Name that Dance, Part Two Trivia Quiz

Answer: Morris Dancing

This dance can be seen in many English village squares, particularly outside country pubs. It is so popular with tourists that many now think of it as the national dance of England.

Some have suggested that the word "Morris" is a corruption of the word "Moorish", therefore implying exotic origins, particularly with the stamping steps and the unusual costumes. But, like so many unusual things, and Morris dancing is one of them, the mystery of origins makes it more fascinating.

Answer: Foxtrot

This dance caught the attention of the famous ballroom dancing duo of Vernon and Irene Castle, and because of them, it became an extremely popular dance for ordinary people.

Because it could be done in fairly crowded spaces without any flamboyant moves being made, it was a perfect dance for night-club patrons who wanted to dance cheek-to-cheek. For women, the sensual movements lent themselves very well to the slinky evening fashions of those years. The foxtrot is a dance we often see performed in the movies of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, a beautiful, graceful dance by a beautiful, graceful couple.

Answer: Grand jètè

"Grand jètè" is French for a large jump or leap. Certain male dancers such as Rudolph Nureyev and Mikhail Barishnikov made the grand jètè a trademark of their athletic ballet style, particularly when they would circle the stage performing several of these leaps in a row. A genuine crowd pleaser!

Answer: Polka

In fact the polka originated in Bohemia, or what is now known as the Czech Republic. The Czech word for that recognizable polka movement, the skipping from one foot to another, is "pulka". This then got corrupted into the word "polka", which is the word for a Polish woman, thus giving many of us, me included, the impression that the dance was Polish.

Answer: Highland fling

The Highland fling is so named because the fling is one of the frequent movements in the dance. The dance must always begin and end in the same position, but the dancer may perform many variations in between, usually tailored to show off his or her prowess with the intricacy of the steps. It is a thrilling and absorbing dance to watch.

Answer: Jitterbug

The jitterbug was a huge dance craze during the early 20th century, and is closely allied to swing and similar dances, such as the Lindy Hop. The jive, which became popular in the 1950s is a close relative of the jitterbug.

I was surprised to learn that the dance might have gotten its name from emulating the "jittery" movements of heavy drinkers deprived of their solace! Perhaps this is a result of the dance being performed during American Prohibition? Not a pleasant thought for such a pleasant occupation.

As for the Mashed Potato, the Frug, and the Watusi, they all were real, but are rarely danced or performed. The jitterbug, however, is alive and well in the jive which is often performed in dance competitions.

Answer: The samba

The samba, the dance of Brazilian Carnival, has its roots in Africa via the West African slave trade. Its rhythm is 2/4 time. Although it can be performed in an elaborate, almost unrecognizable, way in ballroom dancing competitions, in its simplest form anyone can join a line and dance it through the streets of Rio. Step, step, step, point, step, step, step, point. If you have joined a Conga Line at a wedding, you are dancing to the basic beat of the samba.

Answer: Stepdance

Traditionally referred to as "stepdance" performance, as opposed to folk, Irish dancing became more widely-known in 1994 with the creation of the world-famous show "Riverdance".

Irish step-dancing is recognized by rapid, intricate leg and foot movements, accompanied by stationary upper bodies and arms. The dance can be performed with hard-toed shoes, as in the finale of "Riverdance", or with soft-toed shoes.

Answer: False

Line Dancing is the dance being described. Dancers of all ages enjoy this dance because partners are not required and it can be done anywhere where a group of like-minded friends are gathered: community centres, dance-halls, social clubs and bars designed specifically for line-dancing activities.

Usually the dances consist of repeated step sequences performed on either of two or four walls of the dance hall with the full effect of unison and motion being enjoyed both by participants and watchers. Although line dancing originated in Texas and was performed to country music, the repertoire of dances today consist of waltzes, tangos, Latin music and many more categories. Great exercise for the body, and great exercise for the mind, since all the steps must be memorized.

Answer: Square dancing

Square dancing could almost be described as the national folk dance of the U.S.A., at least in my opinion. It is a dance where couples face each other in squares, hence the name, while they dance to fairly formulaic patterns, with familiar names for the choreography.

In traditional square dances, that is those that are more formally structured, there will always be a "caller" letting you know what the next steps are. However, experienced square-dancers usually know the named dances by heart, and a caller may be redundant in their case. But, for someone like me, I think I might be hanging on the every word of that instructive voice!