The traditional dances of Merrie England, that once earned us the name of 'the dancing English', were all but lost under the soot and grime of the Industrial Revolution. Only the devoted labours and patient research of Cecil Sharp saved them from extinction: Here and there in quiet corners of the countryside he found old men who still remembered the delightful dances of their youth, and this 'timely salvage', as Maud Karpeles calls it, resulted in the folkdance revival that is at once his handiwork and his memorial. In Wales, too, time has wrought ill with the folk traditions. The music of the crwth is heard, alas, no more, but the Welsh dances are being revived, and can now be seen in their traditional setting at the Eisteddfodau and in the country villages. Miss Karpeles, who worked with Sharp for many years and who is Honorary Secretary of the International Folk Music Council, writes with authority on English folk dancing; Mrs. Blake is President of the Welsh Folk Dnace Society. Detailed descriptions (with music) of four selected dances, and four costume plates in full colour make this book one that will gladden the heart of all who love the dance and the countryside.