Just what is English Country Dance?:
Wikipedia article on English Country
Capering & Kickery Susan de Guardiola is an excellent teacher and workshop leader. Her site covers the history of social dance (including, but not limited to, English country dance), and lists available workshops. This link leads to a specific post about Country dance in the time of Jane Austen.
Organizations that support and promote English Country Dance:
Folk Arts Center of New England In addition to providing us with insurance (thank you FAC!!), this organization’s “mission is to promote interest and participation in the traditional dance, music, and related folk arts of many cultures, and to support other groups and individuals with the same mission.
Founded by Conny Taylor and Marianne Taylor in 1975, FAC sponsors weekly and monthly community folk dances, annual camps, a music club, workshops, and other special events. FAC dance leaders and musicians provide cultural programs in schools and community settings. See FAC programs. The Folk Arts Center’s 300-plus members are people of all ages and backgrounds, singles, couples, and families.”
Country Dance and Song Society CDSS sponsors and promotes music, dance and song rooted in English and North American folk traditions. Kingston English Country Dance is grateful to have received a grant from CDSS which has assisted us in being able to continue our dance series. Thank you CDSS!
Country Dance Society, Boston Centre The Boston dance affiliate of CDSS. Many of their members can be seen calling and/or dancing with us in South Kingstown, as well as at their own series in the greater Boston area. Their website will help you find their dances in case you’re up in the Boston area and looking for something to do.
Dance explanations, notations, and demo videos
Please note: While we by no means expect you to study up or practice between or before sessions, folks have occasionally asked for these sorts of resources – whatever makes you comfortable – our main goal is for you to enjoy your time with us!
Regency (ECD) Dance Figures (YouTube videos) 22 basic figures (moves) seen from above, danced by real people. Terminology is slightly different (e.g., “reel” instead of “hey”), but figures are the same — filmed in England. These are the basic building blocks of English dance; the hundreds of dances out there are essentially just different combinations of these figures.
Lambertville Country Dancers – English Dance Videos on the Web An alphabetical listing of links to videos, arranged by title of dance. Especially good reference for those interested in calling for our Volunteer Callers dances.
Dance Video Archives CDSS’s Dance Video Archives (currently hosted by the Childgrove English Dancers of St. Louis). This ambitious project collects videos of CDSS member groups, and is not limited to English country dance – contra, square and morris dancing are covered as well.
Dance Animations by Kaleidoscope This site has it all – dances, step-by-step animation with and without music, notation for callers – many thanks to our English dance compatriots in Australia for all their hard work on this! Another first stop for volunteer callers.
Kingston English Country Dance 