Dudley Laufman: A Revivalist of New England Folk Dancing

Dudley Laufman, a charismatic farmer, poet, and musician, played a pivotal role in reviving traditional New England folk dancing during the 1960s and 1970s. His energetic style attracted both old-timers and hippies to lively gatherings in grange halls and basements across the region. Laufman passed away on July 13 at the age of 95, at the cabin he built by hand 67 years ago in Canterbury, New Hampshire. His daughter, Heidi Eide, confirmed his death.

Mr. Laufman was renowned for calling contra dances, a form similar to square dancing involving partners lined up opposite each other. The caller instructs dancers’ movements according to the music, played by a band with fiddles, accordions, and other instruments. Contra dancing originated in Europe and gained popularity in the United States by the late 18th century, notably in farming communities. By the 1950s, however, it was nearing extinction when Mr. Laufman began calling.

Laufman injected a relaxed, inviting energy into contra dancing which appealed to the back-to-the-land counterculture of the 1950s, a harbinger of the hippie movement of the 1960s. With a sturdy frame shaped by years of farm work and long hair flowing over woolen turtleneck sweaters, he projected a Romantic presence akin to the Scottish poet Robert Burns, whom he admired.

His major breakthrough occurred when he took a group of musicians and dancers to the Newport Folk Festival in 1965, a milestone year when Bob Dylan went electric, causing a stir among traditionalists. The performance captivated an audience of 16,000, sparking interest in this ancient yet rejuvenated form of dance.