23 March 2015 - New Haven Friends Meeting

   Scottish Reform - (32 J 2) - Bk 3/1

   On the Quarter-Deck - (32 H 2) - I. Boyd

   Castle Douglas - (32 S 3) - Goldring

   Bow Fiddle Rock - (32 J 3) - Drewry

   Miss Florence Adams - (32 S 3) - Bk 38/7 (Drewry)

   The Flying Spur - (32 J 3) - Drewry (Canadian Bk)

   Gentle Lady - (40 S 3 set) - Bethray (unpublished)

**********

This week no new beginners to hold Emma back. I had a full set and I threw her in off the deep end - No Big Deal, for her. All the dances are from the upcoming Kilts and Ghillies Tea Dance program.

All are Invited. 

Scottish Reform - as published by the RSCDS has an awkward moment. After 12 bars 1C have 4 bars to turn halfway moving back up to place and then in to meet partner RHJ for lead down the middle and up. I have never seen it done neatly. 

Then I found an English  (bad despicable me) version of the dance (Pins and Needles) also collected in the Borders not from too far from where the Scots collected theirs.

The rhythm set up in the Scottish version of the dance is: half turn moving down, balance ; half turn, balance :: half turn, balance ; then two bars to half turn moving up and out to places and two bars to dance in to meet partner.

The rhythm for the English version is: half turn, balance ; half turn, balance :: half turn, balance ; half turn moving up, balance (RH joined still in center). This is in keeping with the first 12 bars - it is all of a piece and holds together. The Scot's version breaks the symmetry. Sorry.

And it doesn't matter which you do. All you need is agreement with your partner which way it will be done. It doesn't become a different dance. In a performance or demonstration situation you all agree to do what the leader says. In a social dance it doesn't really matter - My (not so) Humble Opinion!

On the Quarter-Deck:- a nice simple hornpipe for everyone.

Castle Douglas:- ooh-la-la! when covering with partner what a nice flirt of a dance! Eye contact necessary.

Bow Fiddle Rock:- a very accessible  dance for a Drewy. If you start the first 'corner turn' from the sidelines you will be late for the "kilt flip" moment that is the raison d'être of the dance. So, finish the half figure eight heading toward your second corner so you have the time to make it back to your own sidelines and make that 'flip to face your first corner.  This is a Recommended! dance.

Miss Florence Adams:- oh my - do I ever remember the grief I got when this dance first was published and I taught it. Corners Pass and Turn and Set and Link were both new figures and nobody knew them. Too Difficult! Terrible Dance! and so on and so forth was all I heard. Today it got a Golden Ghillie Award from the class for "gee we really want to keep doing this dance". Go figure.

10 years more experience, many more dances with set and link and corners pass & turn in them =s Familiarity! (vindicated - I was just ahead of the times).

The Flying Spur:- every time we dance this it is a YES! I urge you to take the time to learn it - the reward is greater than the effort involved. It is FUN!  Note: the music I use is Marian Anderson set of jigs with the lead tune  The Famous Baravan. The only recording I have with the "name tune" (Captain White) is pathetic - no way does it make me want to dance.

Gentle Lady:- by Sandra Bethray who is currently teaching the Wilton (Kilts and Ghillies) class. Nice dance. Has one moment where you have to be thinking. To get a copy of the dance go to the New Haven Branch web site for her contact information.

19 March 2015 - NY Branch Basics

Autumn Leaves - (32 J 3) - J. Lataille

New Abbey - (32 J 3) - Goldring

12 March 2015 - NY Branch Basics

Combined class - small turnout and only 2 beginners showed up. Sue Ronald taught.

   The Round Reel of Eight - (88 R 4 square) - Bk 27/7

   The Complete Gardener - (32 J 3) - 3rd Graded Bk

   Anna's Wedding Cake - (32 S 3 set) - Janssen (Boston 50th)

   More for Four - (32 R 4some - square) - J. Lataille

   The Highland Rambler - (40 R 3) - Goldring

5 March 2015 - NY Branch Basics

Canceled for bad weather.

