Country Western Dancing
When the settlers moved west, they brought their dancing with them. Many were immigrants and their native styles of music and dancing were mixed with other immigrants'. The Polka, the Waltz, Quadrilles. New styles and hybrids were developed.
Folks gathered at various places to dance -- on ranches, in barns, in rural school houses. Slowly a dance that was specifically "western" began to evolve.
Cowboys paid little attention to traditional dance forms. One observer commented in 1873, that "some punchers danced like a bear 'round a beehive that was afraid of getting stung. Others didn't seem to know how to handle a calico, and got as rough as they do handlin' cattle in brandin' pens." Several of these cowboy mannerisms survive on today's country dance floors.
Modern Country Western dancing developed in the late 30's thru 50's, propelled by Bob Wills' Western Swing band. Influenced by the big band jazz from the cities, his instrumentation was different eschewing the dominant brass horn section for fiddle and guitar. The style was different as well with a more ensemble playing style for the simpler 1 and 2 step dances including the Foxtrot, Mexican influenced Waltzes and ethnic influenced Polkas. The main focus of the music was to keep people dancing. Originally called Hillbilly music, it was a combo of Jazz, Dixieland, Blues and Fiddle music.
Folks gathered at various places to dance -- on ranches, in barns, in rural school houses. Slowly a dance that was specifically "western" began to evolve.
Cowboys paid little attention to traditional dance forms. One observer commented in 1873, that "some punchers danced like a bear 'round a beehive that was afraid of getting stung. Others didn't seem to know how to handle a calico, and got as rough as they do handlin' cattle in brandin' pens." Several of these cowboy mannerisms survive on today's country dance floors.
Modern Country Western dancing developed in the late 30's thru 50's, propelled by Bob Wills' Western Swing band. Influenced by the big band jazz from the cities, his instrumentation was different eschewing the dominant brass horn section for fiddle and guitar. The style was different as well with a more ensemble playing style for the simpler 1 and 2 step dances including the Foxtrot, Mexican influenced Waltzes and ethnic influenced Polkas. The main focus of the music was to keep people dancing. Originally called Hillbilly music, it was a combo of Jazz, Dixieland, Blues and Fiddle music.