Blues Dancing

[rails]

What is blues dancing? I've never actually seen it or maybe I have and didn't know it. From the way people talk about it it sounds like freestyle dancing to slow jazz or blues. Anyone know its history?

[Sagitta]

Rails. There is another thread on blues dancing in the general dancing discussion forum called Blues Materials (http://www.dance-forums.com/viewtopic.php?t=1381&highlight=drfuzz).

[d nice]

Blues dancing is rooted in the African slaves exploration of developing a unified cultural identity. Their being forbidden to practice their own religion, they adapted their modes of worship to Christianity. The idea of dancing and singing as not just a mode but the mode of worship gave birth to the Ring Shout, a shuffling circle dance with clapping and singing.

The movements and vocal forms used in the Ring Shout became the base of Gospel music and Blues music and dance. Traditional blues dances were both solo and partnered and involved isolated, polyrhythmic movement using very little floor space (very different than the line of dance used for the European partnered and set dances popular at the time). The partnered dances rarely (if ever) left the closed position (partner relationship was not to disimilar from Argentine Tango).

The Spirit Moves shows some examples of vintage blues dances.

As to being freestyle dancing... it is in its vintage forms as freestyle as Argentine Tango (however you may view that dance), though a significant number of people who "blues dance" these days are in fact doing freestyle movement with little influence from the traditional styles. Some people use ballroom dancing as their base, others use wcs, lindy hop or carolina shag as their base.

Anything else I can help you with? I noticed you live in San Francisco, Feb. 8th I'm going to be teaching an intro class for Blues Dancing at the Lake Merritt Danceter in Oakland. The class will be a lead-in to a series there starting Feb. 22nd. Private Message me for details if you are interested.