End of year feedback

Well, that is another year of classes finished.

I would really appreciate it if you could provide some feedback on the class over the last year and give some indication of what you would like from demonstration class. Here are some pointers to get you going:

1. Have you enjoyed demonstration class this year? What have been the good points and what have been the bad things?
2. Have we got the balance of the class right? Did we focus too much on the big dems and competitions or did we not do enough for these? Did you get enough feedback about your own dancing or should you have got more? Was the choice of dances/figures/etc correct for the class?
3. Was the class formal enough or too formal? What was your opinion of the skirts and kilts attire for class? Did it help you with your dancing or just a waste of time?
4. What, in your opinion, is the purpose of demonstration class? Is it only to prepare for the big dems and competitions or should it be about preparing a group of dancers to do any demonstration for the society? Should it be about doing obscure and difficult dances or about developing peoples performance abilities and thus lots of repetition of the same dances so that you know them inside out?

Thank you for taking the time to respond. If you do not want your comments to become part of this blog, then please email me directly with your comments. These will not be posted.

Thanks,

Alasdair

Week 4, Semester 3

Last week was taught by Liz Green. I believe she did some work on strathspey covering the Knot and in reel or jig time hello goodbye setting.

Step Practice

• Skip change of step: Need to get a straight leg with pointed toe at the start. Need more elevation, hop, at the start.
• Pas de basque: Most of you are getting a good weight transfer now.
• Strathspey travelling: Also need to get a straight leg here.
  

Exercises

• Hello goodbye: Move only on the jete of the left pas de basque. That is, set and move, set and move, etc.

Formations

• 1 couple allemande: progression in four bars. 1: dance round to the men's side. 2: dance down inside the set. 3: bring the lady in and under. 4: retire.
• set and rotate: keep the body facing across for the setting. Cast round (including 1man and 2 lady), change places with your partner and chase round one place.

General Stuart's Reel
8x32 Reel Book ?

• I prefer the corners to dance for four bars in the turn, although the manual says two.
• Think of the body angles for the hello goodbye setting.
• Remember to slide into place at the end of the 6 bar reels

The Earl of Home
8x32 Strathspey Book 12

• Watch the lines going across in the set and pass right shoulders.
• First couple adapt the end of the 1 couple allemande to face their corners.
• Think of the body angles in the set to corners
• Again, 6 bar reels so slide into place.

The Gilly Flower
8x32 Jig Book 36

• This dance requires "continuous motion" for the first couple. Dance through the sideline positions at the end of each phrase.
• It is horrible for 1st man to go from the set and rotate into the reel of 3.

Week 2, Semester 3

Step Practice
We worked a bit on pas de basque. Main errors were:

• Not getting 3 beats
• Need a straight leg on the jete
• Need to close in 3rd position
• Turn out

Formation
We did the all round poussette in reel time. It is a bit of a beast of a figure and can never really be done neatly.

1. Away from centre and quarter turn
2. Up or down and quarter turn
3. Into the centre
4. Away from the centre and quarter turn
5. Up or down and quarter turn
6. Into the centre and start to turn.
7. Turn to own side.
8. Retire to own side lines.

Longwise Eightsome
32S + 32R Bk 18

This dance contains some difficult phrasing, e.g. right hands across half way in 4 bars, and cross right and cross right in 8 bars.

The Palindrome
2x32S + 2x32R Brockbank

The full instructions for this dance can be found at http://scottishdance.net/dances/ThePalindrome.html.

This dance is a bit of fun and attempts to be palindromic, i.e. the same forward as it is backwards. It is a good challenge on the brain and there are lots of covering points in the dance.



Next week's class will be taught by Liz Green.

Week 1, Semester 3

How can you have a semester 3? Semesters are meant to split the year into two, originally both blocks being six months.

Step Practice

• Skip change: Need more flight
• Slip step: Need to point feet when off the ground
• Strathspey traveling: Make sure that the movement is smooth and the you are closing in 3rd position
• Strathspey setting: Make sure that the movement is smooth and slow down the following leg.

When forming sets for class remember the three questions:

1. Is your set wide enough?
2. Is your set long enough?
3. Do you have straight lines?

I shouldn't need to ask you these anymore.

W James
8x32 Jig Tweeddale Collection Volume 2

Concentrated on technique whilst dancing a simple dance.

Gang the Same Gate
8x32 Strathspey Bk 36

Concentrated on technique whilst dancing a familiar dance. Watch for straight legs and that you are closing in 3rd. Also be careful of the phrasing.

The Blackwater Reel
8x32 Reel Bk 41

Be careful that the reels in the last 8 bars do not spread too much beyond the size of the set.

Week 11, Semester 2

Well, a few of us showed up for demonstration class last night. As requested, we had a bit of a focus on circles.

Step Practice

• Slip step: Need to get the legs well turned out. Closing in 1st position and getting a good spring in the step.
• Skip change: Need to get a good straight leg at the start of your skip change of step
• Strathspey traveling: Need to think about being strong and smooth. Need to get a good urge at the start of the step and make sure that you close in 3rd everytime.

Figures:

• Circle round and back in jig time: Make sure that you keep your body and hips facing across the circle.
• Circle in strasthpey time: Keep the shoulders facing across and twist your hips. Still need to see a good strong strathspey traveling step. Close in 3rd rear aerial when changing direction in the circle
• 3 couple knot: Key thing is to release hands at the end of bar 5. Make sure that you have a good wide turn so that you end up directly opposite your partner and not diagonally opposite.

Airyhall Delight
8x32 Jig Book 40

• 1&2 set, right hands across half way. 1&3 half rights and lefts.
• 3&1 set, left hands across half way. 2&1 half rights and lefts.
• 1st couple lead down for 4, up for 2, all three couples set
• 6 hands round and back.

