Northern Junket, Vol. 8 nos. 2-12 (May 1964 - July 1967): New England and American Folk Dance

Keene, NH: Ralph Page, 1967. Wraps. Good. 11 issues, each 8.5 x 5.5 inches, wraps, mimeographed, each issue is around 48 pp. Generally good or better, some tanning and wear, no. 2 with long repaired tears to rear wrap and some abrasions from a dried rubberband to front cover, and all issues with slight curling and warping from having been stored haphazardly, top edges a bit spotty. The ongoing project of New Hampshire native Ralph Page (1903-85), who became entranced with American folk dances in 1930 and began calling contras and leading weekly square and contra dance classes starting in the 1940s, and starting in the 1950s ran square dancing camps in New England and elsewhere, soon becoming known as the top authority in the field of New England Country dancing. From 1949 to 1984, Ralph single-handedly published 165 mimeographed issues of his Northern Junket magazine, which contained editorials, recipes, stories, dance notes, and sheet music for squares, contras, and international folk dances, and sheet music for many folk songs. He took great pride in publishing 18th and 19th century dances which his research had uncovered. His interpretation of obscure dance directions from old books and manuscripts found in the Library of Congress and elsewhere made it possible to revive many beautiful old dances such as The Market Lass and British Sorrow. Some fifty of these dances appeared in Northern Junket and his books, Heritage Dances of Early America and An Elegant Collection of Contras and Squares. He was an essential part of the dance adjunct to the general folk revival of the 1950s and 1960s that featured Pete Seeger, Moe Ash and others. Copies of Northern Junket are rare in the trade. Each issue would give news of events, reviews of books and occasionally records, give the choreography for various contras, squares and folk dances, reprint folk songs, provide history and analysis and provide news, schedules, and other information to the folk dance community.