Loch Leven Dancers - 28 February 2011

I had a guest stint on Sunday teaching Those Russians to the Loch Leven Dancers.

They watched the YouTube video of the Dunedin Summer School performance and were absolutely psyched. It is a real joy to have a group still willing to try something new and different. 

I spent about a week working out the choreography from the video, and in the end I got it right: the dance ended when the music did, and the dancers were flying high, as was I.

Bottom line: a whole lotta fun - they are now looking for places/venues to perform the dance. And I am looking forward to teaching it again, and again, and ...

Wilton class - 8 February 2011

What a winter it has been. Storms on Tuesdays one after another every week since Christmas. Finally, our first class of the New Year.

The girls were back (hooray!).

With just enough for a set, tonight's dances were:

Collie Law  (32 J 2)  R. Goldring - 24 Graded & Social
Off to Speyside  (32 R 2)  R. Goldring - 24 Graded & Social
Kendall's Hornpipe  (32 J 2)  Gr. 22
The March Hare  (32 R 3)    I. Boyd - Happy to Meet
The Dunsmuir Strathspey  (32 S 3 set)  J. Drewry

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Collie Law:-  Good basic dance on many levels.

Off to Speyside:-  Another good dance. I am finding that the single most important rule in teaching children is KEEP THEM MOVING. No long drawn out teaching of formations or footwork.

Kendall's Hornpipe:- Ladies Chain is not an easy figure. The ladies don't have a simple track, there is a lot of 'tweaking' needed. Basic figure, but not easy. Great music (I used the recording by The Music Makars). In my opinion the best I have heard.

The March Hare:-  Again basic elements that let me keep them moving but also gives me the opportunity to incrementally improve their pas de basque - tonight I stressed the 3 beats and they did!

The Dunsmuir Strathspey:- I try to keep everyone on the floor, even the beginners and the girls, but tonight I wanted to up the ante for the experienced dancers which is why I programed this dance. Petronella in Tandem was not known by all so that is the teaching I needed to do. It also impressed the girls and that is not a bad thing. Keeps them thinking about where they can go.

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In other news:
I have a new favourite cd - Heather Hills by Dave Wiesler and Mara Shea.  4 Stars. The strathspey sets (Forget Me Knot, Simon Brodie and Invercauld's) are superb as is the set of jigs for The Vale of Atholl. All the other sets are solid. Highly recommended.

*
I am really impressed by Those Russians. I have taken the choreography from the video and written it up. I don't know when, or to whom I will teach the dance but I am ready!

The dance is not a social dance by any stretch of the imagination. 272 bars is a lot of dance so remembering parts and sequence may be the biggest issue with the dance. There are no outlandish elements here so that is not an issue. Overall the music has a strong beat (yay) and is not that easy to dance to (rats). There is no chord, but a 4 beat intro, and then there are a few 10 bar phrases (the choruses) that will throw some for a loop and send them on a side trip to Paris. The sung parts are easier to dance to than the musical interludes where the syncopation disguises the beat.

Overall I think this dance is a good performance vehicle and could make a great workshop dance where, at the end of the session the dancers can sigh in relief and know that they have faced and overcome a real challenge.

Here is the YouTube link to "Those Russians":-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLvCmEOA3-0

Dancing on the Heights - 10 January 2011

First class of the New Year - and a good one 'cause a "Dancers Choice Award was given out.

The dances were:
The Haggis Tree  (32 S 2)  Drewry
Admiral Beaufort  (32 J 3 set-mixer)  Price/Boyd
The Dunsmuir Strathpey  (32 S 3 set)  Drewry
Lapton Reel  (32 R 2)  Priddey - SDA #69
The Quaker's Daughter  (32 S 3 set)  Goldring
Reekie Linn   (32 J 2)  Jean Attwood

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The Haggis Tree - This is, as I have said before, one gorgeous dance. What a shame so few people are willing to work on "La Baratte" because the payback, at least for this dancer and his favourite partner, is immeasurably greater than the effort. I call it a One for oner - every time I dance La Baratte I get paid back in full for the one time effort spent learning the formation. A past winner of a Dancer's Choice Award, this dance is on its way to becoming a regular on the KandG ball program - not every year but once every other or every third year and, yes, it really is that good, which makes me wonder why it has been missed by so many generations of teachers all around the world. Back to La Baratte?

