The Square Dance and Contra Dance Handbook

This comprehensive guide to traditional style square and contra dancing, sometimes referred to as “country dancing,” covers both music and style and gives background information on various dance types and calling techniques. Ninety dances, presented in chapters according to type (mixers, progressive circles, contra, Southern mountain style, squares and others), in a wide variety of formations are described with drawings and diagrams for many of the movements.
A glossary of terms, a directory of addresses (organizations; vendors of books, recordings and audio equipment; and dance camps), and an annotated discography and bibliography are also provided.

American folklorist Margot Gunzenhauser lives in Virum, Denmark.

Margot Gunzenhauser
Format: softcover (8.5 x 11)
Pages: 320
Bibliographic Info: photos, discography, bibliography, glossary, index
Copyright Date: 1996
pISBN: 978-0-7864-4910-1
eISBN: 978-1-4766-0833-4
Imprint: McFarland

List of Dances, Dance Figures, and Tunes     vii
Preface and Acknowledgments      ix
Introduction     xi

The Basics of Square and Contra Dancing     1
Mixers: An Easy Start     17
Progressive Circles and Other Easy Dances     39
Contra Dances      58
Southern Mountain Style Square Dancing     90
Square Dances     116
Tunes      168

Glossary    205
Directory    223
Materials for Musicians     229
Annotated Discography     235
Annotated Bibliography     265
Index     291

“libraries catering to folk dancers should consider reference as well as circulating copies of this excellent resource”—Booklist; “well written and easy to use”—Come-All-Ye.