Well, It is a different game now. We are pretty much caught up with videoing dances for upcoming balls. Not completely but the timing is now really tight and life keeps happening, so no I am not going there.
What I have been doing is looking at the upcoming ball programs and looking at the videos. For the dances in the local standard repertoire it is a of pretty miserable set of videos. For good reasons I am sure. They aren't the fancy feel good dances and some have some tricky little pieces. The 6 that I noticed were J.B. Milne; Trip to Bavaria; Delvine Side; Fair Donald; Joie de Vivre and Hooper's Jig.
Issues: a couple of the dances was done in a 3 couple set so it was modified for the performance. One dance had 3 videos but all of them from the same performance from 3 different cameras and not one good view among them. There was bad timing and phrasing. the problem I have with that is sub-conscious learning. Dancers who watch those videos for one reason will pick up subliminal inputs - like bad handing or bad phrasing (esp. in reels of four.) To quote Necron99 "Not Good. Very Bad. Not Good".
So this afternoon we danced all of these dances with the intent to video some of these next meeting. They are part of our repertoire. There should be no issues. No spaghetti choreography to get right or to overwhelm the minds. We should all be able to concentrate on good dancing, and we all know those rules.
Sunday, March 25, 2018
Saturday, March 24, 2018
Tuesday, March 20, 2018
19 March 2018 - Hightstown
No special theme this evening other than - lets have some fun!
The dances I taught were:-
It's Nae Bother - (32 J 2) - Graded 2
Lammermuir Hills - (32 S 2) - Goldring
The Wind Dragon - (32 R 3) - I. Boyd
Johnny's New Jig - (32 J 2) - Kass
Delvine Side - (32 S 3) - Bk 2/9
British Grenadiers - (32 R 3) - MMM
Joe Foster's Jig - (32 J 3/3L) - Noden
Ø -- Ø -- Ø -- Ø -- Ø -- Ø -- Ø -- Ø
It's Nae Bother:- nothing new here. Just a good easy opener/warmer upper.
Lammermuir Hills:- Well, not one of my favourite dances. But when the class has to stretch to get a full set I am lookkng for lots of 2C dances.
The Wind Dragon:- It is getting good reviews from the dancers! They like it!
Johnny's New Jig:- Simple. Two couple dance. What is not to like?
Delvine Side:- Without the music - tedious. With the music - A1 fabulous. And THE definitive recording, in my very not humble at all opinion is on the CD "Ghillies on the Golden Gate" by Fiddlesticks and Ivory.
British Grenadiers:- The dance - very old fashioned. The recording by Jom Lindsay (RSCDS Book 49) makes you want to dance. Thumbs up.
Joe Foster's Jig:-It is a funky fun little dance. I learned this when James Ferguson taught it in Westchester. There was something wrong with the picture. But what. Great little dance, great music. And the music was "Fire in the Rye" from The Music Makars -… oh! Right! That 6x32 bar REEL.
Great music!
The dances I taught were:-
It's Nae Bother - (32 J 2) - Graded 2
Lammermuir Hills - (32 S 2) - Goldring
The Wind Dragon - (32 R 3) - I. Boyd
Johnny's New Jig - (32 J 2) - Kass
Delvine Side - (32 S 3) - Bk 2/9
British Grenadiers - (32 R 3) - MMM
Joe Foster's Jig - (32 J 3/3L) - Noden
Ø -- Ø -- Ø -- Ø -- Ø -- Ø -- Ø -- Ø
It's Nae Bother:- nothing new here. Just a good easy opener/warmer upper.
Lammermuir Hills:- Well, not one of my favourite dances. But when the class has to stretch to get a full set I am lookkng for lots of 2C dances.
The Wind Dragon:- It is getting good reviews from the dancers! They like it!
Johnny's New Jig:- Simple. Two couple dance. What is not to like?
Delvine Side:- Without the music - tedious. With the music - A1 fabulous. And THE definitive recording, in my very not humble at all opinion is on the CD "Ghillies on the Golden Gate" by Fiddlesticks and Ivory.
British Grenadiers:- The dance - very old fashioned. The recording by Jom Lindsay (RSCDS Book 49) makes you want to dance. Thumbs up.
