Book Description

From the PREFACE. This book of folk dances is published for the sole purpose of placing in the hands of the teachers of the public schools and playgrounds in New York City a description and the appropriate music for the folk dances of the course of study and those which have been approved from time to time as good physical training procedure. No attempt is made to justify their use or the grading which is used, or suggested, nor is any scientific or theoretical end to be served by this collection. It is intended to be useful. All these dances have been used with success in this city and may be employed under like circumstances with the prospect of like success. This collection is the result of the earnest and efficient work of the teachers of physical training and the class teachers in the New York City schools, whose devoted efforts have developed folk dancing in its legitimate sphere to the great benefit and joy of many thousands of children. It is in recognition of their fundamental part in the development of this phase of physical training, and on their behalf, that this book is issued. From the INTRODUCTION. Folk dances have come to fill an important place in physical training. They range in character from the simple song play in which the accompanying action may be descriptive of some trade to the highly developed collection of movements which are not descriptive of anything in particular, save the pure joy of life in rhymthmic exercise. In varying degrees are found the elements of song, play, drama, and vigorous muscular work. For our purpose, it is necessary to make a careful choice of material, as many dances are very evidently inappropriate for scholastic and administrative reasons. Folk dances should serve only their legitimate purpose, viz: recreation and other results supposed to be derived from informal gymnastics. Of course, no one expects that the educational, corrective, and disciplinary results which we can best obtain from formal gymnastics, will ever be supplied by the folk dances, nor do we wish them to subserve the functions of athletics, athletic games, or even aesthetic dancing. They supply a charming addition to our physical training procedure and we can expect large results from their intelligent use.