26 February 2015 - NY Branch Basics

   The Wind in the Willows - (32 J 2) - I. Boyd

   Troubled Water - (32 S 3) - B. Skelton

26 February 2015 - NY Branch Basics

   The Wind in the Willows - (32 J 2) - I. Boyd

   Troubled Water - (32 S 3) - B. Skelton

26 February 2015 - NY Branch Basics

   The Wind in the Willows - (32 J 2) - I. Boyd

   Troubled Water - (32 S 3) - B. Skelton

23 February 2015 - New Haven Friends Meeting

   The Highland Rambler - (40 R 3) - Goldring

   The White Cockade - (32 R 3) - Bk 5/11

   Gentle Lady - (40 S 3 set) - S. Bethray (unpublished)

*********

Emma brought both her father and a brother. So very little dancing and way too much teaching.

This early brought to a head that I have not been meeting Emma's needs. I ended up calling her mother and discussing this. Result: Emma comes alone for now. We will try to get the home-schooling network to a "try it you'll like it" session. With enough interest I will start a children's class at the Meeting House.

17 February 2015 - Brooklyn (New Haven Ball Brunch Dance Workshop)

   Tine's Jig - (32 J 3) - E. Brunken 

   Die Zwillinge - (3x32S+3x32R - 3 set) - Rbt Gregg.

   Charter Oak Reel - (32 R 3) - A. Wolf

   Tony and Judith of Formby (Take 2) - 32 S 3) - Nutmeg (K. Way) 

   Mrs Ellen McRanor (of Parish) - (32 R 3) - Price (unpublished)

   Charles Cyril Hendrickson - (32 S 4) - Price (unpublished)

   Mary-Kate's Super Symmetric Symmetry Breaking Strathsspey

         - (32 S 2) - C. Anagnostakis (unpublished)

**********

All from the New Haven Highland Ball Brunch Program - an interesting idea, great for a workshop, not so good for a ball brunch. Everyone tired, minds and bodies both. And so many unfamiliar and unpublished dances - Oh joy! A midterm exam! Just what we need!

It went very well, to my surprise and delight. The dancers in the room were all very strong. The weaker dancers...   stayed away. 

Please note that Tine's Jig was not on the brunch program but used as a warmup dance on this evening.

12 February 2015 - NY Branch (Basics)

   Mamie's Jig - (32 J 4) - Mary S. Brandon

   Birkinside - (32 S 2) - Goldring

   

It is an issue. A very volatile basics class. New people can walk in at any time. You can not count on anything except this: it will never be same two weeks in a row. Yikes.

8 December 2014 - Scotia

Deborah - 1st hour.

   The White Cockade - (32 R 3) - Bk 5/11

   General Stuart's Reel - (32 R 3) - Bk 10/3

   The Auld Grey Cat - (32 R 3) - I. Boyd

   Driving Through Eutaw - (32 J 3) - D. Leary (unpublished)

Peter - 2nd hour.

   Duke of Atholl's Reel - (32 J 2) - 16/3

   Glasgow Highlanders - (32 S 2 - becket) - Bk 2/3

   Mrs Ellen McRanor (of Parish) - (32 R 3) - Price (unpublished)

   Mairi's Wedding - (40 R 3) - Cosh

1 December 2014 - Scotia

Deborah - 1st hour

   EH3 7AF - (32 J 3) - 40/6 (Goldring)

   Adieu Mon Ami - (32 S 3) - Bk 24/11

   Shiftin' Bobbins - (32 R 3) - R. Clowes

Peter - 2nd hour

   The White Rabbit - (32 J 2) - I. Boyd

   MacLeod's Fancy - (32 J 4) - Bk 33/3 (Drewry)

   Bewitched in Salem - (32 S 3 set) - Holly Boyd

   Crossing the Line - (32 R 3set) - Drewry

   Bratach Bana - (32 R 3) - Drewry

**********

Again a lot of prep for Brooklyn's John Drewry Night.

The White Rabbit was the 1st dance in the second hour and therefore "for everyone".

Bewitched in Salem is by a friend, Holly Boyd of Montréal. Nice dance, not great but reasonably fun.

Holly has a talent for this. She writes very nice dances.

24 November 2014 - New Haven Friends Meeting

   The Mad Hatter - (32 J 3) - I. Boyd

   Back to Basics - (32 R 3) - B. Skelton

   The Blithest Lass that ever was seen

          (32 S 3) - Miss Milligan's Miscellany 2

   Mrs Ellen McRanor (of Parish) - (32 R 3) - P. Price (unpublished)

   Kiloran Bay - (32 S 4) - John A. Johnston (unpublished)

***********

The first half of the evening Emma was present with friends.That meant everything had to be pretty basic. And that meant that Emma didn't get what she needed which was a lot of dancing with dancers at a high level. The rest of the evening, with an incomplete set was a guinea pig session.

