Amateur musicians took their violins with them when they left the British Iles for the New World. In the South, the colonists tried to replicate the refined lifestyle of English country manors. Plantations often employed "dancing masters" so that the colonists wouldn't "…revert to barbarism in the wilderness . "

<< to hear the music, click right , then "play".

In England, dance music has always been an oral tradition. Nevertheless, the great popularity of dance tunes in the 17th and 18th centuries led to a market for printed music. The English Dancing Master, published in 1651, and reprinted many times thereafter, contain over 500 melodies (English, Irish and Scottish) for violin.

We have chosen 2 of these tunes for the beginning of our show, which takes place in England.

Along with the music, the Appalachian colonists brought their dance forms to America. On the plantations, English country dancing (couples in long lines) was practised, and in the mountains, heavily populated by Scotch-Irish settlers, " step dancing " (solo dance improvisations to fast fiddle tunes) was popular. In Ireland, step dancing is done up on the toes, body straight and arms straight down at the sides. In the Appalachian mountains, the dancers have relaxed postures and, basically, the feet flat on the ground.

Our puppet Ben (and his mom) do a little demonstration of this energetic and joyful dancing.

N.B. : In the beginning of the show, which takes place in England, Valerie accompanies the fiddle with a renaissance guitar (or "4-course guitar ). The music written for this instrument issues from 16th century manuscripts. However, the 4-course guitar was used for the accompaniment (improvised) of popular music until the 18th century.
Once Ben's parents are in America, Valerie uses a banjo.