Childgrove Dance Weekends

We have two dance weekends:

• Meet Me in St Louis, a contra weekend on Memorial Day Weekend
• High Tea, an English Country Dance weekend on Labor Day weekend

Calling Party Meets Flash Dance!

On August 8, 2018, we held the Calling Party (with a lot of extra waltzes) at the Grand Basin in Forest Park.

Recorded music was available, but a couple of musicians and instruments showed up, which was all the better!

 When: Wednesday, August 8th, 2018 from 7:00pm to 8:30pm

Where: The Grand Basin in Forest Park (See maps & directions below.)

You can park on Lagoon Drive, which runs by the Grand Basin.

It will be twilight, but it will still likely be very warm, so bring plenty to drink!

The nearest restrooms are allocated near the Davis Tennis Center (about an 8 minute walk) and the  Boathouse (about a ten minute walk).

NOTE: If one of the “Green Show” groups had cancelled at the Muny,  they had us as the backup!  That didn't happen, but if it had, notice to meet at the MUNY woudl have been posted on Childgrove  Discussions, Facebook, and the Childgrove website.

NOTE: If it had rained, we would have attempted to use the World’s Fair Pavilion. The Pavilion could have been in use and unavailable for dancing, as it can be reserved, but luckily, we didn't need it!  Changes due to Weather would have also been posted on Childgrove Discussions, Facebook, and the Childgrove website.

Here's a map of Forest Park. We danced at the red "x",and you can park on Lagoon Drive. (To see a larger version of the map, right-click on the picture and select "view image".)

Here's an overhead picture of the Grand Basin. We danced at the red "x".

Dance Books Available Locally

originally compiled by David Kirchner

This was an attempt to list all of the books related to contra and square dancing available within the St. Louis area, compiled by David Kirchner in the 90s. He most recently revised it on July 2, 1998. Martha Edwards discovered it somewhat abandoned on the FolkFire website and copied it back to the Childgrove web site, where it had started under David over twenty years earlier, and began to update it again on February 6, 2017. She has promised to add numerous books which she has acquired over the years from generous dancers to the list.

Deborah Hyland also has a goodly number of books on dancing which she is willing to lend out - here are some of the books:

The Beneficial Tradition lending library (Deborah Hyland)

• Ed Butenhoff, Dance Parties for Beginners (Rochester NY: Lloyd Shaw Foundation, 1990)
• Mary Dart McNab, Contra Dance Choreography: a reflection of social change (New York: Garland, 1995)
• Penn Fixx, Contra Dances of the Great Northwest (Spokane WA: Self-published, 1991)
• Gene Hubert, Dizzy Dances II (self-published?)
• Gene Hubert, Dizzy Dances III (self-published?)
• Larry Jennings, Zesty Contras (Cambridge MA: New England Folk Festival Association, 1983)
• Ted Sannella, Balance and Swing: a collection of fifty-five squares, contras, and triplets in the New England tradition with music for each dance (New York: Country Dance and Song Society, 1982)

David's original list was compiled mostly from computer searches and should not necessarily be considered complete (and he offers no guarantees that any of these books are where they are supposed to be). Web links for libraries are at the end of the list.

An amazing online resource is An American Ballroom Companion: Dance Instruction Manuals ca.1490-1920 from the Library of Congress. It contains full text and illustrations for some two hundred books and pamphlets about social dancing published during that time period.

Another good source of information is the Country Dance and Song Society (CDSS), which, in addition to the large number of books it has for sale, also has the CDSS online library.

• Samuel Baron, Professor Baron's complete instructor in all the society dances of America, including all the figures of the german; and every new and fashionable waltz, round, or square dance known in Europe or America (New York: M. Young, 1881)
  • St. Louis Public Library
• Ed Butenhoff, Dance Parties for Beginners (Rochester NY: Lloyd Shaw Foundation, 1990)
  • Beneficial Tradition lending library (ask Deborah Hyland)
• P. Valleau Cartier, Cartier's practical illustrated waltz instructor, ball room guide, and call book. Giving ample directions for dancing every kind of square and round dances, together with cotillions - including the newest and most popular figures of "the german" (New York: DeWitt, 1882)
  • St. Louis Public Library
• Betty Casey, The Complete Book of Square Dancing (and Round Dancing) (New York: Doubleday, 1976)
  
  • Kirkwood Public Library
  • Richmond Heights Public Library
  • University City Public Library
  • Webster Groves Public Library
• Ann Hastings Chase, arr., The Singing Caller: a book on the square dance with calls and music (New York: Association Press, 1944)
  