The Blithest Lass that ever was seen:-I had analyzed this for the Candidate class (part 5) and wanted to see how it danced. And I was correct - it is a little stinker! (Thank you Ralph Page for 'inventing'  that category.)

Kiloran Bay:- Nice one! And not really hard. It just needs a clear explanation. It is going on my short list for 2016 K&G tea dance program. It is that good. Now all I need is a preferred tune to go with the dance. Anyone?

Mrs Ellen McRanor is one of my dances. I was sending her a card, had just sealed  it when a good tune came up in the background - Muriel Johnstone's The Dissapointment) - and the dance wrote its self on the back of the envelope. I could see that there was a major issue (end effect) after the repeat when 4th couple needs to become the new third couple. The dance has them headed the wrong way and the transition has been described by a friend as "the transition from hell". I never publlished it. I also send copies of my dancers to three friends for safe keeping and, somehow, it ended up on the brunch program for this years New Haven Ball. 

Keep in mind that at this point I had never danced it. The end effect was so obvious I did not think it reasonable and certainly not publishable.

Now it is on a program - published? - and I needed to know, for myself, if it really was worthy of being on a program.

Yes. It is good enough. i dealt with the end effect very simply - I said "you are dancers, deal with it because I don't know how to do it." Got a laugh and they coped, nicely.

Kiloran Bay - I saw it on video and fell in love yet again. i saw it about six months ago and this is the first time opening I could find to try it. Worth it. As I said above - NICE! Look it up and do it!

17 November 2014 - Scotia

Deborah - 1st hour
   The Ferryboat - (5x32R circle) - warmup
   Lady Wynd - (32 J 3) - Goldring - Graded&Social 2
   Strathglass House - (32 S 3) - Bk 13/9
   The Highland Rambler - (40 R 3) - Goldring

Peter - 2nd hour
   On the Quarter-Deck - (32 H 2) - Iain Boyd
   Bees of Maggieknockater - (32 J 4) - Drewry
   Twixt Don and Dee - (32 S 4) - Drewry
   The Fireworks Reel - (32 R 3) - Bk 48/11 (A. Lingnau)

10 November 2014 - Scotia

The next program is the Brooklyn Class' Drewry Night - so it's all prep... again.

First hour (Deborah):-

  Brudenell Jig  - (32 J 2) -  2nd Graded

  Ha! Ha1 The Wooin' O' It  - (32 R 2) -  MMM

  Seann Triubhas Willichan   -  (32 S 2)  - 27/9

 

  and 

  Remembering Richard - (32 R 4) - Vivian Anapol et al

Second hour:-

  Scottish Reform - (32 J 2) - 3/1

  The Kenora Reel - (32 H 3) - Drewry

  A Summer Meeting - (32 S 3 set) - Townsend

  Reel of the Royal Scots - (32 R 3) - Leaflet

17 November 2014 - Scotia

First hour (Deborah):-

  The Ferryboat - (32 R n-circle) - Hunt

  Lady Wynd - (32 J 3) - Goldring

  Strathglass House - (32 S 3) - 13/9

  The Highland Rambler - (40 H 3) - Goldring

Second hour:-

  On the Quarter-Deck - (32 H 2) - Boyd

  The Bees of Maggieknocater - (32 J 4) - Drewry

  Twixt Don and Dee - (32 S 4) - Drewry

  The Fireworks Reel - (32 R 3) - 48/11

24 November 2014 - New Haven Friends Meeting

  The Mad Hatter - (32 J 3) - Boyd

  Back to Basics - (32 R 2) - Skelton

  The Blithest Lass that ever was seen - (32 S 3) - MMM

  Mrs Ellen McRanor (of Parish) - (32 R 3) - Price (unpublished)

  Kiloran Bay - (32 S 4) - Johnston (unpublished)

This has become a very interesting class. I now have a 9yo girl in it. Her mother was quilting downstairs, she heard the music, watched from the hall, then came in and sat, then joined in when invited. She is amazing. In her second class I taught her reels of 3, then mirror reels of 3, then crossover reels of three. She has handled e everything I have thrown at her.. with aplomb.

