Square dancing - in its simplest form - is any dance that involves participation of four couples facing the middle of the dance floor, often, but not always, in a ‘square set’. The style of dance predates the colonization of the Americas, with many regions of Europe having their own styles.
Another important hallmark of square dancing is the caller. Nathan Kiser, a multi-instrumentalist and professor at the Kentucky Center for Traditional Music said this dance leader is critical to a successful square dance.
“Well, a caller is really important because that is the person that is teaching everybody and keeping everyone from running in an bumping into to each other and getting turned around,” Kiser said. “So, a good caller has to not only know the dance but also be explain it very well and also watch everyone in the moment and if someone does get lost, quickly kind of fix it so it keeps flowing. So, good callers are really hard to come by not a lot of people know how to do this anymore.”
Kiser said that while he does not think modern society is straying away from the tradition, sustaining the cultural practice does require folks with experience who are willing to teach it and new people to quell their fears and try it.
Dance Caller Hazel Jodock said modern square dancing comes in many shapes and forms.
“There are lots of different variety of square-dances. Sone of them are more specific to the south west, those are western squares really. And then you got traditional square dancing of Appalachias, which are pretty different. So, you got lots of different kinds of square dancing,” Jodock said. “The ones we are doing tonight are mostly from the British Isles, actually, England and Scotland. But yeah, any dance done in a square set is a square dance.”
Jodock said there is a lot from previous generations that would be lost if people do not continue to engage in the practice and do their part in sharing it with someone else.
“They are strong methods of building community, and it is definitely worthwhile to keep these, especially in this day and age there's a lot pulling us apart. There is a lot dividing the county, the world. So, anything that pulls us together is a win!” Jodock said.
Alister McConley, a sophomore space science engineering major at MSU experienced square dancing for the first time. He said square dancing offers something different.
“You actually participate with people a lot more than other dances and I really appreciate that,” McConley said.
Professor Nathan Kiser said square-dancing brings together different groups of people who would not otherwise chance upon each other in their day to day lives.
“People come, some students, people from the community, some people jump in and play, some people dance, sometimes we have to entice people to dance when the do not want to. But they usually end up enjoying it all in the end,” Kiser said.
Allsion Walker, a junior at the Kentucky Center for Traditional Music, has been going to square dances in Morehead for the last five years. She said her favorite part of the experience is getting to meet new people through the switching of partners in and between dances.
“When square dances first started, they started as like a courting way for people to meet and get engaged. And it is just a really important element to our community; I mean when you lose that you lose the one on one contact,” Walker said.
While they still are not as common as they were in days past, the future of the culture is bright in these hills.