Admiral Beaufort: - I don't know if I can truly claim authorship of this dance. I took Ian Boyd's dance The Calm Before the Storm, and dropped the last eight bars, not wanting to teach  "set and rotate" to two new dancers their very first night,and replace it with simple turns or something equally silly. I later replaced that figure with a set and link for three dancers in line - that is, in a line of three the left hand dancer dances through the middle to the other end of the line, and the middle and right hand dancers individually cast one place. So if the starting order is 1C 2C 3C we get a new order of 2M 3M 1M and for the ladies 3L 1L 2L. Dance it again and the order  becomes 3M 1M 2M / 2L 3L 1L. New Partners all around!

The Dunsmuir Strathspey:-  A leaflet by John Drewry, it is another dance that, in my humble opinion, really should be more popular than it is. Granted, it isn't one of his latest and greatest works, but it is an approachable dance with a low learning threshold (petronella in tandem is it) and enjoyable enough to have earned it a DCA on its first 'trial' in August and again this month.

Personally I just love the double lead-through progression which I first saw it in JD's dance Seagreen. I found myself 1st man in third place wondering how I had gotten there and that was a treat to savour as I am not often surprised.

Lapton Reel:- What attracted me to this dance were the interactions. What I questioned was the stop and go nature of the dance. The dancers in Wilton had some trouble seeing the structure but the dancers On the Heights didn't and gave it a DCA on first time trial. It is not a fugue but it has that flavour. The dance is made up of simple, basic everyday elements that everybody should know but the execution is not easy.

The Quaker's Daughter:-  No DCA for this one. It is a nice dance to do on occasion but not special enough to do regularly. Wilton liked the first 24 bars but thought the final circle was a mere tack on. I think the assessment would be 'pleasant'.

Reekie Linn:- I liked the dance enough to program it on the 2004 K&G Ball. However the consensus by the dancers is - No Award. I think the differance of opinion lies in the fact that I like fractional turns and figs of 8 and other people seem not to.  Oh well!

Dancing on the Heights - 13 December 2010

A very good night with several dances receiving "Dancer's Choice" Awards.

The evenings dances were:

Glasgow Highlanders (32 S 2)

Hunting the Pinecones (40 R 3) I. Boyd

The Flight of the Falcon (32 J 3) B. Priddey

The Kiltmaker (32 R 4)

Craig Mhor (32 S 2) J. Drewry

Gordon of Straloch (32 S 3) P. Price

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I began the evening with Glasgow Highlanders because Deb is the understudy for the Loch Leven Dancers' Mohunk House performance which includes a threesome highland dance highlighted by 2 strathspey and 2 quicktime setting steps and Deb hasn't had any highland training.

Hunting the Pinecones – Recipient of the evening's first Dancer's Choice Award, it is from Ian's book The World Around the Corner. This dance has been on my agenda for several years now and last night was the first time I was able to work it into the 'flow' as it were. And what a shame that is because the consensus is that it is worth doing again and on a fairly regular basis too.

The Flight of the Falcon – There was a rather lengthy thread on Strathspey list concerning 'dolphin' reels (if you want to know more look it up there) and I have been wanting to teach this one for a while too. Another Dancer's Choice Award recipient, I saw some creative possibilities for dancers in some of the transitions to make it dance even better.

The Kiltmaker – The dance was taught at the Pawling Weekend this past spring. I missed it but heard so much about it (thank you Deborah!) that it too has has been on, and is now off, my short list. Nice dance! From the response there is no question – this dance is a lot of fun, especially for 1^st man who gets all the chevron back-to-backs. The third Dancer's Choice Award recipient of the night.

