NOTE: There is a very full bibliography of Sword Dancing books here and a selected one here.

ALLSOPP, IVOR "Longsword Dances from Traditional and Manuscript Sources" (Northern Harmony, 1996)
The book includes full notations of all 27 longsword dances and sword play texts from British sources (mainly from Yorkshire but including dances from Shetland and the Isle of Man). To put this in perspective, Sharp's 3-volume study, "The Sword Dances of Northern England", contains 9 longsword dances. Lots of diagrams and all music for the song- and dance-airs beautifully engraved by John Roberts. There are also photographs of teams and some key sword dance researchers, and maps with each notation to help create a sense of "place" for each dance. Sections are added on the design of swords and locks with graphic representation of existing information on the actual implements used by historical sides, reprints of articles by Trevor Stone and Melusine Wood, and an expanded version of Rhett Krause's article on the shapes and methods of making sword locks. This is a "must-have." These are tried-and-true notations worked out by Ivor Allsop (of Barnsley Longsword, formerly of Handsworth, formerly Squire of the Morris Ring, and a recent EFDSS Gold badge honoree) and used in his teaching at the Whitby festival, at Pinewoods camp, and at many other places.

SHARP, CECIL J. "The Sword Dances of Northern England" (3 vols) (London, Novello, 1911-1913)
This is the standard manual on English long sword and rapper dances, but Sharp's introductions include his interpretations of the history and ritual significance of the dance in all of Europe. In regard to specific dance descriptions, part I includes: Kirkby Malzeard and Grenoside long sword; Swalwell and Earsdon rapper; and Abbots Bromley horn dance. Part II: Sleights and Flamborough long sword; Beadnell rapper. Part III: Escrick, Handsworth, Ampleforth, Askham Richard, and Haxby long sword; Winlaton and North Walbottle rapper. Very thorough and useful dance descriptions, with diagrams, tunes, and photos. It has been reprinted several times, most recently by EFDSS in 1985 (part III is a reprint of the 1951 edition, revised by Maud Karpeles). Different editions include some variations, for example in the material on the Ampleforth dance.

Last Updated : 03-05-2002 12:30