| Abstract |
From the Back Cover: Folk dance has been a popular social activity throughout the 20th century. The 1939-1940 World's Fairs in New York and San Francisco inspired recreational clubs across the country for international folk dance. Nearly 40,000 square dancers attended the National Square Dance Convention for the U.S. bicentennial in 1976, and folk dance continues to enjoy widespread popularity today. While the general term "folk dance" encompasses a surprising variety of specific dances, there are three major recreational communities or forms: international folk dance, modern western square dance, and contra dance. Throughout the last century, millions of people have enjoyed folk dancing as an educational and recreational activity, regardless of the particular style. Folk Dancing explains the reasons for the folk dance movement that exploded in Europe and North America in the late 19th century. It describes the clubs, camps, festivals, and communities that sprang up, and examines the culture of the movement-the music, key individuals and events, types of clothing, and influences of technologies and popular culture. The book contains authoritative, original information gleaned from the author's own research conducted with hundreds of folk dance enthusiasts across America. |
