Step Dancing

The step dancing of Nova Scotia and

elsewhere derives from a local 

contraption called a “whirly-gig”, a wind

driven puppet whose legs are usually

the only things that move. Hence, the 

dancers dance with their arms to their

sides, as if made of wood, their faces

expressionless…life imitating art.

The music would be violin and usually

two other instruments; guitar and 

keyboard…bass and guitar…any other 

two. The music would be at three 

speeds; slow, medium and fast…

different speeds of the wind.

The people had been magically shaped 

by the place, by the nature there, to 

create this music and this dance. There

is natural alchemy. “Getting back to 

nature” is not just some threadbare 

boomer joke. The “Great Awakening” 

means dancing in the streets…..again.