Summer 2014 –– At long last an update.
Fall, winter and spring were mostly limited classes within a structure that limited exploration. Ball prep, beginner classes. etc.
So this is what I (and others) did over the summer.
Monday 15 September 2014 - Scotia (NYC) beginners hour
Fish and Chips - (32 J 4) - Bruce Hamilton - Let’s All Dance Too
The Chicago Loop - (32 R 3) - Kent Smith - Chicago Collection
The Mad Hatter -(32 J 3) - Iain Boyd - Happy to Meet
The Kingston Jig - (32 J 3) - Roy Goldring - 24 Graded and Social
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It really was a beginners night, we had three. These days three at one time is a lot. The usual is a drip and drab, singles wandering in at any hour. I used Fish and Chips as a warm up. No footwork, just walking. Got them smiling and introduced the minimum geography - up (toward the music), down/off, men’s side ladies’ side etc.
I then used The Chicago Loop to introduce turns. 2 bar, 4 bar, once round and once and a half and circle 6 (they got circle 4 in Fish and Chips). They did well even though this is a thinkum dance requiring some mental agility - twice you get turn RH, cast, turn LH. Then the 1C have to deal with cross RH, cast; turn RH 1-1/2. Many intermediate dancers have trouble with this for some reason beyond my ken.
The Mad Hatter is one of my standard introductions to corners.
The Kingston Jig was my attempt to get the beginners through one more dance. The usual practice in Scotia is first hour and a bit is for the beginners while the second half is for experienced dancers. I did this as the second half opener leading into the next teacher.
Tuesday 26 August 2014 - New Haven Summer Social Dancing
Cactus Flower - (32 J 5) - dancers Jane Lataille - Still Enough to Dance
Basic Knitting - (32 J 3) - Iachini (San Francisco)
Nethy Bridge - (32 S 2) - John Drewry -Greenburn 2
The Colonel’s Bed - (32 J 3) - John Drewry - Deeside 1
Yet Another Birthday - (32 S 3) - set Holly Boyd - Montreal Moments
Scotia - (32 R 3) - John Drewry - Brodie
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Not the best of nights. I had one very tired dancer who, in that state, couldn’t handle oddness.
Cactus Flower is for five dancers, with a newish figure ‘capstans’ and he never managed to remember to start those on time. Then I did a dance from San Francisco’s Solstice party and while simple it is not easy. There is symmetry but you can not be asleep. He left. Oops. My bad.
He is still talking to me and still dancing. Whew.
Nethy Bridge is not one of John’s better dances. The report from the floor was ‘tedious’, and for a class that qualifies as ‘advanced’ the progression within the Right Hands Across was never done with ease.
The Colonel’s Bed however did get a Golden Ghillie award from the class. This one they want to do again, not because they finally figured it out, but because it was fun. The parallel diagonal reels are a bit odd looking, you don’t dance with your partner all that much, but still it is fun.
Yet Another Birthday by Holly Boyd is a keeper! The music on the accompanying CD is just superb. Dance received a Golden Ghillie from the class the first time I taught it back in May of 2013, and it keeps getting raves.
Another New Haven premier was Scotia by John Drewry, which also got a Golden Ghillie from the dancers and this the first time I have taught it or the class danced it. The best part of it all is that the dance is accessible! And Fun! (Did I mention that part?)
Tuesday 19 August 2014 - New Haven Summer Social
A Wee Nothin’ - (32 J 2) - Elaine Brunken
Piper’s Brae - (32 S 4) - Barry Priddey - Jacobite Book
The Banff Hornpipe - (32 H 3) - John Drewry - Bankhead 4
Ann of Scotia - (32 S 3) - Chris & Sue Ronald
Mary Erskine - (32 H 3) - Roy Goldring
Dancing Dogs - (32 S 2) - Holly Boyd - Here We Go Again
Water of Fleet - (32 J 4) - Roy Goldring
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A Wee Nothin’ is pretty much just that. A baby jig that is almost, but not quite, a throwaway. It is different enough to keep it from being a ‘oh gag me, not again’ dance. Good for warming up the feet and the minds. But not too often please, an advanced class would be quickly bored.