Craig Mhor (pronounced 'vor') – I have mixed feeling about this dance. The response was not enthusiastic -- but here's the but you heard coming – the basic pattern cries out for a little embroidery and that would (might?) make all the difference. The basic pattern includes a half reel of four across the dance with the dancers starting 4 square on the side lines not in line of four. So, following a turn 3/4 and cast by 1^st diagonal dancers and a simultaneous cast and turn 3/4 by the 2^nd diagonal dancers, there is a half reel of four across the dance: 1M and 2L begin by passing left shoulders in the middle and, looking on from the sidelines, that opening pass seemed awkward to me. What I will try the next time round is having everyone dance the middle pass of the reel with setting steps – 1 step diagonally forward to the right to just pass, then diagonally forward to the left to reach the sidelines, then loop for 2 bars.

A similar issue arises in Robertson Rant when head couples dance a reel of four on the center line starting beside partners and the solution for the New Haven demo team was to set through the middle. Similar issue – similar solution?

We will see.

Miss Muriel Johnstone's Jig – It is on 'OK' dance but I am not thrilled. I needed a nice simple jig for a ball program and this seemed to fit so I chose it and it is too late to have second thoughts. You see, I am something of a dance monster. I have never had a problem with reels – and here, the right shoulder half reel of three, 1C chase, left shoulder half reel of three, 1C chase seems to be throwing people off their centers. Well, it is on the K&G program and it is going to stay on the program. So deal with it.

Gordon of Straloch – commented on in earlier posts.

Long Last Update

My apologies for the last couple of months – I had to prioritize and my mother's car accident took the prize. I updated all the “happening soon now” events yesterday. Today I begin my assault on the back- log of classes and other events.

Wilton Class – 12 October 2010

The young girls were present only for the first half. And it is clear that what will keep them coming back is my keeping them moving and not doing any obvious 'drills'. They are a joy to have in the class. The other (and older) beginner, Dante, survived the second half where I taught The Moray Rant by John Drewry. In one swell foop he learned reels of three, mirror reels of three, cross over mirror reels of three, and finally Inveran Reels. Wow!

The nights dances were:

The Forest Prince (32 J 2) I. Boyd

Kendall's Hornpipe (32 J 3) Gr. 22

On the Quarterdeck (32 H 2) Harbour City

Seann Truibhas Willichan (32 S 2) 27/9

The Moray Rant (48 S 3 set) Drewry

Wilton Class – 19 October 2010

The youngsters were missing this week, and several experienced dancers were there in their place, as it were.

The night's dances were:

Saw Ye My Wee Thing (32 J 2)

Albatrosses & Shearwaters (32 S 3 set)

Westminster Reel (32 R 2)

The Burn of Sorrow (32 S 2)

Kendall's Hornpipe (32 J 2)

Seann Truibhas Willichan (32 S 2)

Nutmeg Workshop – 23 October 2010

Wonderful time! I really liked Rebecca Roman's approach to phrasing. She introduced the concept of “Green Light Specials” where, while driving, the idea is to approach a light just as it turns green, and to do this on a road with a series of timed lights. And the idea in dancing is to figure out where you don't have to stop between figures and to get into position at the end of a phrase just in time to start the next one.

The social dance in the evening was also great fun. But the interval, with raffle, was way too long, and we had time for only four dances in the second half, and should have ended with Pinewoods Reel and not with Wind that Shakes the Barley. Wind doesn't compare well when danced back to back with Pinewoods Reel. Live and learn.

Program was:

Berwick Johnny (32 J 3) Gr. 11

Silver Tassie (32 S 3) L30

Royal Deeside Railway (32 S 3) 40/9

The Isle (32 J 3) Gr. 15

Birks of Invermay (32 S 3) 16/2

Lady Susan Stewart's Reel (32 R 3) 5/9

Roaring Jelly (32 J 3) Glendarroch 6

The Gentleman (32 S 3) 35/6

Pinewoods Reel (32 R 3) Yankee Sampler

Jubilee Jig (32 J 3) L19

Miss Milligan's Strathspey (32 S 3) L19

Wind That Shakes the Barley (32 R 3) Duthie

Wilton Class – 26 October 2010

Very short on numbers, and very late getting started. A new dancer, who just started with the Waterbury (ex Woodbridge) class joined us, and I concentrated on her dancing. She handled it with aplomb.

