Dances taught:–
The Domino Five - (32 R 5some) - Haynes
MacDonald of Keppoch - (128 M 4 sq) - Ronald /Book 49
Grandma's Mandolin - (32 S 3) - Ellen Ternes
Palisades Mermaid - (32 R 3) - Price
Land of the Heather Hills - (32 S 4) - Priddey
Skimming the Waves - (32 R 3) -Pam Stephens
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The Domino Five :– Why? Because we only had five dancers when it was time to start. Nice dance but only fun occassionally - gets old quickly.
MacDonald of Keppoch :– Devised by our own Chris Ronald (NYC) and publish by the RSCDS in Book 49. Rave, rave, rave... and not because it politic but because the dance is good. It has a most interesting transition from parallel reels4 across to a singular left shoulder reel4 on the centerline - middle dancers (ladies) passing Rsh to begin while men loop L on the ends. The less you think about it the better the transition works. Seriously.
And, to my surprise and gratification, the Society picked good tunes, or Jim Lindsay (who did the CD) picked good tunes - but it is a good CD, for a change, and the music works with the dance and all in all... YAY! (Did I say recommended?).
Grandma's Mandolin :– Ellen Ternes and Pam Stephens (Maryland, DC, Northern VA and area) have published a neat book of 12 dances titled Strathsbabes, featuring a Scottish dance Babe of the Month and a corresponding dance. Miss Milligan is, of course, Miss January. Makes me smile!
At Pinewoods Scottish Session Deborah poked me to get my attention, shoved the book into my hands, and said "Buy It!" So I did. Yay! (Have I said that before?). I know I will be looking here for program dances in the future.
Recommended.
The Palisades Mermaid :– Beta Test. 2nd time as good as the first and the 2nd time reviews were also good, and what was neat, the Mermaid in question (Sarah) was not only there but passed approval before she knew the dance was about her. (In May she joined the Pawling Mermaid in Sylvan Lake for some good, even though it is officially verboten, swims - so, obviously, she needed a dance too).
Land of the Heather Hills :– A repeat from last week because we needed to. I got the basic idea across but we needed this second take to really solidify it and smooth out the kinks. This is not just one of the top50 it is one of the top10.
Skimming the Waves :– from Strathbabes, by Pam Stephens. Different. It has more than enough redeeming social value to make it a keeper. Thumbs up.
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