KuRATH] IROQUOIS MUSIC AND DANCE 51 



METHODS OF STUDY 



Transcription: 



The best method of research is participation. And this is feasible 

 in Iroquois dances as in few other ritual forms. The communal 

 nature has both advantages and drawbacks. The advantages are, 

 first of all, the opportunity to learn the formations under natural 

 conditions and, in the second place, the possibility of observing many 

 personalities absorbed in their performance. The sole disadvantage 

 is the occasional obscuring of fundamental patterns by spirited 

 improvisations. This is, however, only a temporary drawback; for 

 eventually the patterns emerge and the improvisations take their 

 place as eloquent enrichment. 



These patterns were further clarified during sessions with the 

 best dancers, all of the Johnny John family and Fannie Stevens. 

 With the aid of Chauncey Johnny John's singing, the dancers 

 explained the steps and formations and their ritual connotations. 



Notes are taboo in the course of the ceremonies, but are quite 

 permissible face to face with informants. These notes are largely in 

 the form of a dance script. It will not be explained here in full, for 

 its use in this report will be limited to footwork. Stick figures, 

 which supplemented the script, aid in the graphic notation of pos- 

 tures. Briefly, the script is based on the silhouette of the human foot 

 and the direction of its progression. It is foolproof because of the 

 separation of the right and left feet by a central line. It has been 

 possible to read back all of the notes completely. 



Comparative Procedure: 



Subsequent organization of materials has entailed separate 

 choreography of each dance. As the music was available, this could 

 be combined with the steps. Thereupon it was possible to separate 

 the dances into various types according to ground plan and steps, to 

 outline the main types both graphically and verbally, and to indicate 

 functional and musical relationships with the choreographic patterns. 



GROUND PLANS 



Counterclockwise rounds predominate to such an extent as to pro- 

 duce a superficial impression of sameness. Each dance is cumulative: 

 a few leaders start circling the stove or central bench and numbers 

 gradually swell. Between songs the dancers saunter during a tremolo 

 or complete silence. Men and women can be variously grouped. In 

 rituals men lead, except in female dances, and the ladies and children 

 trail in the wake. As a rule, food spirit dances alternate the sexes 

 and most social dances couple them. The Fish Dance type lets 



