John Ramsay - Set Running, a Southern Folk Dance
Creator: John Ramsay (1987)
This article, written in 1987 and updated in 2013 by longtime dancer, caller, and organizer John Ramsay, presents his views on what has been termed "set running," a style of dance that was named by folklorist Cecil Sharp when he came upon it in Harlan County, Kentucky, in 1917. The form is sometimes called the "Kentucky Running Set," though there is no evidence that the dancers from whom Sharp learned it used either term. The dance is related to the Big Circle dances that are common in southern Appalachian mountain communities. Taking set running as an early form, Ramsay looks at other branches that formed distinctive square dance styles.
Collection: Southern Appalachian
Subjects: Southern Appalachian - general
Tags: article, big circle, Cecil Sharp, John Ramsay, Kentucky running set, running set, set running
Subjects: Southern Appalachian - general
Tags: article, big circle, Cecil Sharp, John Ramsay, Kentucky running set, running set, set running
Item Relations
| Item: Kentucky Set Running - 1917 firsthand account | is related to | This Item |
| Item: Appalachian Circle | is related to | This Item |
Citation
John Ramsay, “John Ramsay - Set Running, a Southern Folk Dance,” Square Dance History Project, accessed February 23, 2025, http://squaredancehistory.org/items/show/590.
Dublin Core
Title
John Ramsay - Set Running, a Southern Folk Dance
Subject
Description
This article, written in 1987 and updated in 2013 by longtime dancer, caller, and organizer John Ramsay, presents his views on what has been termed "set running," a style of dance that was named by folklorist Cecil Sharp when he came upon it in Harlan County, Kentucky, in 1917. The form is sometimes called the "Kentucky Running Set," though there is no evidence that the dancers from whom Sharp learned it used either term. The dance is related to the Big Circle dances that are common in southern Appalachian mountain communities. Taking set running as an early form, Ramsay looks at other branches that formed distinctive square dance styles.
Creator
Date Created
1987