For the origin of the name Circassian Circle, see footnote at the bottom of this article.
This dance, which has been adopted by the Balfolk movement as an easy-to-learn beginner’s dance began as anything but!
Notes below are an abridged version of Ron Houston’s ©2000 edition of his Folk Dance Problem Solver.
“The first recorded mention of a dance called Circassian Circle occurred in an 1822 publication called The Modern Dancing Master by G.M.S. Chivers. Below is an animation demonstrating the 4 parts of that very complicated dance.”
“Which by 1836 became 6 parts involving 21 figures! In 1888 Rudyard Kipling wrote “A gentleman who doesn’t know the Circassian Circle ought not to stand up for it”. Gradually, the dance became simpler. Versions of the 1900’s contain one part of three or 4 figures. In 1928 Maude Karples collected two versions of Circassian Circle as danced in Netherwitton, Northumberland: a. A Circassian Circle to the jig Bonnie Dundee for a circle of couple facing couple, and b. a Big Circle to the jig Irish Washerwoman. The Big Circle is the dance now known as Circassian Circle.”
FOOTNOTE ON CIRCASSIANS
How did this Scottish country dance get the name Circassian Circle? – a possible explanation. The first recorded mention of a dance called Circassian Circle occurred in an 1822 publication called The Modern Dancing Master by G.M.S. Chivers. I can’t find any mention of Circassians (the people) in descriptions of Circassian Circle (the dance), nor do YouTubes of Circassian dances bear any resemblance to Circassian Circle the Scottish dance.
However I did discover that Circassians were in “the news” of it’s day, as Russia had begun a war, which lasted from 1817-1864, to conquer the land between Russia and the Black Sea. The land was traditionally occupied by Circassians and many other tribes. They had converted from being pagans, then Christians, finally to Muslims in the 1600’s. Thus, Christian Russia could justify the war on religious (as well as expansionist) grounds. Russia eventually succeeded, then proceeded to wipe out the remaining Circassians, in what became known as the Circassian Genocide.
In 1822 famed Russian poet Alexander Pushkin published The Prisoner of the Caucasus a poem about a Byronic Russian officer who is disillusioned with elite life and decides to escape by seeking adventure in the Caucasus. He is captured by Circassian tribesmen but then saved by a beautiful Circassian woman. Despite its Romantic and Orientalist themes, Pushkin’s use of academic footnotes and reliable ethnographic material gave it credibility in its day.[3] It was highly influential on popular perceptions of the Caucasus in its time. Source Wikipedia.
Perhaps someone in Scotland was aware of the Circassians from Pushkin’s poem, or decided to name their new dance in honour of the allegedly beautiful Circassian women and handsome men?
Folkdance Footnotes 