She brought a friend this week who is not as gifted as Emma, and two of her brothers. So I have gone from an advanced class with 6 to 8 very good dancers to a pretty basic class. But having the young beginners is Fantastic!

They left at 9:00 PM leaving me the chance for some very necessary guinea pigging -

I (literally) wrote the dance Mrs Ellen McRanor (of Parish) on the envelope back of a card I was sending to her. I was listening to music and Muriel's version of Anderson's Rant came up and her tune The Dissapointment was so good the dance practically wrote itself. 

The back story - Ellen taught two classes in Connecticut. She taught the Wilton/Norwalk class and started/taught the Woodbridge class. When she finally retired (to Parish, Florida) I took over the Wilton class and Leslie Kearney took over the Woodbridge class. About a year after she retired I sent Ellen a note with this dance scribbled on the back. I usually send my dances to three other people - and Leslie is on that list - which is how she got a copy of an unpublished, untested dance. (Note: this is the first time I have even seen it danced!)  I had no intention of publishing it - there is an end effect when 4th couple becomes third couple that is so severe that I saw no easy solution.

The dance has just appeared on the 2015 New Haven Highland Ball Weekend's Sunday Brunch program. Unbeknownst to me! And since it is now published, in a back handed sort of way, and tested in the New Haven class, I had to try it out for myself. Watched - didn't dance.

Verdict: It is an OK dance except for that end effect. First 24 bars pure dead simple, last 8 bars weird reels with kinship to the reels in Alex Doig's Jig aka The Dunblane Drummer by John Drewry. I still have not figured out a good workaround for that dastardly end effect - and may just leave it up to the dancers with this - "since you know it is coming - you figure it out".

Kiloran Bay:- I saw a video of this one - fell for it and have been wanting to try it for at least two months and, with myself and two ghosts in the set, we did it. Nice dance! I give it a thumbs up.

1 December 2014 - Scotia

First hour (Deborah):-

  EH3 7AF - (32 J 3) - 40/6

  Adieu Mon Ami - (32 S 3) - 24/11

  Shiftin' Bobbins - (32 R 3) - Clowes

Second hour:-

  The White Rabbit - (32 J 2) - Boyd

  MacLeod's Fancy - (32 J 4) - 33/3 (Drewry)

  Bewitched in Salem - (32 S 3 set) - H. Boyd

  Crossing the Line - (32 R 3 set) - Drewry

  Bratach Bhana - (32 R 3) - Drewry

8 December 2014 - Scotia

Drewry Night in Brooklyn - Over and done! Thank goodness!  20 + dances on the program and only 3 of them different from last year's program. In fact they have gone overboard, in my humble opinion, from having too many new/unusual/unknown dances to having too many repeated dances. 

Let me put it to you this way:

20 dances a year over 5 years (how long I have been going) =s 100 possible dances.

They have done 36. Eight of the them have been done 5 years in a row. (Silver Tassie/Peat Fire Flame/The New Opera/Major Ian Stewart/MacLeod's Fancy/Blooms of Bon Accord/Bratach Bhana/Byron Strathspey). Only two of those 36 dances have been done once in the last five years. Out of 788 Drewry dances (as listed in the scddb) surely they can come up with a few other reasonably accessible ones?  Honestly, I could really use some relief.

Off the top oh my head... What about Miss Florence Adams? Monadh Liath? Thomas Glover's Reel? Dunsmuir Strathspey and The Haggis Tree?  

Anyway, back to Scotia...

First hour (Deborah):-

  White Cockade - (32 R 3) - 5/11

  General Stuart's Reel - (32 R 3) - 10/3

  The Auld Grey Cat - (32 R 3) - Boyd

  Driving Through Eutaw - (32 J 3) - Leary (unpublished)

Second hour:-

  Duke of Atholl's Reel - (32 J 2) - 

  Glasgow Highlanders - (32 S 2 becket) - 2/

  Mrs Ellen MacRanor (of Parish) - (32 R 3) - Price (unpublished)

  Mairi's Wedding - (40 R 3) - Cosh

This time I got to dance my dance! Not bad.. just the end effect to watch out for.