Piper’s Brae :- I love most of the Barry Priddey dances that I have taught and danced. This one is an exception. I got the choke sign on this one. For a good description try ‘tedious’. The petronella progression is a nice figure, he has used it elsewhere, but here it isn’t enough to rescue the dance. Pass this one by.
The Banff Hornpipe by John Drewry. By now it should be obvious that I have been looking through his incredible output and teaching his dances in his honour. Here is another gem, another recipient of the dancer’s Golden Ghillie Award. And no they don’t like everything I teach. But they definitely have refined sensibilities. If they like a dance enough to award a GG I would take their word on it. Not easy though. Not for a ball program unless it has been a regular in the local class(es) for at least 2 years. This is an advanced class and the opening figure took a good bit of practice.
Ann of Scotia, by Sue and Chris Ronald is a gem. Written to the pipe tune Highland Cathedral which was the wedding march Ann was was married to it is a fun, flirtatious dance. I gave it a Teacher’s Choice Award the first time I danced it and my class in New Haven gave it a Golden Ghillie as well.
Mary Erskine by Roy Goldring is a good journeyman dance. It is not special. It will not win an Oscar except as part of a body of work that, in the end, is deserving of recognition.
Holly Boyd is writing some very good dances these days that deserve your attention. Dancing Dogs, however, is not one of her best. Doable, even enjoyable, it isn’t ‘to die for’ beautiful or fun. Solid journeyman work. Slightly different, it can get the juices flowing and is worth some consideration.
Water of Fleet, Roy Goldring. This is a good one. It received a Dancer’s Choice award, a step below the Golden Ghillie. They liked it, want to keep doing it, but the response was just as little tepid. So NOT a GG recipient. The double double capstan figure is the star of the dance.
Tuesday 12 August 2014 - New Haven Summer Social
Dragonflies - (32 S 5some) - Jane Lataille
Hunter’s Moon - (32 J 4) - John Drewry -Bankhead 4
Sands of Morar - (32 S 3) - Barry Priddey - Bk 45/6
Chevy Chase - (32 R 3) - Barry Priddey - Anniversary Tensome
Eileen Watt’s Strathspey - (32 S 3 set) - Lewis Derrick - Scottish Dancer #1
Gentle Lady - (40 S 3 set) - Sandra Bethray- unpublished
Cranberry Tart - (32 J 3) - Terry Glasspool
Olive’s Strathspey - (32 S 3) - Drewry - Bankhead 2
Dragonflies by Jane Lataille is just stunning. I use the Susie Petrov 5x32S recording from her vinyl album “Hold the Lass ‘till I get Her”. The lead tune is ‘Hamish Henderson’s Refusal” and the set is stunning. This is a great combination. This dance is one of my top 10. So is the music.
Hunter’s Moon has a quick time La Baratte, a touch of The Bees of Maggieknockater, a smidgeon of Blooms of Bon Accord, and a not-so-special outro. It is OK, but not an award recipient. My reaction was 'been there, done that".
Sands of Morar by Barry Priddey is a good dance. Good enough to be picked up and published by the Society. It has one of my favorite figures, The Toubillon… and yet… solid, likable but not a favorite. Standard repertoire ready but not in the same class as Duke, Montgomeries’, Mrs Stewart’s, Delvine Side. I keep this one in my ready file, ready for when I need that ‘something’, when what I planned isn’t going to work.
The next dance, Chevy Chase, also by Barry Priddey, did get a Golden Ghillie from the class!
I have a recording for this dance but is is not of much note. I used the music for a dance called “The Pawling Porch”. It is on the CD by Jim Lindsay, Muriel Johnstone and Keith Smith accompanying Elaine Brunken’s dance book A Moment in Time.
In a digression - Good dances here, great music too. I don’t usually make commercial plugs but I am going to. Get them! Get both the book, and the CD. This is good stuff!
(I wouldn’t turn down an offer for any of Barry Priddey’s dances either. He turned out a good number of Golden Ghillie dances).
Eileen Watt’s Strathspey - good dance. I like it. The class liked it. It is in my ready box and on my short lists (for ball programs). I obviously didn’t read the magazine as well I I thought I had ‘cause I missed both dances published there. You don’t know? Well go back and look. Two good dances just hiding away in plain sight.
