Traditional Square Dance - Music

Music

Traditional square dance is almost always danced to live music (the main exception is "fun nights", which are often conducted by modern Western callers using traditional material with recorded music). Since the 19th century, much of the square dance repertoire has been derived from jigs (in 6/8 time) and reels (in 2/4 time) from Scotland and Ireland. In some regions, such as New England, these tunes are played in relatively unaltered form. In the southern Appalachians and the Ozarks, the style is more likely to conform to the old time music tradition. Quebec has its own dance music tradition, which is based on Irish music but has evolved into a unique style. Cape Breton Island has a well-preserved style of dance music, based on Scottish fiddling.

Square dance music was traditionally played on acoustic instruments, and in many places it still is. The fiddle is the most common lead instrument; other lead instruments, and instruments that carry the rhythm and harmony, vary by region. In areas that were settled by Europeans relatively early, such as New England and eastern Canada, the piano is the mainstay of square dance rhythm and chording. In the Southern United States and along the path of westward expansion, instruments like the banjo and guitar, which are more portable and easier to make and repair than the piano, were and are more common. The double bass has long been popular as a supplement to the rhythm section. Certain instruments are popular in specific regions; examples include the accordion in Quebec and Newfoundland and the hammered dulcimer in Michigan and Upstate New York. In some communities where square dancing has survived, the prevailing form of music has become popular songs from the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s, played on instruments such as saxophones, drums, and electric guitars.

The tempo of traditional square dance music can vary widely, depending on the regional style. New England has some of the slowest tempos, from around 108 to 124 bpm. Southern Appalachian tempos are among the fastest, at 130 to 150 bpm. Most other regions fall between those extremes.

The structure of many traditional dance tunes follows an "AABB" pattern, with two distinct strains played twice each. The "A part" and "B part" are typically each 8 measures (16 downbeats) in length, making one playing of the tune 32 measures (64 downbeats). In a few tunes the A and B parts are half the normal length; in others, particularly those derived from marches or rags, one or more parts are twice the normal length. Practice varies among fiddlers as to whether to repeat the parts of such non-standard tunes.

In some areas, notably Quebec and parts of the southern and southwestern United States, there is a strong tradition of playing "crooked" tunes — tunes in which at least one part has more or fewer beats than the norm. Because callers in those areas do not synchronize their calls with the phrases of the music, crooked tunes do not bother them. In regions where the callers and dancers are used to staying "on phrase" (as in a contra dance), crooked tunes are not used for square dancing.

In the northeastern United States, traditional square dances are frequently done to popular songs in addition to, or instead of, jigs and reels. Where this is done, the caller typically sings the calls, substituting dance directions for some of the words of the song but reverting to the original lyrics for the last few measures of each chorus, often encouraging the dancers to sing along. Singing callers normally choose songs that are similar in structure to fiddle tunes—the same number of measures, played at a similar tempo. There are exceptions, however: a waltz such as "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" may be sped up from its original 3/4 time to a fast 6/8 time.