Dear English dancer,

We share an interest in, even a deep passion for, a dance form which has historical precedence in
North America. It has survived since its introduction on this continent via early immigrants, and despite
the overwhelming dominance of popular culture in the United States and Canada. The Country
Dance and Song Society has worked since 1915 to preserve this dance form through our publications,
advocacy, support, and dance/music camp programs. We are now interested in collecting stories about
the history and current state of English country dancing in North America–the English Country Dance
Oral History Project.

The focus of the oral history project is to document the histories of English dance communities across
the continent (see questions document below). The list of questions in sections A and B cover my
main topics of interest; however, as you speak with an interviewee, threads of conversation will inspire
more detailed questioning. Follow these threads; they often yield the most interesting, thoughtful
responses.

As a corollary to the history of English dance communities, I am very interested in learning about
the meaning people attach to this activity on which they have chosen to spend their valuable time
and energy. The questions in section C on the list of question address the meaning of art, dance, and
community in people's lives. Ask these questions with sensitivity and only if your interviewee feels
comfortable doing so.

I collected oral histories at English Week at Pinewoods Camp summer 2009 in order to launch and
advertise this project among a committed group of English dancers from across the country. Although
I will continue to conduct face-to-face interviews occasionally, after this initial launch stories will be
collected largely via the CDSS website. In addition, I hope people across the country, such as yourself,
will be interested in either conducting and transcribing face-to-face interviews with, or soliciting
written stories from, their local dancers, which can then be added to the national database of stories.
If you are interested, you can fi nd all the information you need to start on this website. If you have
already started collecting stories, and would like them included in the national collection, please send
a copy to me at pat@cdss.org. The interviews will be posted, with permission, on the CDSS website
and in the CDSS archives at the University of New Hampshire’s Library of Traditional Music and
Dance.

To get going you can download the Intake, Permissions, and Questions documents (pdf format).

Thank you very much for participating in this project. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate
to call (413-268-7426 x 106) or write. And thank you so much for your joy in music and dance.

Pat MacPherson
Associate Director of Education