ABSTRACT
The English step dance revival began in the 1950s and is now a well-established folk performance art involving both clog and hard-shoe step dance traditions. This chapter highlights the wealth of clog and step dance material known today and identifies key events which initiated the revival, and particular individuals whose research has laid the foundation for much of the collection, recording and transmission of this material.
In reviewing today’s clog and step dance repertoire, the author dismisses the revivalist notion of ‘regional’ styles and introduces an alternative analytical framework which links dance style to social context rather than regional context: specific step dance traditions being defined through their historical evidence and whether dancing is characteristically structured or improvisational. Step dance, as a genre, is thus analysed as a social phenomenon and this opens up the possibilities for further research. The conclusion acknowledges the importance of maintaining levels of participation in step dance as a revival dance form and discusses the resulting tensions that can develop. The paper comments on the influence of authenticity in many revival clog and step dance competitions and examines the issue from an anthropological perspective.
