Going Dancing Trivia Quiz

Answer: clog

The word 'start' indicates that first letters of the following four words, "calling lots of good", will lead to the four letter answer - clog.

Clog dancing is done by people wearing wooden clogs - a traditional form of footwear for working people. In England there are two distinct forms of clog dancing. Northern step dancing is performed by solo dancers or small groups. Northwest morris is done in sets, usually with eight people, and was originally a processional dance. In the Netherlands, where the traditional dancing is sometimes called "Boerendansen" (farmer-dancing) or "Klompendansen" (clog dancing), the wooden clogs are used to make rhythmic sounds during the dances.

Answer: Square

The word 'changes' shows that an anagram of the six letter word 'Arques' will lead to the answer - square.

Square dancing is danced by groups of eight people, with a couple standing on each side of a square. Set dances in this formation were common in England, Scotland and other parts of Europe. Immigrants took them across the Atlantic Ocean, where the form became very popular. A caller at a square dance will assume that the dancers know a certain number of figures, and will often call out the name of a figure just in time for the dancers to perform it, so they have to keep listening because they never know what will be coming next.

By the way, Arques is the name of a river in northern France, and also the name of several small settlements in different parts of the same country.

Answer: Ballroom

The word 'takes', shows that this is a 'container clue'; in this case the word 'all' is placed inside the word 'broom' to give the answer - ballroom.

Ballroom dancing refers to several styles of dancing done by couples, such as the waltz and the foxtrot. Originally it was danced by the privileged classes on social occasions. By the late twentieth century it had also become a competitive sport. Its popularity was increased further by the success of the BBC's television show, "Strictly Come Dancing", in the United Kingdom.

Answer: Maypole

The word 'over' is another indicator of an anagram; in this case the letters in 'lay poem' can be re-arranged to make the answer - maypole.

In England the maypole is usually a single tall pole, erected at the beginning of May, with a number of coloured ribbons fastened to the top. The dance involves people, usually children, each holding a ribbon, and dancing around the pole to produce a woven pattern from the ribbons down the length of the pole. This is usually followed by the dancers going back in the other direction to untwist the ribbons again. Other versions of the maypole can be found in parts of Europe influenced by the Germanic peoples. The celebrations, including dancing, can take place at the beginning of May, Whitsun or midsummer, depending on local customs.

Answer: Ballet

There are two parts to this clue; 'moves' indicates an anagram of the word 'belt', and around shows that aluminium (Al) is contained within it, giving the answer - ballet.

Unlike many other forms of dancing, ballet is a dance performed by professionals for entertaining an audience. The dancers undergo rigorous training from a young age to learn the necessary techniques and skills. With the addition of specific mime movements, the dancers will convey a story during a ballet.

Answer: Contra

The word 'uncovers' indicates a hidden word; the last three letters of falcon and the first three of tracker lead to the answer - contra.

Contra dances are performed by couples in double lines, usually partners face each other across the set, but sometimes they stand next to each other, facing another couple across the set. Generally the dance is performed in groups of four, with each couple moving up or down the set each time to meet a new couple. Unlike many square dances, where the dancers are required to know a certain number of figures before they can do a dance, a caller for a contra dance will usually 'walk through' the figures of the dance for everybody to learn it before they dance it to the music.

Answer: Playford

An anagram is suggested by the word 'changes'; re-arranging the letters in the words 'yard flop' leads to the answer - Playford.

The term 'Playford' refers to John Playford who wrote down the music and instructions for a number of traditional English country dances; these were first published in the seventeenth century as "The English Dancing Master". They often appear to be stately and elegant, and sometimes seem slower than other country dances, such as square dances or contra dances. Dramatisations of Jane Austen's novels often feature Playford dances.

Answer: Morris

Mister can be abbreviated to Mr; the alternative is the word 'or'; the word 'holding' indicates a container clue. Putting everything together gives M-or-r-is leading to the answer - morris.

Morris dancing, which dates back to the fourteenth century in England, is another dance performed as entertainment. Although, unlike ballet, which is usually performed on a stage in a theatre, morris dancing generally takes place outside, often in the vicinity of a pub, for much needed refreshments for the dancers. There are several traditional styles of morris, although most people probably think of Cotswold morris, which is men dancing with bells round their ankles, waving handkerchiefs or clashing sticks.

Answer: Sword

Another anagram - the letters of 'words' can be re-arranged to give the answer - sword.

Sword dances are known in many parts of the world. Military training exercises in China and south-east Asia developed into elaborate dance rituals. In Yorkshire and the northeast of England, traditional dances involve sets of five or six men carrying swords, rigid longswords in the south of the region and flexible rapper swords further north in Northumberland - those dances often finish with the swords fixed together in a 'lock'. In Scotland, single dancers lay a pair of swords on the ground in the shape of a cross, and then perform a dance placing their feet carefully in the spaces between the hilts and points of the swords.

Answer: Tap

The word 'finally' means that the last letters of the following three words, start a hop, must be used to find the three letter answer - tap.

Tap dancing began in minstrel shows in the middle of the nineteenth century. Performers have metal pieces fixed to the soles and heels of their shoes, which make the tapping sound as they step. Tap dancing is thought to have evolved from a mixture of Irish step dancing, English clog dancing and African tribal dancing.