Gentle Lady was a test dance - maybe not a world premier but close. Currently unpublished.
Cranberry Tart is a Terry Glasspool dance that has made itself a favorite in the Tri-state area. For good reason.
Olive’s Strathspey was taught in New Haven by Leslie Kearney at one of the In Memoriam classes shortly after John died. It was liked. So I tried it. I did not find it anything special. I probably chose the ‘wrong’ music. It is a nice dance, it is doable by a mixed class as there is nothing especially John Drewryish about the dance.
Tuesday - 5 August 2014 - Ho-Ho-Kus, NJ
Jubilee Jig - (32 J 3)
Book 49 test dance - (128 M 4)
Cardross House - (32 S 3) - Elaine Brunken - Moments in Time
Quarries’ Jig - (32 J 3 ) - Bk 36/3 (Kent Smith)
The Music Will Tell You - (32 R 4) - Bk 41/6 (Peter Avery)
The Duke of Perth - (32 R 3)
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Summer dance in New Jersey! A new and wonderful thing with some minor glitches that need to be worked out. The evenings were to be team taught. Anybody who wanted could bring a dance and brief it. There is also a teacher candidate class being sponsored by the New Jersey Branch and these classes were opportunities to get some of the candidates the necessary teaching experience for their units 4&5. It didn’t work as smoothly as we had hoped. Oh well.
This class was the last one of the summer.
Jubilee Jig - standard opening/warm up dance. Supposedly a no brainer.
Book 49 Test dance - got fair to good reviews from the dancers.
Cardross House :- The dance is from Elaine Brunken, the music from the accompanying CD by Muriel Johnstone, Keith Smith and Jim Lindsay. WOW! The music alone puts the dance into my top 10. The dance ain’t bad on its own merit. Check it out. A keeper! Golden Ghillie Award from the floor.
Quarries’ Jig - I like this one. Always have. I have never had the balls to teach it to this group but Fred Cotton has no fear! He taught it, taught it well, at so it went - well.
The Music will Tell You - a modern dance from the Society (Bk 41). The reading of it has never inspired me. I was pleasantly surprised but no, it will not go into my to 50 reel list.
The Duke of Perth :- A standard and for good reasons. Personally I have trouble with this one, not because of the dance but because of how poorly the set to and turn corners is so commonly danced. Corners tend to forget that it is an equal opportunity dance, that they are just as important, no, more important than the active couple. If corners don’t move in to help the ones, the one’s can not get around and back to the centre.
Monday - 4 August 2014 - Scotia (NYC)
The Red Baron - (32 R 2) - Iain Boyd
Cardross House - (32 S 3) - Elaine Brunken - Moments in Time
Songs Without Words - (32 J 4) - Shun Inagoki
Bittersweet - (32 S 3 set) - Rbt Gregg
Mairi’s Wedding - (40 R 3) - Cosh
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The Red Baron :- Nice intro to an evening. The ‘dogfight’ figure of eight, Snoopy in the lead, the Red Baron chasing is a nice figure.
Cardross House :- It is now in my top 50 all time. Dance is pretty good and the music is sublime. Jim Lindsay actually plays the accordion in a style I like! Very expressive. The Waulkin ‘ of the Fauld (trad); Smailholm Tower (MAJ); Roy’s Wife of Aldivaloch (trad); Below the Aigas Dam (Cunningham). Four fabulous tunes that have that swing! Get the CD!
Songs Without Words :- I don’t remember where I ran across this dance, but it had been niggling at me for a while. I have been reluctant to teach it because the progression, to me, read as trouble prone. But, again the music finally drove to attempt it so I tried in in New Haven in late July where I have complete faith in the dancer’s abilities. The is all experienced and almost all advanced dancers. They didn’t give it a Golden Ghillie but they liked the dance, handled it easily ‘made sense’ as they put it. So Scotia was a second trial - a more demanding one as the dancers, while experienced are not all advanced. Again handled with aplomb. Two Thumbs Up.
