Bring Back Money Musk!

Our other version gives you a taste of the classic calling of Ralph Page.

Money Musk is a classic American contra dance, one of a group of dances frequently referred to as the "chestnuts." It has a venerable and fascinating history, which is explored in depth in the 2008 book Cracking Chestnuts. Two of us, David Smukler and David Millstone, worked together on this book, and also created this web page. Our book is available from the CDSS Store.

Last year, as a way of celebrating the publication of Cracking Chestnuts, we two Davids proclaimed that March 14 would be the date for the first ever International Money Musk Moment. Callers, musicians and dancers heard the call and celebrated this great old dance in 22 locations, including Switzerland, Denmark, and New Zealand. Granted, not everyone was able to participate on that exact day, so the grand tally (involving 1,376 dancers and 88 musicians--the same number as keys on a piano) included dances held on or about that mid-March date.

Emboldened by the success of that moment, we have decided to broaden our horizons, and have declared March of 2010 to be International Money Musk Month. Callers everywhere are encouraged to add Money Musk to their program provided that the musicians know the tune and the dancers are capable of doing the dance.

Money Musk is a classic in the repertoire and is finding a legion of enthusiastic new fans. However, the dance is not without its challenges. For example:

• Money Musk is a triple minor proper dance. Since these appear rarely on contra dance programs nowadays, many 21st century contra dancers do not understand how they work, and extra instruction is typically required.
• The style of the dance is old-fashioned. It involves a same sex (proper) right and left through, and the number one couple is an active couple, while two thirds of the dancers are in a support role at any given time. This is not difficult, per se, but the style is unfamiliar to many. Again, more instruction or explanation may be required.
• Money Musk has no neighbor swing. It also has no partner swing. That's right--no swings at all! In contemporary contra culture, some dancers complain if they don't feel they get their quota of swings.
• The timing of the center portion of the dance is subtle, and there are many variations. This creates a teaching challenge.
• Many curmudgeonly traditional dancers have developed strong opinions about timing and style, which can create some tension on the floor, or between such dancers and their caller. There are callers who prefer not to walk into this hornet's nest.
• The tune called Money Musk is a challenging one to play. And yet play it they must, as the tune is so closely associated with the dance. The most common versions of the dance also use a 24-bar tune, and most contra dances are done to tunes 32 bars in length, which simply would not fit. (If you are a musician who would like to start practicing the tune, you can click here to download it.)

Money Musk on the Web

• Norwich, Vermont with David Millstone and Northern Spy
• Monte Toyon camp, California with Linda Leslie (calling in the AM), Bob Isaacs (calling in the PM) and the Rhythm Rollers
• Bethlehem, Pennsylvania with Donna Hunt and DanceWiz
• Christchurch, New Zealand with Bill Baritompa and music from the New England Chestnuts recording
• Dietlikon, Switzerland with Katja Hunn and Over the Isles

• John Michael Seng-Wheeler's "Bring Back Money Musk" video documenting Nils Fredland calling the dance at the Swallowtail 30th anniversary weekend, held at Camp Becket, Massachusetts in the fall of 2008.
• A page from Walter Lenk that documents a Duke Miller dance from 1965. Clicking on the links on this page allows you to listen to a recording of the dance. You will find Money Musk in a common spot on the program: the first dance after the intermission.