The traditional dances of Merrie England, that
once earned us the name of 'the dancing English',
were all but lost under the soot and grime of the
Industrial Revolution. Only the devoted labours
and patient research of Cecil Sharp saved them
from extinction: Here and there in quiet corners
of the countryside he found old men who still
remembered the delightful dances of their youth,
and this 'timely salvage', as Maud Karpeles calls it,
resulted in the folkdance revival that is at once his
handiwork and his memorial.
In Wales, too, time has wrought ill with the folk
traditions. The music of the crwth is heard, alas,
no more, but the Welsh dances are being revived,
and can now be seen in their traditional setting at
the Eisteddfodau and in the country villages.
Miss Karpeles, who worked with Sharp for
many years and who is Honorary Secretary of
the International Folk Music Council, writes
with authority on English folk dancing; Mrs.
Blake is President of the Welsh Folk Dnace
Society. Detailed descriptions (with music) of
four selected dances, and four costume plates in
full colour make this book one that will gladden
the heart of all who love the dance and the
countryside.
