A 'HILL BILLY' DANCE 
Submitted by Kay Mason <KLMPIANO@aol.com on May 20, 2000
  
Grandfather was a teacher in one-room schools.  This particular school was the Hilton Branch, 
Kentucky in 1892: 
              
              Pages 123 - 125: 
              
	“There had been a custom that the teacher would 'board around with the 
scholar' - that is each patron would board the teacher say a week - and another patron the next 
week and so on.  This had now ceased to be the custom but it continued to be a custom that the 
teacher visit among the families of the district and stay overnight occasionally - usually by 
special invitation. 
              
	While in this school I went to stay overnight at the home of BRICE LANEY and 
thus witnessed my first sight of what I now hear called, 'Hill Billy' dancing.  Mr. [BRICE] LANEY 
had recently come from Scott County, Va. and settled in this district.  After a good supper I 
gathered with the family by the open wood fire and some one brought out a banjo and played a few 
old time southern melodies. 
              
	It was suggested to Mr. [BRICE] LANEY that he dance for the teacher.  He was tall and 
awkward looking and had a patriarchal beard and long light brown hair which hung down over his 
collar.  He hesitated a bit but soon proceeded to dance several steps common to the performers of 
that section to the music of the day. 
              
	He then removed his shoes and coat and danced in his stocking feet.  My eyes fairly 
bulged for I had never seen anything like what followed.  All his awkwardness disappeared and in 
its place was grace, rhythm and balance.  I can still see him in my mind's eye whirling and 
swaying - his hair and beard waving in the air. 
              
	Among my pupils at this school I had two boys about 14 or 15 years old named ROBERT WHITE 
and NOAH SPARKS, cousin, who studied tap dancing in their spare time.  Their instructor was a man 
name HALE - JIM HALE - who seemed to have no settled home and traveled from place to place as a 
barber, peddler of razors and patent medicines. 
       
	He was a large man about 5 ft. 10 inches - and weighing over 200 pounds and about 60 
years old at that time.  He seemed to know many dance steps and came around about once a month 
and gave the boys a lesson and a new step to practice on.  I have never ceased to wonder at the 
performances they put on - even without any form of music except the rhythmic patting of hands. 
            
	They all should have been on the stage where they could have got payed, instead of in the 
backwoods.  So far as I know none of them ever got anything except enjoyment out of their 
practicing of their talent. 

              	Once at a picnic in a grove I saw JIM HALE dance on a platform and as 
he danced he would spring up on to a table and dance - and then back to the platform - back and 
forth with such skill that it was barely perceptible (except to the eye) which he was on.  I 
never saw this performance equaled except by light weight professionals." 
      
             Kay Mason 

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