Joe Foster's Jig:-It is a funky fun little dance. I learned this when James Ferguson taught it in Westchester. There was something wrong with the picture. But what. Great little dance, great music. And the music was "Fire in the Rye" from The Music Makars -… oh! Right! That 6x32 bar REEL.
Great music!
Workshop - Canceled!
The New Haven Branch's March 24th Kilts and Ghillies workshop is Canceled!
The competition from the "March for Lives" rallies proved overwhelming.
The competition from the "March for Lives" rallies proved overwhelming.
Tuesday, March 13, 2018
28 February 2018 – Westchester
Even closer to the date, so ball prep!! Yay :-(
I taught these dances:
The Wind Dragon - (32 R 3) - I. Boyd
Twinbairn's Reel - (32 J 2) - Drewry
A Great Day for Dancing - (40 R 3) - Ruby Celebration
City of Belfast - (32 S 3 set) - Bk 48/6
Anna Holden's Strathspey - (32 S 2) - Drewry
The Snake Pass - (32 J 3) - Churnside
ººº ºº º ºº ººº ººº ºº º ºº ººº ººº ºº º ºº ººº
The Wind Dragon:- Another dance that I have had on my bookshelf for 30+ years and this is the first time I have really looked at it and taught it. For experienced dancers a nice wee starter of a dance. Another dance to add to my "quick and dirty" card file to pull out when needed.
A Great Day for Dancing:- Written for the 40th (Ruby) Anniversary of the New Haven Branch and our first teachers Peter and Sue Day. I have no diffuiculty with the dance, but I am a dance monster with all that that implies. So is Leslie and she wrote the dance. I must say that when a dance comes in four colour separateion of dance tracks that it is worth taking a second look and consider the situation.
I have heard comments that the dance doesn't work. This from only a couple of people and not from the majority who would usually notice something like that. But as I have said I have no problem dancing it, but as I also said I am a dance monster. I will have to revisit it and study it to see if the second half reel really is a reel.
The Snake Pass:- Ok, it is a dance. It works (it was good enough to publish). But if I were to have to rank it by value of Redeeming Social Importance I wouldn't give it a high mark. I prefer the double snake passes in Iain Boyd's "The Lords of the Wind". Hands down.
I taught these dances:
The Wind Dragon - (32 R 3) - I. Boyd
Twinbairn's Reel - (32 J 2) - Drewry
A Great Day for Dancing - (40 R 3) - Ruby Celebration
City of Belfast - (32 S 3 set) - Bk 48/6
Anna Holden's Strathspey - (32 S 2) - Drewry
The Snake Pass - (32 J 3) - Churnside
ººº ºº º ºº ººº ººº ºº º ºº ººº ººº ºº º ºº ººº
The Wind Dragon:- Another dance that I have had on my bookshelf for 30+ years and this is the first time I have really looked at it and taught it. For experienced dancers a nice wee starter of a dance. Another dance to add to my "quick and dirty" card file to pull out when needed.
A Great Day for Dancing:- Written for the 40th (Ruby) Anniversary of the New Haven Branch and our first teachers Peter and Sue Day. I have no diffuiculty with the dance, but I am a dance monster with all that that implies. So is Leslie and she wrote the dance. I must say that when a dance comes in four colour separateion of dance tracks that it is worth taking a second look and consider the situation.
I have heard comments that the dance doesn't work. This from only a couple of people and not from the majority who would usually notice something like that. But as I have said I have no problem dancing it, but as I also said I am a dance monster. I will have to revisit it and study it to see if the second half reel really is a reel.
The Snake Pass:- Ok, it is a dance. It works (it was good enough to publish). But if I were to have to rank it by value of Redeeming Social Importance I wouldn't give it a high mark. I prefer the double snake passes in Iain Boyd's "The Lords of the Wind". Hands down.
27 February 2018 - New Haven
Again ball prep. Just four days to the ball.
