Wilton class - 8 March 2011

A good night... and these days anytime we have a full set is a good night - even when I have to step in and fill out the set.

The New Haven Highland Ball is done - videos are showing up on YouTube and I had a wonderful time.
Next up - the Rerr Terr in NJ (1st weekend in April) and then our own Kilts and Ghillies Tea dance on the last weekend in April.

Last nights dances were:

Sage and Salsa  ((16S+16R) M 3)  Jane Lataillle
Hooper's Jig  (32 J 3)  Misc 2
Gypsy Dreams  (32 S 2) T. Glasspool

Auchindrain  (32 R 3)  Peter Price
The Cashmere Shawl  (32 S 3) I. Boyd

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Sage and Salsa - a good warm up. discussed in earlier posts. Recipient of a Dancer's Choice Award.

Hooper's Jig - I have always liked this dance but almost never teach it, or dance it, as it is so often so poorly danced that I just can't stand it.

First peeve - the hands across - I hate those 'clumps' of hands. Oh, I'm sorry. I'm being rather negative. Let me say that in a more positive why. I positively hate those 'clumps' of hands.. They are ugly and they ignore the essential nature of the formation:-  Hands Across consists of two four bar turns: 1M and 2L dance a four bar turn. At the same time 1L and 2M are dancing a four bar turn. As a general, repeat general, rule 1M takes hands with 2L underneath the hands of 1L and 2M so 1M can use his thumb to locate and lock together the 'hub' of the wheel.

Second peeve - The loops that are part of the diagonal crossings. Nobody seems to understand the concept of  'continuous'. I see many dancers crossing and stopping. They wait for 2 bars before crossing back when they should still be dancing - 1st and 3rd couples have 6 bars of continuous dancing - i.e. NO Stopping. When they aren't crossing they should still be dancing - looping around to face back ready to cross back. Unfortunately this doesn't happen very often.

Third peeve - 2nd couple stepping up on bars 23-24 (end of the crossing figure).This is the critical moment of the dance. Sorry, but it is! If 2L doesn't step up in time she leaves nowhere for 1st woman to go except the wrong place at which point the dance breaks down. This is usually not fatal... Thank God for small favours.

The good news - I saw major progress in Wilton, especially with the handing in Hands Across. Yaaaa!

Gypsy Dreams - Yumm! See my previous posts. One of my top 10.

Auchindrain - You can find the dance on the web site Eight by Thirty-two. You can find the tune on Nigel Gatherer's web site. I rather like this dance. I am also prejudiced - I 'wrote' it. I did not give it an Dancer's Choice Award though. That was given by the dancers in several of my classes.

The Cashmere Shawl - A sweet dance, laid back and easy going. Just beware - don't lulled asleep or you'll get bit by the last figure.