Monday - 28 July 2014 - Scotia (NYC)
The Flying Spur - (32 J 3) - Drewry - Canadian Book
What more can I say than this: A Golden Ghillie from the every class where I have taught it and my own Teacher’s Choice award. Not the easiest dance to teach - it is a very Drewry Drewry dance. Essentially two dances in one - one dance for 1st couple and a different dance for 2nd and 3rd couples with some moments of intersection between the two. Takes effort to learn but all the effort is well rewarded therefore worth it. The New Haven dancers do not want to lose it and so want it kept current. I am in fact planning to program it on the Kilts and Ghillies Tea dance a second year in a row. Not my usual practice.
Tuesday - 29 July 2014 - New Haven Summer Social
Dragonflies - (32 S 5some) - Jane Lataille
Songs without Words - (32 J 4) - Shun Inagoki
Cardross House - (32 S 3) - Elaine Brunken - Moments in Time
Devil’s Bowling Green - (32 R 3) - Barry Priddey - Anniversary Tensome
Jan Wilson’s Strathspey - (32 S 3) - Drewry - Australian Bk
The Cranberry Tart - (32 J 3) - Glasspool
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Dragonflies :- One of my standard, “gee we only have five dancers but we need to get started” dances. Again a good dance but I have paired with really good music - Susie Petrov and Local Hero’s 5x32S recording that leads off with Hamish Henderson’s Refusal. From the vinyl album Hold the Lass ‘Till I get Her.
Songs With Out Words :- The first trial of this dance (on my part). A Success. Dancer’s liked it and, most importantly, it wasn’t the bear trap I thought it might be. Just the one section that takes careful teaching as dancer’s have to fit the parts together where there isn’t time to think.
Cardross House :- taught because I liked the music, had planned to use the music for another dance and just couldn’t do it. I had the music and I had the book and the dance the music was for. And I just had to look at the dance. And it was good. And the dancer’s gave it a Golden Ghillie! And now I am waffling on including the dance on a ball program. Different musicians, a different experience, and I am sold on what I have and considering what the experience at a ball would be. It wouldn’t be the same. And my mind is churning…
The Devil’s Bowling Green :- Another keeper from Barry Priddey. Good for the corners as well as 1st couple. Has DT with an extra twist. I am missing about 5 of his books. Is there anyone out there willing to part with them?
Jan Wilson’s Strathspey :- This one reads like it should be rave but I didn’t get much enthusiasm when it was over. I still think it is good but I obviously need to to try it out again. One possibility is that the music I have for the dance just doesn’t cut it. It is accordion band with a somewhat strident style.
The Cranberry Tart :- a perennial favorite.
Tuesday - 22 July 2014 - New Haven Summer Social
A Taste of Cloves - (32 J 3) - set Glasspool
Book 49/5 Dance (test) - (40 R 3) - anon.
Twixt Silver and Gold - (32 S 3) - Goldring
The Bonsai Tree - (32 J 3) - Drewry - Cherry Blossom
The Cat and the Fiddle - (32 J 3) - Drewry - Greenburn 3
Dancing with Swans - (32 S 3) - H. Boyd - Here We Go Again
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A Taste of Cloves :- A Terry Glasspool poem, on the inside cover of one of his books. The consensus is that he writes better dances than poems, and his poems are better than the dances he writes into his poems. It was a fun experiment. Good for a laugh but…
Twixt Silver and Gold :- Another dance that I say is a 10 and the dancers say ‘nice’. From my point of view, outside looking in, the choreography is fabulous. It isn’t. apparently, rewarding enough to the dancers. I think it is worth it, but I haven’t actually danced it. On the list for another trial.
The Bonsai Tree :- Another Drewry, typical Drewry, with patterns seen elsewhere but here the combination just doesn’t seem to excite. Another dance that needs to be retested - but with different music?
The Cat and the Fiddle :- This one brought smiles and applause, mild applause though. A keeper IMHO - the half reel of 3 on the sides into diagonal half reels of four is a sweet combination. Different enough to be rewarding.
Dancing with Swans :- Another Holly Boyd and this one too brought smiles and applause, but not enough enthusiasm to earn a Golden Ghillie. Even so, I will keep this on my ball program short list. It is a sweet dance, just idiosyncratic enough and good enough to be rewarding to the dancers.
