| The "Stag Line", a male high school dance etiquette, | | | | Now here is the shear brilliance of the stag line. It |
| was certainly indigenous to Cape Breton Island in | | | | really was a simple male support system for those |
| Nova Scotia Canada. | | | | almost always shy and awkward teenage guys |
| Remember those Cape Breton school dances in the | | | | working up the courage to ask a girl to dance. If the |
| 1960s? | | | | female response was affirmative, the gentlemen |
| The community hall or gymnasium would be dimly | | | | simply escorted her to the dance floor then danced |
| lighted by a few flood lights. Whether the music was | | | | to as many tunes as was enjoyable for both. When |
| delivered by a jukebox, a DJ or live band, the use of | | | | the dancing was ended by either party, the guy |
| a color organ and strobe light was prevalent. Waiting | | | | escorted her back to her seat and then (this is |
| in anticipation of being asked to dance, the teenage | | | | perfect) rejoined his comrades in the stag line parade. |
| ladies were seated along the walls of the dance floor | | | | Now, should a female's response to a dance request |
| while some of the young girls started things off by | | | | be 'negatory' or even a little hesitant, the "stag line |
| dancing with each other. | | | | extracted" male need simply to step back into the |
| In Cape Breton this familiar 1960s dance scene now | | | | line right next to the comfort and support (or jabs) |
| took a radical depart from the norm. The young | | | | of his buddies. And likely only a few people even |
| gents, dressed in typical macho denim jeans 'n jacket, | | | | noticed the rejection let alone the valiant attempt. |
| entered the dance hall 'struttin' their stuff'. Then, like | | | | Everyone kept face. And the recovering male, once |
| "the March of the Penguins", these young males, 2 or | | | | re-composed, would start the hunt for the next |
| 3 abreast, began a deliberate saunter (always in | | | | dance partner. |
| counter clockwise direction) around the dance floor. | | | | How did the stag line practice get started? |
| This procession of "eligible male dance partners" | | | | One plausible theory about the origin of the "stag |
| (hence the name ''stag line'') expanded with more | | | | line" is that at a dance enters the local 'fonzie",tough |
| guys joining their buddies in the "dance floor walk | | | | guy with his entourage of tough guys. Being the "top |
| about". In short order, this all-male line grew to a solid | | | | catch for any lady", these tough guys started to |
| moving procession (2 to 4 wide) of guys. For the | | | | strut in front of the ladies seated around the dance |
| entire evening, this organized 'struttin' line circled the | | | | floor. Low and behold, the 'regular', 'not so tough', 'but |
| dance floor, positioned between the dancing masses | | | | wanting to be part of the tough guy club' guys |
| and the eligible ladies sitting along the edge of the | | | | started following behind these tough guys. And so |
| gymnasium. | | | | the 'stag line' was born. The stage line phenomenon |
| What was the purpose of this Cape Breton | | | | appears to have only survived the 1960's teenage |
| dance-matching ritual? | | | | generation. Not sure if any photographs have |
| Being in the stag line, provided each male ample | | | | captured this social dance practice. |
| opportunity (multiple loops of the dance floor) to | | | | So this "man-line" really brought a kind social order to |
| scope out the females, both dancing and sitting. He | | | | Cape Breton teenage dances. No one got hurt and |
| would spot his next potential dance partner. With | | | | males learned to deal with rejection and ridicule in a |
| both the encouragement and jabs from his | | | | more supportive (sometimes not) team environment. |
| immediate "stag line" buddies, once he worked up the | | | | Maybe stag lines should re-introduced for those over |
| nerve, (usually after 4-10 passes) the male would | | | | 50 dances. If for no other reason, seniors would get |
| simply step out of the line in front of the chosen | | | | their walking exercise. Picture that..... |
| sitting lady and request a dance. | | | | |