Only did three dances – they were:

The Forest Prince (32 J 2) Boyd

Off to Speyside (32 R 2) Goldring

Cabbages and Kings (32 J 3) Boyd

Wilton Class – 2 November 2010

Another good evening with the girls present. Their parents, however have ruled that they have to leave at halftime. Sigh.

The night's dances were:

The Forest Prince (32 J 2) Katherine's Book

Courtship (32 R 4) C. Sigg

Crockett's Victory Garden (32 R 4) H. Ways

Flo'ers o' Fa'kirk (32 R 3) P. Price

The Chase (32 J 3) Nutmeg Collection

Langholm Fair (32 S 3 set) J. Attwood

The Wandering Drummer (32 R 3 set)

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Courtship – Looks easy, it's not. The step up followed immediately by step down and that right into Back-to-back is not easy. It caught me by surprise. But as a challenge to beginners, requiring thinking, it is superb. I am seriously thinking about using this on unsuspecting experienced dancers.

Crockett's Victory Garden – Not worth doing if not for the wonder music from Bill Spence and Phennig's All Star Band. Good dance to teach handing and “weight” and turns 1-1/2 in 4 bars.

Flo'ers o' Fa'kirk – My rewrite of Flowers of Edinburgh so beginners aren't faced with poussette. Instead half R&L, turn RH to own sides. I kinda like it.

11 October 2010 - Dancing on the Heights

Holidays play havoc with attendance. And I act as if that were something new (not). Once again I had just four dancers for the class and ended up teaching one 3 person dance and three 4-somes and one 3 couple set dance in which I danced with a ghost partner.

The dances taught were:
Eigg, Muck and Rum  (32 R 3-some) J. Lataille
The Four Paws  (32 S 4-some)  T. Glasspool
The Four Winds  (32 R 4-some)  T. Glasspool
The Moray Rant  (32 S 3 set)  J. Drewry
Four of Diamonds  (32 J 4-some)  T. Glasspool

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Eigg, Muck and Rum - A simple dance for three dancers in a straight line. But not so easy. A phrasing challenge with both a figure of eight and a reel of three in six bars. And if you are late finishing the reel there is no time for the progression. Oops. I like it.

The Four Paws - Oh my. There are two parts to this dance. The first half consisting of a 4 person back to back followed by what Terry calls "Diamond Reels". And the second half which is easy enough and simply sets up the next round of the dance.

The first figure (back to back for four) is actually the hardest. Most dancers are simply not very comfortable dancing backwards and don't have the same command of the angles as when dancing forward. But it is in this figure that the dance lives in my opinion. Ya gotta get this part right first of all.

The second figure consists of reels: head couples start with "Schehallion" like half reels (in only 4 bars) while side couples dance half reels of four across. It looks like reels of four only two of the dancers take off for Paris! And then it is the head couples dancing half a reel of four on the central axis and the side couples dancing the Schehallion-like half reels - and again two dancers take off for who knows where. And somehow it all works - but leaves my head spinning. And while this is the most difficult of all the figures it appears all chaos until it resolves (every four bars) into pattern.

The last two figures are progression and quite standard.

It was very nice having a good chunk of time in which to teach the dance. Every round needs to be walked and the keys are as follows:
Reels - heads face right and pass right with side dancers. After four bars heads start the next half reel dancing to the same side position and pass right shoulders with the new person there. The sides also face the same head position both times. When I realized this point the reels became much easier to teach and cue.

Dancers Award given with this caveat - not for the faint hearted and difficult orientation changes.

The Moray Rant - John played some games with phrasing. Things aren't quite square, just a little different from what you expect. Otherwise simple but long winded.

The Four of Diamonds - lovely little dance that goes along at a nice comfortable pace until the last four bars when Terry springs a bit of a surprise and sleeping dancers have to wake up and move!

Wilton Class - 21 September 2010

Dancing resumed at long last. There have been some personnel changes. Angela is going to be dancing with us on an irregular basis but I am hoping that Sandra's son and daughter in-law and her two young sisters (14 and 10) will be coming regularly. Cynthia's grandaughter Hayley returned after a four year absence and she brought a friend - Dante.

