Acknowledgments
I am greatly indebted to the dance callers, choreographers, musicians, and dancers who took the time from their busy schedules to let me interview them about contra dance: Peter Bixby, Fred Breunig, Bernard Chalk, Bob Dalsemer, Roger Diggle, Larry Edelman, Susan Elberger, Chip Hendrickson, Steve Hickman, Becky Hill, Tom Hinds, Gene Hubert, Larry Jennings, David Kaynor, Carol Kopp, John Krumm, Dudley Laufman, George Marshall, Al Olson, Fred Park, Tony Parkes, Beth Parkes, Dan Pearl, Ted Sannella, Pete Sutherland, Don Theyken, and Steve Zakon.
I am grateful also to those who fed me and gave me a place to sleep during my travels: Carol Henry, Fred Park, Busy Graham, Bob Dalsemer, Chip Poston and Catherine Peck, Bill Satterthwaite, Pete Sutherland and Karen Billings, Doug Feeney and Sally Kleinfeldt.
My work was supported by the Indiana University Graduate School through a Grant in Aid, by the Folklore Institute through the Richard Dorson Fellowship competition, and by the Special Projects office of the Folklore Institute through the loan of a video camera.
Those who have carefully read portions of my study and have given me the benefit of their criticism and wisdom deserve special thanks: My committee chair, Ruth Stone; committee members Henry Glassie, John McDowell, and Anya Royce; dance callers Ted Sannella and Bob Dalsemer; dance historian Michael McKernan; and my fellow graduate students Peter Bixby, Bridget Edwards, and Frank Hall. Special thanks to Larry Jennings for standardizing the dance notations in the appendix, to Susie Lorand and Ben Bolker for proofreading, and to Lenora Kandiner for help with the printing.
This project would have been a lonely journey indeed without the encouragement and support of my family: My parents, Martha and Leonard Dart, who have always lent their unconditional support to my life and work; and my daughter, Leah, who has cheerfully foregone the pleasures of an economically sound existence while her mother went through graduate school.