I taught the following dances:
The Enchanted Castle - (32 J 2) - I. Boyd
The Bonnie Tree - (32 S 3) - Bk 46/6
Bohemian Reflections - (32 R 3) - Bk 51/12
The Twinbairn's Reel - (32 J 2) - Drewry
The Shetland Shepherdess - 32 J 3) - Wallace
City of Belfast - (32 S 3 set) - Bk 48/6
øø øø øøø øø øøø ø øøø øø øøø øø øø
The Enchanted Castle:- It is a little different and it has a 'gotcha' moment. Dancers need to be awake the first time or two but after that it isn't mentally demanding. I am now looking for good music to pair with this dance because I will be teaching it again.
The Bonnie Tree:- The short form -- Nice!! They liked it! The hard part - John Drewry set us up when he put a nice catchy name on the figure - "Half Turn and Twirl" - and he gets what he asks for. That blast 'twirl'. Trying to say it as 'and pulling right shoulders back cast out to the side lines'… Goodness gracious does that slow down the briefing and make life just plain cumbersome.
Bohemian Reflections:- Like circles? You will love this book. This dance, thankfully, doesn't have one. If teaching children a good resource. For the mainstream not very useful. This dance is OK, maybe even the best of the lot. I give it about a 72. (Inside joke from the US's Vietnam War era so don't worry about it if you don't understand the reference.) Boy am I dating myself!!
The Twinbairn's Reel:- A Jig :-)) Reasonably pleasant, reasonably social. Not one of John Drewry's best efforts but certainly worth looking at.
Shetland Shepherdess:- I have a positive knee jerk reaction to any dance written by Ron Wallace, deserved or not. What I thought would be the sticking point, the multiple cross overs, wasn't.
I unfortunately do not have the one existing recording for this dance. Thumbs up.
I taught the following dances:
The Enchanted Castle - (32 J 2) - I. Boyd
The Bonnie Tree - (32 S 3) - Bk 46/6
Bohemian Reflections - (32 R 3) - Bk 51/12
The Twinbairn's Reel - (32 J 2) - Drewry
The Shetland Shepherdess - 32 J 3) - Wallace
City of Belfast - (32 S 3 set) - Bk 48/6
øø øø øøø øø øøø ø øøø øø øøø øø øø
The Enchanted Castle:- It is a little different and it has a 'gotcha' moment. Dancers need to be awake the first time or two but after that it isn't mentally demanding. I am now looking for good music to pair with this dance because I will be teaching it again.
The Bonnie Tree:- The short form -- Nice!! They liked it! The hard part - John Drewry set us up when he put a nice catchy name on the figure - "Half Turn and Twirl" - and he gets what he asks for. That blast 'twirl'. Trying to say it as 'and pulling right shoulders back cast out to the side lines'… Goodness gracious does that slow down the briefing and make life just plain cumbersome.
Bohemian Reflections:- Like circles? You will love this book. This dance, thankfully, doesn't have one. If teaching children a good resource. For the mainstream not very useful. This dance is OK, maybe even the best of the lot. I give it about a 72. (Inside joke from the US's Vietnam War era so don't worry about it if you don't understand the reference.) Boy am I dating myself!!
The Twinbairn's Reel:- A Jig :-)) Reasonably pleasant, reasonably social. Not one of John Drewry's best efforts but certainly worth looking at.
Shetland Shepherdess:- I have a positive knee jerk reaction to any dance written by Ron Wallace, deserved or not. What I thought would be the sticking point, the multiple cross overs, wasn't.
I unfortunately do not have the one existing recording for this dance. Thumbs up.
21 February 2018 - Westchester
Ball Prep - as always.
Upcoming event is the New Haven Highland Ball Weekend.
The dances I taught were:
Class:
It's Nae Bother - (32 J 2) - RSCDS 2nd Graded
Whigmaleeries - (32 R 3) - Imperial
Bob Campbell - (32 S 3) - Drewry
Muirland Willie - (32 J 3) - Bk 21/9
Socially:
Hooper's Jig - (32 J 3) - MMM
Delvine Side - (32 S 3) - Bk 2/9
Mairi's Wedding - (40 R 3) - Cosh
*†* *†* *†* * *†* * *†* * *†* *†* *†*
It's nae Bother:- A Derek Haynes gem. Simple. Gets the blood and grey cells moving. Not too tedious to use on a semi regular basis. That means a thumbs up.