29 September 2014 - Scotia (NY)

These are the dances I taught during the first (basic) hour.
  Come to the Ceilidh - (32 R 4) - unknown
  Cabbages and Kings - (32 J 3) - I. Boyd
  Winter Wonder - (32 R 3) - J. Lataille
  New Abbey - (32 J 2) - Goldring

These are the dances taught by Deborah during the second (experienced) hour:-
  Waratah Weaver - (32 J 3) - See/Second Graded Book
  Castle Douglas - (32 S 3) - Goldring
  Cranberry Tart - (32 J 3) - Glasspool
  Pugwash and Tatamagouche - (32 H 3) - Wallace
  Hypotenuse - (32 J 3) - unknown
  West's Hornpipe - (32 H 4) - 5Trad1965

6 October 2014 - Scotia (NY)

First hour:-

  The Castle Jig - (32 J 4) - Jo Hamilton/Let's All Dance Too

  It's Nae Bother - (32 J 2) - D. Haynes/Second Graded Book

  Duke of Atholl's Reel - (32 J 2) - 16/3

  

Second hour:-

  Back to Basics - (32 R 3) - B. Skelton

  Cherry Blossom Time - (32 J 3) - Drewry

  Culla Bay - (32 S 4 sq) - Dix

  Pinewoods Reel - (32 R 3) - J.B. Dickson

  Da Rain Dancin' - (32 R 3) - Wallace

13 October 2014 - Scotia (NY)

First hour:-

  Mamie's Jig - (32 J 4) - Mary S. Brandon

  The Cabrach - (32 R 3) - Goldring

  Scots Bonnet - (32 J 3) - 10/9

Second hour:-

  Good Hearted Glasgow - (32 J 3) - Knapman

  A Reel for Alice - (32 R 5) - Goldring

  Spirit of the Dance - (32 S 3) - Paterson

  EH3 7AF - (32 J 3) - Goldring - Bk 40

20 October 2014 - Scotia

First hour:-
  Introduction to strathspey &strathspey steps
  New Abbey - (32 S 2) - Goldring - Gr & Social Dances 2

Second hour:-
  Mole's Frolic - (32 J 3) - T. Winter - Dunsmuir Dances
  The Duchess Tree - (32 S 3) - Drewry
  Best Set in the Hall - (32 J 3) - Bk 46/7

27 October 2014 - New Haven Friends Meeting

It's Nae Bother - (32 J 2) - D. Haynes

The March Hare - (32 R 3) - I. Boyd

Alice's Request - (32 J 2) - Goldring

New Abbey - (32 J 2) - Goldring

A Reel for Emma - (40 R 4) - Price (unpublished)

3 November 2014 - Scotia (NY)

Deborah and I switch hours - she teaches the basic and I teach the experienced hour.

First hour:-

  Machine without Horses - (32 J 3) - Bk 12/12

  Trip to Gretna Green - (32 J 3) - unknown

  Margaret Parker's Strathspey - (32 S 3) - Bk 31/3 (Drewry)

  The White Cockade - (32 R 3) - Bk 5/11

Second hour:-

  Joie de Vivre - (32 J 3) - Bk 39/2 (Maarseveen)

  The Glasgow Highlanders - (32 S 2 _Becket) - Bk 2/3

  Follow Me Home - (32 J 3) - Bk 38/3 (E. Briscoe)

  Australian Ladies - (32 R 3) - Campbell

8 - 9 November 2014 - Jeannie Carmichael Ball and Brunch - West Point, NY

This is why the previous two months of Ball Prep - and the repetition.

Saturday Ball:-

  Trip to Gretna Green - (32 J 3) - unknown

  A Reel for Alice - (32 R 5) - Goldring

  Castle Douglas - (32 S 3) - Goldring

  Follow Me Home - (32 J 3) - Bk 38/3

  Duke of Perth - (32 R 3) - Bk 1/8

  Linnea's Strathspey - (32 S 3) - Bk 47/2 (T. Wilson)

  The Cranberry Tart - (32 J 3) - T. Glasspool

  Culla Bay - (32 S 4 sq) - Bk 41/2 (A. Dix)

