Cambridge District Scout Archive
Despite BP’s enthusiasm for dancing as a form of exercise and balance Scouts and Dancing are not an obvious pairing. The 1943 reference (below) remains true. Dancing is an option and at times an expectation.
General references
1907 Scout War Dance Scouting for boys Yarn No 4 (Appendix 1)
1916 Jungle Dances BP devised a number of dances based on the characters from the Jungle Book. Presented in Bite 2 to 5 in the Wolf Cub Handbook they are the Dances of Tabaqui, Baloo, Bagheera, Kaa, and Shere Khans death. (Appendix 2)
1930 The Scouter A letter appeared in the Scouter concerning the lack of a sword dance in the Folk Dancing badge.
1934 The Rover An article on Folk Dancing, Rovers and Rangers, but sword dancing was ‘for men only’.
1943 The Scouter ‘Young boys dislike dancing as a rule. Hence it is often better to call the Jungle Dance ‘Jungle plays’.
Cambridge Archives
1917 The Chief Scout’s Visit for our Rally of June 13, 1917. Many had told us that it was hopeless to expect the Troops to give a decent show in war-time; but they did, – especially … the 11th with their Zulu war-dances and camp oven,
1920 Stourbridge Fair 5th Cambridge Morris Dancing
1922 Wolf Cub Totem Competition Kaa dance (whole pack to participate)
1925 ‘our troop (13th) did the Kirby Sword Dance accompanied by Cyril Wallis and my brother on violins Ken North 55 years in Scouting
1927 district ‘Planned a Ball in the Guildhall’
1929 Folk Dancing badge. Available from 1929 the partial records have not yet shown one awarded in Cambridge District
1930 Morris Dancing 13th St Philips
1933 GSG Rangers and some Rovers are having Country Dancing lessons… and would like Rovers and Scouters…
1936 Wolf Cub Totem Competition Dance Tabaqui and Dance Mowgli
1937 Cambridge Gang Shows ran in 1937 and 1938 and again from 1971 – 2012. Dancing was clearly part of many if not all of these events.
1938 5th Cambridge (Perse) ‘ the Kirby Malzeard Sword Dance, which was performed with urban polish and rustic vigour…’
1946 Jungle dances for Chief scout visit (combined Cubs)
1950 Guide/ Rover – three evenings of Scottish Dancing
1951 One activity of Cambridge Senior scouts and Rovers that has become increasingly popular over the past year is Scottish Dancing ‘The Link 12th Newsletter’.
1952 Senior Scouts/ Rangers/ Rovers Old time and Scottish dancing
1953 Wolf Cub Totem Competition Jungle dance of Kaa
Senior Scouts/ Rangers/ Rovers 1 outdoor and 8 indoor dances
1954 Six dances
1970 4th Cambridge fund raising held a dance
1972 A new event, a dinner dance for Scouters was held.
JWR Archivist Jan 2019
