Square dance, Helvetia, WV - 1974
https://archive.org/details/gerald-fords-america-297_17473
Square dance starts at around 12 minute mark
https://archive.org/details/gerald-fords-america-298_17474
This one is a continuation of the earlier footage
From its inception, the Square Dance History Project has been interested in finding moving images of "real people" dancing in social settings. This footage from Helvetia, WV, is a fine example of that. It's not a demonstration team, not carefully edited clips, but rather straightforward documentation of a social dance in a community with a rich dance tradition.
In his West Virginia Square Dances, dance historian Bob Dalsemer devotes a chapter to the Helvetia dance. Dalsemer provides detailed information about the musicians, caller, local traditions, and community history. He notes, "The Helvetia square dance of the late 1970s is unique. It is danced in one large circle of couples without any subdivision into two-couple sets. In addition each dance is a continuous mixer in which original partners dance together for the first few minutes of the dance and never again for the remainder."
Subjects: Southern / Appalachian / Big sets, Couple dance
Tags: big circle, couple dance, Helvetia, West Virginia
Item Relations
| This Item | is related to | Item: West Virginia Square Dances by Robert G. Dalsemer |
| Item: Mountain Grove, VA, Square Dance | is related to | This Item |
| Item: Bob Dean - dances from Pocahontas County, WV | is related to | This Item |
Citation
Dublin Core
Title
Description
Square dance starts at around 12 minute mark
https://archive.org/details/gerald-fords-america-298_17474
This one is a continuation of the earlier footage
From its inception, the Square Dance History Project has been interested in finding moving images of "real people" dancing in social settings. This footage from Helvetia, WV, is a fine example of that. It's not a demonstration team, not carefully edited clips, but rather straightforward documentation of a social dance in a community with a rich dance tradition.
In his West Virginia Square Dances, dance historian Bob Dalsemer devotes a chapter to the Helvetia dance. Dalsemer provides detailed information about the musicians, caller, local traditions, and community history. He notes, "The Helvetia square dance of the late 1970s is unique. It is danced in one large circle of couples without any subdivision into two-couple sets. In addition each dance is a continuous mixer in which original partners dance together for the first few minutes of the dance and never again for the remainder."