I really worried about this class. I have never had young children as students. I way over prepared but once into it found an approach that seemed to work. I kept them moving as much as I could and had them either walking or skipping. No skip change and no setting and no strathspey. I wanted them to find the rhythm of the music and get comfortable moving to it which they began to do. I was also looking for phrasing and timing. I figure if they get the rhythm then footwork can be added in slowly.

Anyway, we were nine dancers for the evening, and the dances were:

Birkenside (adapted)  (32 S 2)  R. Goldring
The Ferry Louper  (32 J 3)  R. Goldring
Crom Allt  (32 R 3)  R. Goldring
Off to Speyside  (32 J 2)  R. Goldring
Kildrummy Castle  (64 R 4 sq)  R. Goldring

All dances were from Roy Goldring's book: 24 Graded and Social Dances.

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Birkenside - Originally a strathspey for 2C, I taught it as a reel for 3 couples by changing the opening circle to 6 hands round and back, and the last figure to a chevron shaped push-pull poussette and a RH turn. I really could have done a lot better - a simple down the middle and up, or down the middle and up and cast would have been a much better choice. And my idea of introducing 'progression' in nice easy steps was the first casualty of the evening.

The Ferry Louper - Adapted in that I used reels and not the specified jigs. And because of the end effects I modified the track figure. The young ladies had no problem with it. I worried needlessly.

Crom Allt - This one too was adapted, but not intentionally. When I was making out the new cards for these dances I just happened to leave out 4 bars of this dance. So I improvised. Yuch. But I won't tell them if you don't.

Off to Speyside - This one needed no adapting. Straightforward throughout.

Kildrummy Castle - Nice little square dance. Best feature: simple.

Dancing on the Heights - 13 September 2010

A light night - only four other dancers showed.  So once again I delved into that category of dances that I call "n-somes". These are dances for three, four or five dancers (not couples) and they reside in my card file under their very own separator so when I need them I not only have them I can find them.

Last night's dances were:
Ducks in a Row  (32 J 5 dancers) Martha Veranth
The Gay Goshawk (32 J 2)  B. Priddey
Dragonflies  (32 S 5-some)  J. Lataille
Cactus Flower  (32 J 5-some)  J. Lataille
The Four Poster  (32 S 4-some)  T. Glasspool
Four of Diamonds  (32 J 4-some)  T. Glasspool
Gypsy Dreams  (32 S 2)  T. Glasspool

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Ducks in a Row - The first time ever teaching this dance. I was not impressed. My fault I am sure. The music was not an inspired choice on my part. Better music might have made all the difference.

The last formation, which we ended up calling it 'single-triangles', was what caught everyones attention and was the highlight of the dance. Nice pattern. The dance needs redoing to better music.

The Gay Goshawk - This was the second time I have taught this dance and it will never earn a Dancer's Choice award I fear. Don't get me wrong, it is by Barry Priddey, and I like his dances. This is a solid and respectable dance but it is missing the "Oh Wow" factor that the really special dances have. The first time I taught it I used The Weaver and His Wife (Andrew Rankine). That tune fits the nature of the dance but the Jimmy Blair recording is just too fast and I am not able to slow it down because my software combination (Winamp + Pacemaker) is just too volatile. I used Anne Munro of Portree instead. It is a delightful, slower tempo jig that I often use when 'any good jig' is called for. It did not work well with this dance. Just gotta keep on lookin' I guess.

Dragonflies - Dancer's Choice award winner from Jane Lataille. I have now taught this dance 16 times over the last 5 years and I have always had a positive response from the dancers. I just checked my Top 50 list and this one is missing and I must rectify that omission.

Cactus Flower - Another good solid dance from Jane Lataille. But not an award winner. But don't let that stop you.

The Four Poster - Terry Glasspool. *Magnificent*  Interlocking Back-to-Backs. Back-to-Back Half Reels of Four. Wow! He is the most innovative dance choreographer I have ever run across. And I found music that fits the dance: Pasadena Prom, by Muriel Johnstone & her Band from the CD "Dances with a Difference."