Whigmaleeries:- The flow for third couple is fabulous! For 2nd couple not so great since it is wait, dance, wait, dance. Very well received. Worth a look.
Bob Campbell:- It is an all right dance but not a top 50 dance. The flow is good, it is by John Drewry after all, it is just that I find it moderately tedious. It held my attention the first time I danced it, after that it just didn't sustain my interest. That doesn't mean it is inappropriate for a ball or brunch program but it wouldn't make it onto my short list of choice dances. It might get consideration if I am having trouble and working through my fifth or sixth iteration of a program.
Muirland Willie:- (On the Kilts & Ghillies Tea Dance program). I did this dance a fair bit years ago - early on in my dance career. It is demanding both physically (mostly) and mentally. Not surprisingly it has fallen by the way side. But boy did it get a positive response from the dancers who had never seen it before. The music is great, the energy is great, and it fully engages the mind. In my humble opinion it is due for a return engagement in the standard repertoire.
Upcoming event is the New Haven Highland Ball Weekend.
The dances I taught were:
Class:
It's Nae Bother - (32 J 2) - RSCDS 2nd Graded
Whigmaleeries - (32 R 3) - Imperial
Bob Campbell - (32 S 3) - Drewry
Muirland Willie - (32 J 3) - Bk 21/9
Socially:
Hooper's Jig - (32 J 3) - MMM
Delvine Side - (32 S 3) - Bk 2/9
Mairi's Wedding - (40 R 3) - Cosh
*†* *†* *†* * *†* * *†* * *†* *†* *†*
It's nae Bother:- A Derek Haynes gem. Simple. Gets the blood and grey cells moving. Not too tedious to use on a semi regular basis. That means a thumbs up.
Whigmaleeries:- The flow for third couple is fabulous! For 2nd couple not so great since it is wait, dance, wait, dance. Very well received. Worth a look.
Bob Campbell:- It is an all right dance but not a top 50 dance. The flow is good, it is by John Drewry after all, it is just that I find it moderately tedious. It held my attention the first time I danced it, after that it just didn't sustain my interest. That doesn't mean it is inappropriate for a ball or brunch program but it wouldn't make it onto my short list of choice dances. It might get consideration if I am having trouble and working through my fifth or sixth iteration of a program.
Muirland Willie:- (On the Kilts & Ghillies Tea Dance program). I did this dance a fair bit years ago - early on in my dance career. It is demanding both physically (mostly) and mentally. Not surprisingly it has fallen by the way side. But boy did it get a positive response from the dancers who had never seen it before. The music is great, the energy is great, and it fully engages the mind. In my humble opinion it is due for a return engagement in the standard repertoire.
19 February 2018 - Hightstown
A new group for me. It has been aging, its usual teacher is newly (relatively) married and husband has been reassigned to duty in Colorado (I think that is right). Teaching has become a committee affair and I took on this week.
Since several of the group were planning to attend the Maplewood Workshop that is what I prepped with a few other dances tossed in.
The dances we did were:
The Finlays' Jig - (32 J 3) - Goldring
Orpington Caledonian - (32 R 3) - Bk 49/2
A Summer Meeting - (32 S 3 set) - Bk 48/9
Scott Meikle - 32 R 4) - Bk 46/3
Mrs Stewart's Jig - (32 J 3) - Bk 35/1
Saint John River - 32 S 4) - New Brunswick
General Stuart's Reel - (32 R 3) - Bk 10/3
Since several of the group were planning to attend the Maplewood Workshop that is what I prepped with a few other dances tossed in.
The dances we did were:
The Finlays' Jig - (32 J 3) - Goldring
Orpington Caledonian - (32 R 3) - Bk 49/2
A Summer Meeting - (32 S 3 set) - Bk 48/9
Scott Meikle - 32 R 4) - Bk 46/3
Mrs Stewart's Jig - (32 J 3) - Bk 35/1
Saint John River - 32 S 4) - New Brunswick
General Stuart's Reel - (32 R 3) - Bk 10/3
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