  • St. Louis County Library
  • St. Louis Public Library
• Mary Dart McNab, Contra Dance Choreography: a reflection of social change (New York: Garland, 1995)
  • Beneficial Tradition lending library (ask Deborah Hyland)
  • Childgrove lending library (ask Martha Edwards)
  • CDSS onine Library
  • Washington University, Olin Library
• Ed Durlacher, comp., Honor Your Partner: 81 American square, circle, and contra dances; with complete instructions for doing them (New York: Devin-Adair Co., 1949)
  • Fontbonne College
  • Kirkwood Public Library
  • Wasington University, Olin Library
  • Webster Groves Public Library
• Raoul-Auger Feuillet, (John Essex, trans.) For the Further Improvement of Dancing (Recueil de contredances mises en choreographie) (Facsimile reprint of 1710 edition)
  • Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville
• Penn Fix, Contra Dances of the Great Northwest (Spokane WA: Self-published, 1991)
  • Beneficial Tradition lending library (ask Deborah Hyland)
• Charles D. Foster, Learn to Dance and Call Square Dances the Foster Way (Denver: Smith-Brooks Printing Co., 1942)
  • Washington University, Olin Library
• Gene Gowing, The Square Dancers' Guide (New York: Crown Publishers, 1957)
  • Kirkwood Public Library
  • Webster Groves Public Library
• Hank Greene, Square and Folk Dancing (New York: Harper & Row, 1984)
  • Kirkwood Public Library
  • Richmond Heights Public Library
  • Webster Groves Public Library
  • University City Public Library
• Margot Gunzenhauser, The Square Dance and Contra Dance Handbook: calls, dance movements, music, glossary, bibliography, discography, and directories (Jefferson NC: McFarland & Co., 1996)
  • Richmond Heights Public Library
  • University of Missouri - St. Louis
• J. Tillman Hall, Dance! a complete guide to social, folk & square dancing (New York: Books for Libraries, 1980)
  • Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville
  • University of Missouri - St. Louis
• Jane A. Harris, Dance a While: handbook of folk, square, contra, and social dance (7th ed.) (New York: MacMillan, 1994)
  • Fontbonne College
  • Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville
  • St. Louis County Library
  • St. Louis Public Library
  • University of Missouri - St. Louis
• Kathleen Hill, Dance for Physically Disabled Persons: a manual for teaching ballroom, square, and folk dances to users of wheelchairs and crutches (Washington: American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, and Recreation, 1976)
  • Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville
  • Washington University, Olin Library
• Alan Hines, Square Dance (New York: Perennial Library, 1984)
  • St. Louis County Library
  • St. Louis Public Library
• Ricky Holden, The Contra Dance Book; over 100 contra and progressive circle dances with variations and historical notes together with suggestions for calling and teaching them (Newark NJ: American Squares, 1956)
  • St. Louis Public Library
• Elias Howe, ed.,The musician's companion: containing 36 sets of cotillions arranged with figures, and a large number of marches, quick-steps, waltzes, hornpipes, contra dances, songs, &c ... for the flute, violin, clarionett, bass-viol, &c. (Boston: Howe & Tolman, 1843)
  • Washington University, Music Library Special Collections
• Elias Howe, ed., An improved edition of the Musician's omnibus: containing the whole camp duty, calls and signals used in the Army and Navy, forty setts of quadrilles, (including waltz, polka and schottische,) with calls, and an immense collection of polkas, schottisches, waltzes, marches, quicksteps, hornpipes, contra & fancy dances, songs, &c., for the violin, flute, cornet, clarionett &c., containing over 700 pieces of music (Boston: E. Howe, 1864)
  • Washington University, Music Library Special Collections
• Gene Hubert, Dizzy Dances II (self-published?)
  • Beneficial Tradition lending library (ask Deborah Hyland)
• Gene Hubert, Dizzy Dances III (self-published?)
  • Beneficial Tradition lending library (ask Deborah Hyland)
• Paul B. A. Hunt, Eight Yards of Calico: square dance fun for everyone (New York: Harper, 1952)
  • Washington University, Olin Library
• Larry Jennings, Zesty Contras (Cambridge MA: New England Folk Festival Association, 1983)
  • Childgrove lending library (ask Martha Edwards)
• Clayne R. Jensen, Beginning Square Dance (Belmont CA: Wadsworth Publishing Co., 1966)
  • Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville
• Miriam H. Kirkell and Ira Schaffnit, Partners All - Places All! 44 enjoyable square and folk dances for everyone (New York: E.P. Dutton, 1949)
  • St. Louis Public Library
  • University City Public Library
• Richard G. Krauss, Square Dances of Today, and how to teach and call them (New York: Ronald Press Co., 1950)
  • Fontbonne College
  • St. Louis Public Library
  • Washington University, Olin Library
  • University City Public Library
• Fred Leifer, The Official Li'l Abner Square Dance Handbook: easy-to-learn steps, calls, games, profit-making ideas, music and illustrations (New York?: Toby Press, 1953)
  • Fontbonne College
  • St. Louis Public Library
• Zeke Manners, American Square Dances, with calls and music (New York: Robbins Music Corp., 1948)
  • Washington University, West Campus Facility
• Margot Mayo, The American Square Dance (revised and enlarged ed.) (New York: Oak Publications, 1964)
  • Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville
  • St. Louis County Library
  • St. Louis Public Library
  • Washington University, Olin Library
• Ralph J. McNair, Western Square Dances (Denver: Oran V. Siler Co., 1941)
  • Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville
  • St. Louis Public Library
• Richard Nevell, A Time to Dance: American country dancing from hornpipes to hot hash (New York: St. Martin's Press, 1977)
  • Kirkwood Public Library
  • Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville
  • St. Louis County Library
  • St. Louis Public Library
  • St. Louis University
  • University City Public Library
  • Webster University
• Bob Osgood, ed., Five Years of Sets in Order: The calls and breaks compiled from 60 issues of Sets in Order since November 1948 (Los Angeles: Square Dance Publishers, 1954) [Photocopy]
  • Beneficial Tradition lending library (ask Deborah Hyland)
• Lee Owens, Advanced Square Dance Figures of the West and Southwest (Palo Alto CA: Pacific Books, 1950)
  • Fontbonne College
  • St. Louis County Library
  • St. Louis Public Library
• Ralph Page (See under Beth Tolman)
• Piute Pete, The Square Dance Party Book (New York: Village Recreation Service, 1950)
  • St. Louis Public Library
• Piute Pete, Piute Pete's Down-Home Square Dance Book (New York: Grosset & Dunlap, 1977)
  • Kirkwood Public Library
• Patricia A. Phillips, Contemporary Square Dance (Dubuque IA: W.C. Brown Co., 1968)
  • Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville
  • Washington University, Olin Library
• Lynn Rohrbough, American Folk Dances (Delaware OH: Cooperative Recreation Service, 1939)
  • St. Louis Public Library
• Grace L. Ryan, Dances of Our Pioneers (New York: A.S. Barnes & Co., 1939)
  • Richmond Heights Public Library
• Ted Sannella, Balance and Swing: a collection of fifty-five squares, contras, and triplets in the New England tradition with music for each dance (New York: Country Dance and Song Society, 1982)
  • Childgrove lending library (ask Martha Edwards)
• Ira Schaffnit (See under Miriam Kirkell)
• John M. Schell Prompting: How to do it (New York: Carl Fischer, 1948) (orig. published 1890)
  • St. Louis Public Library
  • Washington University, Olin Library
• Lloyd Shaw, Cowboy Dances: a collection of western square dances (Caldwell ID: Caxton Printers, 1949)
  • Kirkwood Public Library
  • St. Louis County Library
  • University City Public Library
• Louis Shomer, How to Dance: the latest and most complete instructions in ballroom dance steps; the ABC of modern dancing, dancing the latest steps from the square dances to the swing waltz (New York: Louellen Publishing Co., 1937)
  • St. Louis Public Library
• Charley Thomas 12 Home Made Square Dances (Woodbury NJ: American Squares, 1948)
  • Washington University, Olin Library
• Beth Tolman and Ralph Page, The Country Dance Book: the old fashioned square dance, its history, lore, variations & its callers, complete and joyful instructions (Guilford VT: The Countryman Press, 1937)
  • St. Louis Public Library
  • St. Louis County Library
  • Washington University, Olin Library
  • Webster Groves Public Library
• Beth Tolman, How to put on and make successful the country dance party (Weston VT: The Countryman Press, 1938)
  • St. Louis Public Library
• Ruth Marian Wilson, Folk and Square Dance Syllabus (Seattle: Univ. of Washington, 1954)
  • St. Louis County Library

