Essays
200 Years of AmericanAdvice to Americans comin…Advice to Americans coming to EnglandThe Ashover BookCambridge ContraComposing Dance MusicComposing DancesConnectionsDance ClubsThe dance scene, past and …The dance scene, past and presentDancing through the agesDisplay DanceDivided by a common langu…Divided by a common languageDizzinessDogmatismDouble figure eightThe English foundations of …The English foundations of the French CotillonThe Fallibroome CollectionFolk CampsFoot itGender-free dancingGipsyGiving and receiving feedbackThe HeyA History of Country DancingHornpipesLive MusicMad RobinMaggot PieMusic for patter squaresOrigins of English Country …Origins of English Country DancePills to Purge MediocrityPoussetteRegency DanceRetrospectiveSidingTraditional English DanceThe Triplet ProjectWhat is a Dancing Master?What makes a dance difficult?When You're Not the CallerWhy am I a Caller?Why do we dance?The Wild Thyme LegacyZesty Playford
Various essays (or articles if you think “essays” is too pretentious) on different aspects of dance, mainly by me.
I'm very pleased that other people have let me publish their material. Bruce Hamilton has two of his sets of notes here: “When you're not the caller” and “Giving and receiving feedback”. Bob Brand has his series of articles “Pills to purge mediocrity”. Mary Railing has a fascinating essay on the “Origins of English Country Dance” and Anne Daye has an equally fascinating “History of Country Dancing”.
In August 2021 I added Anne's essay on the The English foundations of the French Cotillon, long supposed to be a French invention — read it rather than just accepting the conventional view!
