Phil Jamison 2: African influences, and African-American callers

Phil Jamison 2: African influences, and African-American callers

General - Dance and Culture

Phil Jamison discusses his research into the origins of American square dance in the south, and describes the key role that African-American musicians played . There are the well-known musical elements—the role of the banjo, for example—and Phil also points out that the first callers were African-American. Even some distinctive square dance features such as Birdie in the Cage may have African roots.

Square Dance History Project

November 18, 2011

David Millstone