  Australian Ladies - (32 R 3) - Campbell

  Mole's Frolic - (32 J 3) - T. Winter

  The Button Boy - (32 H 3) - Zobel 

  Glasgow Highlanders - (32 S 2 - Becket) - Bk 2/3

  The White Heather Jig - (40 J 4) - Cosh

  The Duchess Tree - (32 S 3) - Drewry

  The Penny Reel - (32 R 3) - J. Attwood

  The Hazel Tree - (32 J 3) - Drewry

  The Minister on the Loch - Goldring

  Da Rain Dancin' - (32 R 3) - R. Wallace

Sunday Brunch:-

  Joie de Vivre - (32 J 3) - Bk 39/2

  John McAlpin - (32 S 3) - Foss

  The White Cockade - (32 R 3) - Bk 5/11

  The Spirit of the Dance - (32 S 3) - Paterson

  Best Set in the Hall - (32 J 3) - Bk 46/7 (Greenwood)

  Flowers of Edinburgh - (32 R 3 - Bk 1/6

  A Capital Jig - (32 J 3) - 5Dances2009

  Margaret Parker's Strathspey - (32 S 3) - Bk 31/3 (Drewry)

  Pinewoods Reel - (32 R 3) - J.B. Dickson

  Lady Peak's Strathspey - (32 S 3) - Drewry

  The Machine Without Horses - (32 J 3) - Bk 12/12

  Rest and Be Thankful - (32 R 3) - Grampian Collection

21 September 2014 - NJ Branch Boat Basin Picnic and Dance.

This is the first function of the season. It is intended to be easy, a mental warm up for the season.
Great fun, great location on the Hudson River and great attendance (with 59 persons attending from NJ, NY, CT and PA).

            DANCE    
                                               
Curry Mountain Reel  -  (32 R 3)  -  New Brunswick
Mrs Stewart's Jig  -  (32 J 3)  -  Bk 35/1
Fair Donald  - (32 S 3)  -  Bk 29/4
Flowers of Edinburgh - (32 R 3)  -  Bk 1/6
The Jubilee Jig  -  (32 J 3)  -  Leaflet 11
Bridge of Nairn  -  (32 S 3)  -  Bk 13/11
Mairi's Wedding  -  (40 R 3)  -  Cosh 22+2

Netherby Hall  -  (32 R 2)  -  Drewry (Bon Accord)
Deil Amang the Tailors  -  (32 R 3)  -  Bk 14/7
Cuillins of Skye  -  (32 S 3)  -  4/1978 (Goldring)
The Wild Geese  -  (32 J 3)  -  Bk 24/3
The Twa Meenit Reel  -  (32 R 4)  -  Clowes
The Gentleman  -  (32 S 3)  -  Bk 35/5
Reel of the 51st Division  -  (32 R 3)  -  Bk 13/10

Monday - 22 September 2014 - Scottish at The New Haven Friends Meeting

This is my monthly class in my old 'hood and I forgot to send out the setup emails and didn't get my numbers. I leave northern NJ around 3:30pm to get into New Haven by 5:30 or so. And it is only 75 miles by highway. I go to the family butcher and buy several weeks worth of meat and the night's supper.
I then have an hour or so at the Meeting House waiting for dancers to show for the 7:30 class.
I only got four this night.  And then a munchkin showed up at the door, peering in. Then she came in and sat. And then we invited her in to dance, and she did.

And she was marvelous! Nine years old, an Irish dancer and solidly grounded in formations.
After class, talking to her mother (downstairs with the local Quaker Ladies Quilting and "Terrorist" Society  (that is a joke folks) )- I was told that Emma had loved it, that it had started out like Irish but gotten progressively further and further away.

The good news - she is enthused and wanting to come again, the better news is that she might be bringing a friend. And the best news… There is no bad news.

Boy is this going to change things!  This (the class at NHFM) is the one actual advanced class in the area and by area I mean among the following groups - Tenafly, NJ; Fanwood, NJ; NY Branch; Scotia (NY, NY); Middletown, CT; Windsor, CT; Wilton, CT and Mystic, CT. The only class that comes close is the New Haven Branch class in New Haven - we share the same pool of dancers. Now my class is going to become a beginner's training ground - not that Emma is a beginner and, if her friend is even half is good, neither is she. New to them, new to me too. I am going to have to make a list of all the formations and make sure I cover them. I need to give these girls the building blocks. I need to train them to be Scottish Country dancers - they are already dancers.

