|
Unquestionable, the English ancestor of our modern square dance was
the great Morris Dance. It was an Exhibition dance done by trained teams of Morris dancers -
six men (women did not participate) in two rows of three. Later on, in the 17th century, Country
Dances became all the rage in England. Many were longways or line dances, and some believe that
the contra got its name either from a mispronunciation of "country" or from the fact that
the dances were done in two opposing lines. At the same time, people did "rounds for as many
as will", some of which resembled the choral dances often danced in the naves of English
churches.
Within the following two chapters we will have a closer lock on the
Morris Dance and the Country Dance.
|