Four of Diamonds - Another Terry Glasspool dance. This one is another winner in MHO. Not as original as The Four Poster but still a fun one.

Gypsy Dreams - Dancer's Choice award winner a hundred times over. Simply one of the prettiest dances ever devised. And not just my opinion either. It is a gem and it belongs in the standard repertoire. Another Terry Glasspool creation!

New Haven Summer Social - 7 September 2010

Four couples turned out. For the day after the long weekend I thought that was pretty good. The temperature was cool, the humidity was high, and two fans dealt with that.

Summer is over and when my class in Wilton resumes I will be teaching there on Tuesdays and only rarely making it to the New Haven class and only as a dancer, not as a teacher. My teaching in New Haven will once again be restricted to the Second Monday of the month class on the Heights.

Bad news - but not completely unexpected: Mary Kate Adami (nee Sampson), who has been quite sick for some time, has died. A memorial service was held this past weekend. 

Tonight's dances were:

Knights' Heys  (32 H 3)  T. Glasspool

Gypsy Dreams  (32 S 2) T. Glasspool

Miss Muriel Johnstone's Jig  (32 J 3)  G. Dale Birdsall – A Cup of Kindness

Auchindrain   (32 R 3)  P. Price

Through A Glass Darkly  (32 S 4) B. Skelton – Kiwi Book

Un-Named Dance  (32 S 2)  C. Anagnostakis

Lang May Your Lum Reek  (32 J 2) B. Priddey

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Knights' Heys - Teacher's Check Mark award winner in 2003 and about to make its first encore appearance since that ball - and about time too.


Gypsy Dreams - What a delight! The Tournee is becoming  a good looking formation. Finally. Due to sheer repetition. I hope the teachers in New Haven continue with this. Oh and by the way - reappearing on the 2011 K&G ball program for the first time since it premiered in '04.

Miss Muriel Johnstone's Jig - A fairly simple wee dance, heavily weighted toward first couple. Second and third couples are very much supporting couples in the dance - theirs is a choppy role with lots of stop and go four bar phrases. I would like to dance it some time and see for myself - but no Dancer's Check Mark Award for it tonight.

Through a Glass Darkly - No dancers award for this one either, but I would give it a Teacher's award. Why? To justify the amount of head banging I had to do to get a couple of very simple concept across. Set advancing men, that means moving forward on bar 1! Right? Got it? Not.

Un-Named dance by C. Anagnostakis - Sorry. You will just have to wait, but I think it will be worth it.

Lang May Your Lum Reek - I just love that stealth progression (bars 29-32). Worth all the angst and sturm und drang of the third figure. As for that - try practicing it with both hands joined and you may find the key to the whole dance. Note well: I am programming this one as the premier dance on the 2011 K&G ball program.

New Haven Summer Social - 31 August 2010

Summer humidity returned with a vengeance. Three couples came to dance -  how I love the true die hards!
Thank you Dick and Jane, Bob Cole (who drives down from Windsor), Ingrid, Paula and Deborah (who drives up from New Jersey).

The evening's dances were:
The Burn of Sorrow (32 S 2) B. Priddey
Kendall's Hornpipe  (32 J 2) Gr. 22
The Dunsmuir Strathspey  (32 S 3 set)  J. Drewry
The Westminster Reel  (32 H 2)  45/1
Greyfriars Bobby  (32 S 3 set)  B. Priddey
Turning Thirty  (32 J 2)  C. Sigg
Lassie wi' the lint white locks  (32 S 2)  B. Priddey

**********

The Burn of Sorrow - I  have covered this dance before - post of 9 August '10.
What I said then still holds true, and dancers liked it this time too. A relatively simple dance that calls for some good technique, and when the tourbillon is danced properly it is a delight to watch.
One of Barry Priddey's simpler successes. Received a Dancer's Check Mark awared.

Kendall's Hornpipe - Believe it or not (and most people who know me would not) this is one of my most taught dances. I like it, and especially to the music recorded by The Music Makars. Theirs is the definitive recording in my humble opinion.

