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Full text of this paper is not available in the ETD Center. Copies may be available for inter-library loan from University of Cincinnati or may be available for purchase from Proquest/UMI

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THE ART OF WESTERN SQUARE DANCE CALLING: A CLOSE LOOK AT JACK PLADDYS

PHILLIPS, JESSICA
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1004730232

Abstract Details

2001, M.M., University of Cincinnati, College-Conservatory of Music : Music History.
Western square dance calling is a dynamic mixture of speech and singing. Callers come from different backgrounds; some begin as singers, others begin calling because they are avid square dancers. Because of the popularity of Western square dancing in both North America and abroad, callers hail from regions across the United States and throughout the world. I chose ethnography as my research method because I am interested in studying contemporary Western square dance calling practices. I focused on the calling of one individual, Jack Pladdys, because Cincinnati dancers consider him a skilled caller. Pladdys began calling in 1982 and called professionally for several years. For ten successive weeks, I observed Pladdys calling and teaching a weekly Western square dance class at the Wyoming Civic Center in Cincinnati, Ohio. By observing Western square dance activities and by interviewing square dance participants, including square dance organization officers and Jack Pladdys, I gained knowledge of the contemporary Western square dance tradition in Cincinnati. In this thesis, I define Western square dance terminology related to callers' activities, discuss musical aspects of calling, and identify teaching methods used by callers. Additionally, I develop a list of calling characteristics in their order of relative importance in Cincinnati, Ohio. Through my research and writing, I attempt to begin the process of documenting the traits that distinguish a Western square dance caller as "good" within a specific community of Western square dancers. By documenting the techniques involved in successful calling, I hope to enhance the small body of research on contemporary Western square dance practices.
Robert Templeman (Advisor)
1 p.
Dance; Music
SQUARE DANCE; WESTERN; CALLING

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • PHILLIPS, J. (2001). THE ART OF WESTERN SQUARE DANCE CALLING: A CLOSE LOOK AT JACK PLADDYS [Master's thesis, University of Cincinnati]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1004730232

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • PHILLIPS, JESSICA. THE ART OF WESTERN SQUARE DANCE CALLING: A CLOSE LOOK AT JACK PLADDYS. 2001. University of Cincinnati, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1004730232.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • PHILLIPS, JESSICA. "THE ART OF WESTERN SQUARE DANCE CALLING: A CLOSE LOOK AT JACK PLADDYS." Master's thesis, University of Cincinnati, 2001. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1004730232

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

ucin1004730232
© 2001, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by University of Cincinnati and OhioLINK.