CriticalDance Forum

One, two... one, two
A gender-free approach to English country dance thrives in Jamaica Plain

Sue Rosen ... may not look like a revolutionary, but she’s doing something genuinely radical within the context of English country dance, which traces its roots back 400 years and counts Queen Elizabeth I as an early enthusiast.

In the traditional version, the caller -- or person who directs the dance -- gives instructions to “gents” and “ladies.” Rosen doesn’t use those words, and for good reason: In the Jamaica Plain ECD group, a gent can be a lady and a lady can be a gent.