The Dunsmuir Strathspey - From John Drewry's first Bankhead Book, I have neither seen it nor danced it before but while I have read it over before I just never cottoned on to it, so this was a first timer for us all. And Jane Platt's response was "it deserves a star, not just a check."

 It is in some sense a typical Drewry dance, it dances smoother than it teaches (certainly the first time - now that I know it I can improve my teaching). The dance is simple enough, he uses his "petronella in tandem" and varies the simple circle in a nice way yet again. But it is the opening and closing formations that make the dance.

The opening - lead down, half turn, cross up and cast up; is apparently simple but calls for some subtle touches to bring out the elegance hiding there. I like that kind of dancing. And the final formation, which I first saw in his dance Seagreen, is one of my favourite progressions. I call it a 'stealth' progression because the first time I danced it I found myself at the bottom of the set wondering how I had gotten there. This dance is going on my list of Top 50 Strathspeys.

It was written by John to honor the Dunsmuir Dancers, part of the San Francisco Branch, who recently (2007?) publish a book of dances that include many good ones, several great ones and not one turkey. I will buy a book of dances it there is one (1) dance in it that has become part of the standard repertoire and is being programmed on balls, too any book that has two or more really good dances in it. And here we have a gem, a book of dances with many (more than 7) good dances - Maurice, Miss Jane Muirhead of Dunsmuir, Linnea's Strathspey, Mole's Frolic, Sleeper's Awake and Sunday Afternoon Jig, to name a few off the top of my head. How does one say Very Highly Recommended strongly enough?

The Westminster Reel - devised by Jeremy Hill, published in Book 45. A hit, a palpable hit. The ending of the reel is a piece of genius and I the transition from Set and Rotate into R&L is sweet. A simple dance and on my list of Top 50 Reels.

Greyfriars Bobby - Another recipient of the Check Mark dancer's award. This one is a toughie, not that the choreography resembles spaghetti, but more in the subtleties of the transitions. From left hand turn to a left shoulder reel of three, from a reel where corners dance out to begin but need to dance an allemande next. And finally the last formation, of four 2 bar phases, of rounded chases into straight lines with no posts to align on. These eight bars are the meat of the dance and take the most work to become comfortable with.

Turning Thirty - This dance has intrigued me for years but I have only taught it twice now. It reorients your head. You dance most of the first 16 bars from the improper side, and continue to dance Espagnole from the improper side (yikes) and end with poussette. Definitely worth another trial or two but it did not receive a Check Mark dancer's award this night. Maybe later, maybe never. Oh well.

Lassie wi' the lint white locks - Second trial, second Check Mark award. Hmmm. Non standard opening with men dancing fig. 8 round ladies, followed by top dancers (not partners) dancing fig. 8 round dancers below. Then a form of Back-to-Back that I haven't seen in Scottish before, only in English country dance from Fried de Metz Herman, Chevrons! And they are absolutely lovely in strathspey time especially when covered with the dancers casting. Dance ends with 'The Dreaded Tournee'. Which, by they way, is looking better and better. And teaching it as 'upper' dancers turn with 'upper hands' and 'bottom' dancers turn with 'bottom hands' seems to be working better than anything else I have tried.

What is worth noting is that over the last month or so I have taught a fair number of Barry Priddey's dances and most of them received of "Check Mark" awards from the dancer's on the floor. I mean, I actually put the check mark on the card, but only if the sense of the floor is that the dance is not only worth doing, but worth doing again, and again...

And what is also worth noting is that before I started teaching Barry Priddey's dances I can only remember two (2) instances of another teacher doing the same.  One many many years ago in New Haven, it was Bob Frew, I believe, and Mel Briscoe at a workshop before one of the New Haven Highland Balls.

The List:
Lassie wi' the lint white locks  (32 J 2)
The Burn of Sorrow  (32 S 2)
Greyfriars Bobby  (32 S 3 set)
Lang May Your Lum Reek (32 J 2)
Twelvesome Reel  (32 R 6)
Phyllis' Fancy  (32 S 2)
Rakes of Auld Reekie (32 S 2)
Heather Ale  (32 S 3 set)