Ontario Traditional Music Library - Dance
Ian Bell's collection of recordings and written music, all pertaining to traditional Canadian dance and song.
In Bell's words: Since the late 1970s I have been seeking out, learning, performing and teaching the grassroots music of my home province of Ontario, Canada. I have continued this work up to the present, and while not conducted in any systematic manner my collecting has over the years created a sizeable private database.
It includes recordings of, and written music for traditional/historical songs, instrumental music, written dance instructions, and many early references to music performances and dance taken from published and private journals, diaries, posters, playbills, newspaper articles, and other writings. This collection is by no means comprehensive, or representative of anything beyond my own interests and musical abilities. Some has survived in the oral tradition, some in printed sources. It is largely English language and for the most part comes from Ontario’s settler Scots, Irish, English and African-American traditions. It also includes a small amount French and Gaelic material. Some of it was acquired through personal contact and interaction with tradition-bearers, some was found in print and other published sources.
Viewers may also be interested in a collection of dance videos elsewhere on our site; they were recorded at a dance sponsored by the Canadian Olde Tyme Square Dance Association. The Association was founded in Toronto in 1954.
Subjects: Northern / northern Canada
Tags: Canada, Ian Bell, Ontario
Item Relations
| This Item | is related to | Item: Canadian Olde Tyme Square Dance Association |
| This Item | is related to | Item: Dancing Feet of Ontario |
| Item: Square Dancing in Sudbury, Ontario | is related to | This Item |
Citation
Dublin Core
Title
Alternative Title
Subject
Description
In Bell's words: Since the late 1970s I have been seeking out, learning, performing and teaching the grassroots music of my home province of Ontario, Canada. I have continued this work up to the present, and while not conducted in any systematic manner my collecting has over the years created a sizeable private database.
It includes recordings of, and written music for traditional/historical songs, instrumental music, written dance instructions, and many early references to music performances and dance taken from published and private journals, diaries, posters, playbills, newspaper articles, and other writings. This collection is by no means comprehensive, or representative of anything beyond my own interests and musical abilities. Some has survived in the oral tradition, some in printed sources. It is largely English language and for the most part comes from Ontario’s settler Scots, Irish, English and African-American traditions. It also includes a small amount French and Gaelic material. Some of it was acquired through personal contact and interaction with tradition-bearers, some was found in print and other published sources.
Viewers may also be interested in a collection of dance videos elsewhere on our site; they were recorded at a dance sponsored by the Canadian Olde Tyme Square Dance Association. The Association was founded in Toronto in 1954.