Figure 1.-- |
|
Dance has been a part of the curriculum in British schools. It is not as important as other fine arts, especially art. Drama is usually done as a kind of school projdect--the school or class play. Drama does receive some attention at English schools, especially at the primary level. The emphasis has varied over time. There are various ways dance is approached in the schools. There used to be a motion curriculum for younger children. May pole dancing was popular.
Moving to music is a cultural phenomenon common to all people. It appears to to be an inate or inheriited characteristic. It is natural foreven very most young children to want to move with music. While most pre-school children are too young for formal dance classes, they and younger primary children can benefit from a kind of informal dance program. We have noted such promgrams in America and Britain. We have very limited information at this time, but we know that in the 1940s during World War II that BBC had an entire Schools Music Department. We do not know when this Department was founded or a great deal about its productions. The BBC schools radio. "Music And Movement" was used by both classroom teachers and P.E. teachers. We have few detaiols on whp produced the program or when they first began broadcasting it. One HBC reader remembers it in the 1960s. We believe it probably began earlier, perhaps the 1950s. We also have few details atvthis time on the music and exervises.
An English reader writes, "Dance was taught to everyone at Primary level as part of PE when I was at school. This mainly took the form of Maypole Dancing and other Country Dancing. Having to hold hands with girls was the bit that most boys objected to most! How little did they/we know that in a few years attitudes would change. We would usually be in shorts and plimsolls with the girls in either shorts or skirts with t-shirts whilst practicing but we would be dressed all in white with collared short sleeve shirt, tennis shorts (or school greys in some schools), socks (ankle or long) and white plimsolls with the girls in either their gingham school dresses or other brightly coloured dresses when it came time to perform. We actually enjoyed this,
especially some of the more complicated routines."
Queen Victoria College in Scotland expects all of its pupils to learn Scottish Dancing as part of their PE programme and has a good reputation for its displays as a result. This is common at Scottish schools, especially the private schools. We also note it at schools in northern England.
This is sometimes done during gym class.
Dance is offered as an extra or an activity at many schools. Normally it is the girls who are intersted. Older students receive lessons in social dancing. A reader tells us, "I remember that around half of the male boarders and a few of the day boys took part in ballet. The boarders I think participated because there were not a lot of recreational options in the evening. They would probably have attracted more boys had they not insisted upon them wearing tights and leotards rather than shorts. That is why I didn't participate. "
A few schools in the UK specialise in performing arts and these either encourage or insist upon boys taking an active part in dance.
Some State schools include various forms of modern or street dance into their curriculum's and these make dance more popular with the boys as there is less loss of credibility and image associated.
Related Chronolgy Pages in the Boys' Historical Web Site
[Main Chronology Page]
[The 1880s]
[The 1930s]
[The 1940s]
[The 1950s]
[The 1960s]
[The 1970s]
[The 1980s]
Related Style Pages in the Boys' Historical Web Site
[Return to the Main other English school uniform activities page]
[Return to the Main schhool drama page]
[Long pants suits]
[Short pants suits]
[Socks]
[Eton suits]
[Jacket and trousers]
[Blazer
[School sandals]
Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing School Uniform Pages
[Main School Uniform Page]
[Australia]
[England]
[France]
[Germany]
[Italy]
[Japan]
[New Zealand]
[Scotland]
[United States]
Navigate the HBC School Section
[About Us]
[Activities]
[Chronology]
[Clothing styles]
[Countries]
[Debate]
[Economics]
[Garment]
[Gender]
[Hair]
[History]
[Home trends]
[Literary characters]
[School types]
[Significance]
[Transport and travel
[Uniform regulations]
[Year level]
[Other topics]
[Images]
[Links]
[Registration]
[Tools]
[Return to the Historic Boys' School Home]