I have a kind-a-sort-of plan in mind. I am going to leave their Irish technique alone. Not a word on footwork. I suspect that they will see how we are dancing and will eventually copy us. Naturally. I certainly don't want to confuse them and cause their Irish style to deteriorate. That would  be Not Good. I am hoping that these girls will be dance monsters and be able to keep different dance styles separate as I am able to.

The dances I taught were:

Dragonflies - (32 S 5some) - Jane Lataille
The Four Winds - (32 R 4some) - Terry Glasspool
Fish and Chips - (32 J 4) - Bruce Hamilton
Lover's Lane - (32 J 3 set) - Jane Lataille
The Domino Five - (32 R 5some) - Derek Haynes

**********
Dragonflies :- One of my top 10. The music too. (Hamish Henderson's Refusal - Susie Petrov and Local Hero from the vinyl LP Hold the Lass tip I get Her).

The Four Winds :- Another of Terry's unpublished leaflets I have from a workshop crib. I wish he would publish these. They are all works of genius. This is the one Emma watched, from the hallway and then from a chair in the room. After which we asked her to join us.

Fish and Chips :- a nice little intro to SC dancing. I used the music for It Should Be Fun by Muriel Johnstone and Jim Lindsay from their CD Reel On for Roy Goldring's book of Graded and Social Dances 3. The youngster got it. Very Irish-like apparently - I would say 'ceilidh' like. Hmmm, think there might be some similarities there?

Lovers' Lane :- Also basic. Introduces all of the following - Figures of Eight on the sides (mirror); Figure of Eight across (around the couple above); and Right Hands Across; and Rights and Lefts.
Again, no problem for the young lady. But I was definitely pushing the envelope. And chose to go even further with…

The Domino Five :- 5 dancers, in a square with a center 'pip'. Three Hands across top then bottom; Reels of Three, right shoulder on the center axis, left shoulder on the cross axis. Four changes to progress. Again, she got it with just a slight hesitation from time to time. She had clearly reached her limit, this was a lot of new stuff in a very short period and not very Irish.

Invitations to come back and bring friends and to attend the weekly New Haven class were extended.
Thank you Lord.

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

***********

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

**********

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

**********

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)

**********

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

**********

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

**********

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

**********

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

**********

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

**********

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

13 + 20 November 2013 - Westchester

!3 November 2013

2nd session of the series and a good one. We manage 8 dances over the evening, warming up with Kent Smith's Chicago Loop and then dancing City of Belfast without a talk through. 

There is not a lot of story around the dances this week so 

This night's dances were:

Chicago Loop  (32 R 3) Kent Smith - Chicago Collection

City of Belfast  (32 S 3 set)  Mulholland - Belfast Jubilee

The Hazel Tree  (32 J 3)  Drewry - Brodie Book

The Docent's Tour  (32 S 3)  T. Wilson - Measures of Pleasure

Jessie's Hornpipe  (32 R 3)  Bk 8/9

Waverley  (48 J 3)  Bk 15/12

All for One  (32 S 3 set)  McMurtry - Dragonfly Book

The Punchbowl  (32 R 3)  Bk 5/5

====================================================

20 November 2013

The basics class was larger: last weeks beginners were back along with a couple who started last year but have been *very* busy this fall. Things are looking up here, 'cause a group without beginners is a dying group. 

And that is my fear for Westchester. When I started teaching this group I could pull anything, and I do mean anything, out of my little box and they would handle it. Even a John Drewry piece of spaghetti choreography. I can't do that now. I now have to be careful what I choose and with teaching Shinkansen, in a bit of a time constraint ,was a mistake.

3rd session of the current series.

Warm up dance:

The Findlays' Jig  (32 J 3)   Goldring - 14 Social Dances 2000

The No Talk Through:

The Hazel Tree  (32 J 3)  Drewry - Brodie Book

Intermediate Class:

The Fountain Strathspey  (32 S 3 set) Rbt. Gregg

Miss Hadden's Reel  (32 J 3)  Bk 23/5

Social hour:

The Silver Tassie  (32 S 3)  Drewry - L1

Blue Bonnets  (32 J 2)  

Shinkansen  (32 R 3)  A. Dix - Reel Friends 3

**********

The Findlays' Jig –  It is basic and different. A hard combination to achieve. And I like cuddle casts if the dancers do more than 'make the motions' and actually acknowledge on another.

