Comments on: So You Think You Can Dance, 1851 edition

By: Ardis E. Parshall

Ardis E. Parshall — Wed, 29 Aug 2012 15:59:55 +0000

Oo, yes! I hadn’t heard that label before, but it’s a good one!

By: Julia

Julia — Wed, 29 Aug 2012 15:49:49 +0000

I had a PE teacher in grade school who loved square dancing, so every child left sixth grade able to perform almost any square dance call. She also had an advanced group who practiced after school, did a number of exhibition dances, and helped teach other PE teachers, enrolled in a graduate level class on creative physical activities, learn square dancing.

The year I was in fifth grade over half of the advanced group was LDS. We were offered the chance to do an exhibition dance on the weekend of general conference. I chuckle at this story because they did dance on Sunday. Our group did not dance Saturday or Sunday.

Thinking about it, we didn’t go talk to our parents about it. Ms Cooper told us about the exhibition, which was mostly college groups. Greg mentioned it was general conference weekend, and we all immediately said we couldn’t go. They might have gone anyway, except that all but two of the boys were LDS, so they couldn’t have made up even a single square. Ms Cooper asked us about any other Sabath Saturdays. My youngest sister was ten years younger than me, and Ms Cooper was still checking when Katie was in grade school.

I have always like the idea of Sabath Saturdays as a description of General Conference.

Julia
Poetrysansonions.blogspot.com

By: Mel

Mel — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 13:10:16 +0000

Thanks, Ardis. I look forward to your future posts, on any subject.

By: David G.

David G. — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 02:30:22 +0000

Thanks, Ardis. The document certainly doesn’t have the “feel” of a contemporary account, and so it makes sense it’s from a late reminiscence. To answer your question, I’d say most scholars would not call a late account fiction (although we could get really theoretical, for Bruce’s sake, and argue from a poststructural perspective that there really is no difference between historical narratives and fiction . Anyway, sorry to distract from a fascinating document.

By: Ardis E. Parshall

Ardis E. Parshall — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 02:03:46 +0000

Mel, welcome to Keepa. The only dance story I can remember doing previously is How to Hold a Church Dance, circa 1917 -- but with dancing being such a large part of our cultural heritage, I'm sure I can come up with others. I'll keep an eye out for good ones to tell.

By: J. Stapley

J. Stapley — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 01:54:53 +0000

Bruce, you may check out: Howard A. Christy, “The Walker War: Defense and Conciliation as Strategy,” Utah Historical Quarterly 47 (Fall 1979). Ronald W. Walker, “Wakara Meets the Mormons, 1848–52: A Case Study in Native American Accommodation,” Utah Historical Quarterly 70 (Summer 2002). I believe the latter of these two is available online at the UHQ website.

By: Mel

Mel — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 01:41:15 +0000

I’m new to your posts, and this one really caught my eye. As a dancer/teacher/student of dance history I LOVED this story. So many images, thoughts, ideas floating through my head. Thank you so much for sharing! (Got any more good dance stories?)

By: rk

rk — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 01:23:59 +0000

#13 This incident would be funniest depicted deadpan.

By: Bruce Crow

Bruce Crow — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 21:56:40 +0000

Nice. I have no background with the Walker Indian War. So much to learn,… so little time. Thanks.

By: Ardis E. Parshall

Ardis E. Parshall — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 21:02:15 +0000

That’s funny! You could film it in an entirely serious way with no element of slapstick at all and it would still be funny.