Tuesday - 15 July 2014 - New Haven Summer Social
Bow Fiddle Rock 32 J 3 Drewry - Greenburn 3
Out of Africa 32 R 4 Drewry - Greenburn 3
Jim Johnstone’s Str. 32 S 4 Goldring
Andy Imbrie’s Hornpipe 32 H 3 McOwen&McGarrity - unpublished
The Flying Spur 32 J 3 Drewry - Canadian
Bittersweet 32 S 3 set Rbt. Gregg
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Bow Fiddle Rock :- A second outing for this dance, and again it got a positive response. Not only a thumbs up but a Golden Ghillie. They liked it! A lot! And it is simple, very accessible, with just one moment of spice and that’s enough to put it over the top.
Out of Africa :- I was not impressed. It seems like John was definitely running out of ideas around this time. I might put it on a program of just Drewry dances, but I think there are better dances for ball programs that bring far more pleasure and joy to the dancers than this one does. As always this is just my humble opinion. You might not agree. You might find this a spectacular dance. You will have to see for yourself.
Jim Johnstone’s Strathspey :- I learned this dance from Linda Henderson (of Alamo, CA) at Pinewoods Scottish Session I, 2014). A decent journeyman dance from Roy Goldring. She was mentored by Jim Johnstone, a top accordion player and band leader, a friend of her father.
Andy Imbrie’s Hornpipe :- A second dance that I learned this from Linda. She learned it from the musician who wrote the tune and the dance, Barbara McOwen, who just happened to be playing for our class.
Tuesday - 8 July 2014 - Ho-Ho-Kus (NJ) Summer dance (team teaching)
Driving Through Eutaw 32 J 3 Leary - unpublished
Fair Donald 32 S 3
The Gilly Flower 32 J 3
Flowers of Edinburgh 32 R 3
Winter Wonder 32 R 3 Lataille
Delvine Side 32 S 3
The White Cockade 32 R 3
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Driving Through Eutaw :- Written while on Interstate 20 in Alabama, passing through Eutaw, and listening to Ye Banks and Braes (8x32 J( off the CD Robert Burns Dances by Marian Anderson & her band. Nice little dance.
Fair Donald :- a solid repertoire piece. Good enough to be on many a program.
The Gilly Flower :- a candidate’s choice for the session. Not mine. The figures are interesting but I do not find 6 hands ACROSS rewarding in any way. No matter what I do I find myself treading on somebody’s heels. In a demonstration team maybe, given the probable ability and training. Not only any short list I have.
Winter Wonder :- From the pen of Jane Lataille, but this one pushes the envelope to the straining point. Nice moves but the timing is odd enough to make some of the dancers cringe. Not as easy as it reads.
Tuesday - 1 July 2014 - Ho-Ho-Kus (NJ) Summer dance
College Hornpipe 32 R 3 Bk 20/12
Bk 49 Test Dance #7 32 S 3 set Anon.
Highland Rambler 40 H 3 Goldring
Fireworks 40 R 3 Paris - Inverness Diamond Jubilee
Miss Johnstone of Ardrossan 32 S Goldring - 14 Social Dances for 2000
The Pawling Porch 32 R 2 Elaine Brunken - Moments in Time
Giradet House 32 R 4 Carr - EMO 15th Anniversary
Tuesday - 17 June 2014 - Ho-Ho-Kus (NJ) Summer dance
warm up
Bk 49 (Test) Dance # 5 40 R 3 Anon.
Welcome to Ayr 32 J 3
General Stuart’s Reel 32 R 3
Barbara’s Strathspey 32 S 3 Bk 46/1
Reel of Mey 49 J 3
Linnea’s Strathspey 32 S 3
Monday - 28 April 2014 - New Haven Friend’s Meeting House (Drewry Night)
Bow Fiddle Rock 32 J 3 Drewry - Greenburn 3
Miss Florence Adams 32 S 3 Drewry - 38/7
Thomas Glover’s Reel 32 R 3 Drewry - Cherry Blossom Bk
Victorian Strathspey 32 S 3 Drewry - leaflet
The Colonel’s Bed 32 J 3 Drewry - Deeside 1
Out of Africa 32 R 4 Drewry - Greenburn 3