   

Beneficial Tradition lending library (ask Deborah Hyland)
Childgrove Country Dancers lending library (ask Martha Edwards)
Fontbonne College Library
Kirkwood Public Library
Southern Illinois University (Edwardsville) Library
St. Louis County Library
St. Louis Public Library
St. Louis University Libraries
University City Public Library
University of Missouri (St. Louis) Libraries
Washington University Libraries
Webster Groves Public Library
Webster University Libraries

When We Usually Dance

*Here’s the formula for when we dance on Sundays: There is always a contra dance on the 3rd Saturday. The next night (Sunday) is a Waltz Party, which is usually the 3rd Sunday, but If the first day of the month is a Sunday, then it's the 4th Sunday.  In the end, the best way to know when we dance is to check the schedule.

Sunday Dances

1st, 2nd, usually the 4th, & 5th Sundays.  Contra Dance. Free workshop at 6:30pm, live music from 7-10pm. $7.

Usually 3rd Sunday. Waltz Party - waltzes and other social dances. Free workshop 6-7pm, live music from 7-9pm. $10.

Monday Dance

1st Monday. Plain and Fancy" English Country Dance.  Fun, easier, introductory or teaching dances from 7-8:30pm for your non-dancing friends. More complex dances from 8:30-9:30pm for those of you who've been longing for a bit of a challenge.  Recorded music.

Friday Dance

3rd Fridays. English Country Dance. Live music from 7pm -9:30pm, with easier, teaching dances in the first half hour. Please come early if you're new. If you're late, you're still welcome, but you'll have more fun if you feel confident, and we want you to have more fun.  Regular dances $10, balls $15. Be sure to ask about discounts if you need one!

Saturday Dances

1st Saturday. Callers Choice Dance - contra and related dances. Free workshop at 6:30pm, live music from 7-10pm. $7.

3rd Saturday. Contra dance. Free workshop at 6:30pm, live music from 7-10pm. $7.

Here's a schedule, and a map to the Monday Club.