Names of dances (Please help)
Lynn Messing
My name is Lynn Messing, and I am a linguist who thoroughly enjoys
Scottish Country Dancing. I've decided to combine my interests by doing
a study on the naming of SCD dances. I wish to compare the names of
traditional dances versus contemporary ones, to see how much they
have changed. The SCD related info I can come by easily enough. And
I know that, since SCD is not truly a folk dance (it is more like
Scotland's version of ballroom dancing), it wouldn't be appropriate
to ask about it here, anyway.
So what am I doing here? I'm glad you asked. <g> I would like to compare
the naming practices of SCD dances with those of other types of dances.
Ideally, I would like two types of dancing to serve as controls...First,
I'd like to use contra dancing, since it was influenced by SCD. Next, I'd
like to use at least one type of dance completely unrelated to SCD. My
questions:
1) Can you recommend a good type of dance to use as a control? I do not
want anything from anywhere in Great Britain or France, since both places
have influenced the development of SCD. Either folk or ballroom dancing
would do. Something non-European would be preferable, but I would need
references...
2) Do you know of any references for contra or other dancing which list
the titles of at least a hundred dances, and an explanation of the
titles' origins? The reference would have to be available in the U.S., and
would have to be either in English (preferable) or in French. If, as
seems likely to me, the titles of the dances are not in English to begin
with, I would like to have the titles both in their original language and
a translation into either English or French.
If you would e-mail me with suggestions, I would be grateful.
Thanks! Cheers, Lynn Messing mes...@asel.udel.edu