TexasEscapes.com HOME Welcome to Texas Escapes
A magazine written by Texas
Custom Search
New   |   Texas Towns   |   Ghost Towns   |   Counties   |   Trips   |   Features   |   Columns   |   Architecture   |   Images   |   Archives   |   Site Map


Columns

Counties
Texas Counties

Texas Towns
Texas Towns

Hotels



Texas | Columns | "It's All Trew"

This is why we dance
counter clockwise

by Delbert Trew
Delbert Trew

As expected, our question of, "why do we dance western dance around the floor counter clockwise" generated a varied response. The question arose while attending a western swing concert at Quitaque this summer. I had never thought about the direction of dance before and in fact had never heard the question before.

The numerous theories varied from the sublime to the serious to the ridiculous, but all were sincerely appreciated. So, as promised, here are a few of the best answers.

Dancers, Anson, Texas post office mural  Cowboy  Dance detail, by Jenne Magafan
Photo courtesy Barclay Gibson, April 2009
Post Office Mural "Cowboy Dance"

K. from Amarillo believes if you danced clockwise in the same direction you wind up a clock you would soon be wound up too tight to dance. I agree wholeheartedly as I have seen many dancers that were too tight to dance or even to walk straight for that matter.

Liz, a transplanted British subject, now a self-proclaimed Texan, states from experience, not only Texans dance counter-clockwise. The English Gay Gordons, the Military Two-Step and Greek dancing dating back to sixth century B.C., all dance in counter-clockwise fashion.

Some eight respondents agree that the majority of all people are right-handed and therefore probably right-footed also. (This may vary.) They place their right hand on their partner's waist, grasp their partner's other hand in their left hand and yell "charge" or "Big Balls In Cow Town" then lead in the direction pointed. This could have originated either in the military or on a Bob Wills dance floor sometime after the break.

Linda believes the dance direction could be influenced by the equator. An old adage touts that flushed toilet water north of the equator swirled counter clockwise while flushed toilet water south of the equator swirled clockwise. I checked both my bathrooms and can testify that if this is true, the equator lies somewhere between my north and south bathrooms.

L.R., a doctor from Amarillo states, "We dance counter-clockwise because that is the direction ordained by NASCAR." (This may cloud our opinions of always trusting our doctor and his or her decisions.)

Some six respondents pointed out that NASCAR, horse races, high school, collegiate and Olympic races and airport landing patterns all circle counter clockwise.

We now know that military and Greek dancing go left, cowboys mount their horses on the left, car steering wheels in America are located on the left, cars meet and pass to the left, and on and on and on.

So we have determined from all our research, verified by our readers and backed up from a lifetime of experience, that we dance around the floor in a counter clockwise direction because "it seems to be the natural order of things."

Saying it best we quote Buck Owens the famous western singer who said it in song, "all I have to do is act naturally."

Thanks folks. That was fun!


© Delbert Trew
"It's All Trew"December 21, 2010 column
Delbert Trew is a freelance writer and retired rancher. He can be reached at 806-779-3164, by mail at Box A, Alanreed, TX 79002, or by e-mail at trewblue@centramedia.net. For books see DelbertTrew.com. His column appears weekly.




Related Article:

Burning question counterintuitive - Western Dance by Delbert Trew



Related Topics:
Texas Music
Texas Ranching
Texas Panhandle
Texas Towns
Texas

Texas Escapes, in its purpose to preserve historic, endangered and vanishing Texas, asks that anyone wishing to share their local history, stories, landmarks and vintage or recent photos, please contact us.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Texas Escapes Online Magazine »   Archive Issues » Home »
TEXAS TOWNS & COUNTIES TEXAS LANDMARKS & IMAGES TEXAS HISTORY & CULTURE TEXAS OUTDOORS MORE
Texas Counties
Texas Towns A-Z
Texas Ghost Towns

TEXAS REGIONS:
Central Texas North
Central Texas South
Texas Gulf Coast
Texas Panhandle
Texas Hill Country
East Texas
South Texas
West Texas

Courthouses
Jails
Churches
Schoolhouses
Bridges
Theaters
Depots
Rooms with a Past
Monuments
Statues

Gas Stations
Post Offices
Museums
Water Towers
Grain Elevators
Cotton Gins
Lodges
Stores
Banks

Vintage Photos
Historic Trees
Cemeteries
Old Neon
Ghost Signs
Signs
Murals
Gargoyles
Pitted Dates
Cornerstones
Then & Now

Columns: History/Opinion
Texas History
Small Town Sagas
Black History
WWII
Texas Centennial
Ghosts
People
Animals
Food
Music
Art

Books
Cotton
Texas Railroads

Texas Trips
Texas Drives
Texas State Parks
Texas Rivers
Texas Lakes
Texas Forts
Texas Trails
Texas Maps
USA
MEXICO
HOTELS

Site Map
About Us
Privacy Statement
Disclaimer
Contributors
Staff
Contact Us

 
Website Content Copyright Texas Escapes LLC. All Rights Reserved