The Hazel Tree – I like the Espagnole! It isn't hard - it is simple!. So why all the panic stricken faces? It is only a half double fig. Eight… in a different orientation. Last weeks teaching actually took. They did a beautiful job of it.

The Fountain Strathspey – This one took more time than I anticipated. The opening figure took a lot more teaching than I planned. I need to re-think how and what I say cause what I did worked but not well. When done well a keeper!

Miss Hadden's Reel – An eye opener for me. Inverting a line of three should not be a mind twisting concept. But it was this day. Another "re-think the process" dance. 

The Silver Tassie – Taught to the beginners downstairs, and opening the social dance period. Rondel is not my favourite figure. I do it well but very few others do. It is all about timing.

Blue Bonnets – good music but even that doesn't carry the dance. Good for beginners, otherwise tedious, in the extreme. (IMHO, of course)

Shinkansen – Again I misjudged. The meanwhile figure is the same as in Mrs Hamilton of Wishaw.

1C sets and dances an 6 bar track; 2C sets and dances a 4 bar track; 3C sets and dances a 2 bar track. 

Even five years ago this would not have been a problem for this group. It is now. Sigh. 

6 November 2013 - Westchester

First night of a new series in Westchester.
A new lot of beginners (2), a couple who contra and swing dance. The old lot of beginners haven't been showing up. Not because they have decided to stay away but because life has gotten in their way.
A cataract surgery; premature grand twins; the death of a sister; an aging parent; and so on and so forth.

One thing that became clear after this evening is that the Westchester group is not what it used to be.
The greying of the class has taken firm hold, and politics has made it a bit worse…  I am not going there!

I opened with Romaine Butterfield's dance Cabbages and Kings  which has become one of my standard, any place any where any group, dances. There is enough in it to keep it interesting even for experienced dancers walking it as a warm up.

The next dance, also from down under, was Home and Away, by Barry Skelton. It uses the Best Set in the Hall figure, and possibly predates that dance. What I like is the alternate ending - half Dolphin Reels of 3 on the diagonal. First made popular by the publication of The Dolphin Book, 'dolphin reels' were also used in Barry Priddey's Flight of the Falcon which predates the Dolphin Book. Who may have invented the figure before Barry Priddey I do not know.

I know the class has been taught Best Set in the Hall, and more than once in the last year. The walk through looked really good. So I moved on with out doing extensive walk-throughs. When they danced it they looked like they had never seen it before and would have benefited from a complete reteaching from scratch. In retrospect I don't think it would have been beneficial.

I have been teaching here part of each year since the mid 1990s. This was a wake up for me. I know they had been sliding downhill but I have not seen it this bad before or, actually, acknowledged that it was this bad.. And looking back, they have lost a lot of their good dancers over the last two years. I should not have been surprised.

I continued the precedent set by Sue Ronald which is to teach a 'No Talk Through' dance each week to be danced the next week. It seems to sharpen the mind a bit. This week I taught City of Belfast. The music by Marian Anderson is lovely. So lovely that Chris Ronald used this music for his dance Broadway. The New York Branch instituted a "dance list" a few years ago, and no dance can stay on it more than three years. Broadway is coming off, and it looks like City of Belfast is going on. I see no reason not to keep using this music by Marian Anderson and her band, it is simply, IMHO, too good to lose.

The second hour, or what remains of it after a very social tea 'break', is dedicated to social dancing with the beginning/basic dancers included.

The first dance was Flowers of Edinburgh taught by Deb Leary. I then taught Delvine Side. (It is the music, that great music by the San Francisco Band Fiddlesticks and Ivory). This album is a must have.
Even if you don't care for fiddle bands get this one! I consider this music for Delvine Side to be THE definitive recording. I have never heard a better or more energy filled recording or live performance.

**********
Cabbages and Kings - (32 J 3)  Butterfield - The Harbour City
Home and Away - (32 J 3)  Skelton - The Celtic Book
My Mither's Aye Glow'rin' Owre Me - (32 J 2)  Hugh Foss - Song Tunes
City of Belfast - (32 S 3 set)  Mulholland - Diamond Jubilee Dances - Belfast Branch
Delvine Side - (32 S 3) Bk 2/9