COUNTRY DANCING

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 18627, 24 July 1930, Page 13

COUNTRY DANCING

WOMEN’S INSTITUTES. On Saturday evening members of many of the Canterbury Women's Institutes, with their friends, about 200 in all gathered in the Woodbury Hall to enjoy some country dancing, many coming long distances to be present. The evening took the form of a demonstration and instruction by Miss Gladys Ferguson, of the Normal Training College, assisted by the following demonstrators from the Christchurch Country Dancing Club:—Misses M. Smith, E. Batchelor, F. Eldridge, L. Saunders, L. Munro, E. Cooper, R. Blake, M. Kennedy and E. Farquhar. Mrs Williams president of the Woodbury Women's Institute briefly introduced Miss Ferguson. Miss Ferguson spoke first of the great difference between the old and the modern dances—how' much more jolly were those old dances which had been originally designed'to express joy and happiness. She told how Cecil Sharp, w'hile visiting some of the West Country in England, found the coun- , try people dancing these charming old j figures in their barns to the tune of the fiddle. He learned all he could first-hand, and with infinite patience wrote his first book of music and instructions, and afterwards added to this publication many others. Some people thought these dances decadent, for some of them, especially “Sellenger’s Round—which is the earliest of all—apparently dated back to Druids times, and were votive in some of their movements. The demonstrators then performed »this beautiful old dance which, being daijoed in a circle, might easily have.been performed by votaries round an oak on which grew the sacred mistletoe. ■ Miss Ferguson went on to tell how,; from circle dances such as this, came square dances, some of the most typical of which were "Newcastle” and "Hunsdon House,” which were performed by the demonstrators. Then came the progressive dances, in which the couples were ranged in rows, each opposite his or her partner, and so called'because each couple in turn becomes leader. To this type belonged “The Butterfly,” “Nigger's Barn Dance,” and “Galopede," all of which were shown. As England became more civilised, the rich folk borrowed a new style of dancing from the French, and these old dances went out of fashion and were quite forgotten by all except the simple country people who had no chance of becoming affected by Continental ideas, and so when their harvest was all garnered they gathered to celebrate the event In a festive ■manner. One special feature of these dances was the Heigh, which took many forms, some being specially intricate, as in “Goddesses,” which was danced by eight lady visitors. After performing a great many different dances such as "Rufty Tufty,” “Bonnets so Blue,” “Jenny Pluck Pears,” and “Picking up Sticks,” the dance known as “Dargarson” was shewn. This is the only dance known where the dancers stand in one straight line, and being particularly beautiful called forth much applause.

The visitors then proceeded to help those present to master the steps necessary, and directed and instructed a crowd of novices in several of the simpler dances such as "Galopede," “The Butterfly,” “The Nigger's Barn Dance,” "Sellengersßound,” and “He Won’t go home till Morning." Supper was supplied and served by Institute members, and a further short course of instruction followed, after which Mrs Williams voiced the thanks of all present, and called for three cheers for Miss Ferguson and her band of helpers. These were heartily given and were followed by the singing of "For They Are Jolly Good Fellows.”

Miss Ferguson besides explaining and instructing, supplied ail the music for the dances. Amongst those present were representatives from the following Institutes: —Rangitata, Hilton, Gape's Valley, Ealing. Arundel, Orari, Woodbury, and Geraldine.