Difficult points in this dance are

• 1st lady going from the left hands across into the rights and lefts.
• Getting back up to second place and setting

???
3x32S+3x32R

• 1st couple cross down into 6 bar mirror reels of three on the side lines.
• 1st man crosses in front of 1st lady while 2nd couple continue reel into top place.
• All 3 couples dance the knot, 1st couple finish facing their 1st corner
• Half reel of 4 on the first corner diagonal, 1st couple turn left so that 1st lady faces 2nd lady's place and 1st man faces 3rd man's place, half diagonal reel of four on the second corner diagonal with 1st couple crossing right at the end. Finish 213 on the opposite side.
• 6 hands round and back.

Dance is repeated with the head of the set at the opposite end.

This dance is a bit of a goer, but a lot of fun. Hopefully it will get published in the NS 60th book. Suggestions for titles are welcomed.

Week 10, Semester 2

Step Practice

• Pas de basque: concentrating on the extension (see note by adjudicator for Newcastle)
• Strathspey setting step: concentrated on getting a smooth movement with the leg coming slowly up to 3rd rear aerial.
• Skip change of step: concentrated on getting a bit more flight without becoming bouncy.

Figures

• Four couple allemande: there is no step to the ladies side nor is there a step up the dance.
  
• Set to corner, partner
  
• Swirl

Sunday Morning
4x32 Reel 5/1982

• Petronella turn, set down the set, turn right 1+1/4: Do not try to cover too much distance with the setting, use the turn to cover the rest of the distance.
• Reel of 4 on sides
• 6 bars of a reel of 4 across and turn right to 3214: This cannot be done neatly and ruins the dance
• 4 couple allemande

Edina's Pride
8x32 Strathspey Gray (I believe it was republished in the Edinburgh branch 80th anniversary book)

• Cross below 2s and cast round 3s, turn right: Have to cover distance for the cross but slow down in the cast. Think about positioning so that you can flow into the next figure.
• Circle
• Swirl
• Set to corner, partner

Main thing about this dance is phrasing. Your strathspey traveling was generally good with no passing of feet except in the circle.

McKeown's Hornpipe
8x40 Hornpipe Drewry Canadian Book

• Variation on a double figure of 8: phrasing of this movement is important
• Mirror reels of 3
• 1 petronella and set while the 2s&3s cast to second place, men make an arch, pass person on right in front and cast to the end, cross right
• Repeat
• Circle

Again, the phrasing is important. The corners need to make the middle movement quite bulbous so that they have some distance to cover. The more you danced this the better you got, although you were quite out of breath at the end.

Messages:
We decided to have another class next week since the hall was booked.

Week 9, Semester 2

This class was taught by Liz Green as I had to go on a work trip.

I believe Liz taught Miss Gibson's Strathspey amongst other things. I think that she worked on your setting steps.

Weeks 6-8, Semester 2

These classes were dedicated to preparing for the IVFDF festival display written by Nic Meller and performed to a medley of tunes from the Sound of Music.

I'm afraid that I was not present due to personal reasons.

Newcastle Festival

Ladies Team

I felt that you did very well. It is always difficult to be the first team on as you have nothing to compare yourselves to and there are many unknowns. We were very unfortunate that the organisors had not informed the official musician of our dances until the morning. We were even more unfortunate that he played the Jig very quickly.

Adjudicator's Remarks

The Royal Wedding (S)
The team took up a good size of set on the floor. The bow and curtsey were neat.
The Strathspey step of some of the dancers appears bouncy probably because of a quick close into 3rd position. Care must be taken not to pass feet so that a good 3rd position is apparent.
Formations were well-phrased and turns well-covered, though you might look at bringing hands up together.
Handing was pleasing and the continuity was quite good - the continuity between reels must be flowing, with no pause.

Miss Cahoon's Reel (J)
The music was possibly a little fast to make the most of technique. As a result the flight in the skip change was not evident.
Pas de basque was rhythmic and showed the transfer of weight. Skip change of step needs to maintain the outward rotation in 2nd position.
On occasions the penultimate reel went adrift.
The formations were quite well done. Handing was not as neat as in the strathspey.
Covering in the last reel was excellent however the 1st reel had problems occasionally.
A commendable demonstration overall.

Mark: 88


Mixed Team

The team danced very well. Again, we had problems with the quick time being played too fast.

Adjudicator's Remarks

Miss Catherine Allan (S)
The team took up a good sized set on the floor.
Many of the dancers need to stretch the leg when urging forward in strathspey and to take greater care of the feet in the rear aerial in the setting step. In the lead down give a little more space between dancers.
The figure in the middle was neatly done, though couples didn't arrive at corners by the same method. Covering to the corners was excellent. Reel across 3rd time through were a little ragged.
As a general guide try to think of strathspey step as strong and smooth. Eye contact with partners and handing were well done.

Minard Castle (R)
After a very neat curtsey and bow, the dancers made a fine entry into the right hands across. Links between the reels were very well performed.
The circles had a good shape and slip steps were neat. Care needs to be taken in pas de basque - extension to 4th intermediate must be kept low.
Unfortunately there were a few hesitations but it was danced with scottish character.

Mark: 87



Display
The display seemed to go very well. A video of the performance can be found at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=stCkk1eA9ik.
Unfortunately, I did not think that the announcement needed to give the names of the dances. I apologise for that.
It seems that Peter Clark was after a more traditional performance.

Well done to the Edinburgh branch for putting together a good demonstration and executing it well.

Week 5, Semester 2

Final practice before the Newcastle Competition.

We went over the dances for the mixed team thinking about the points that are important for each dance.

Semester 2 Week 4

Step Practice
Strathspey travelling step

• Starts with a dip
• Need to get a straight leg
• Make sure you are closing in third and are not too high on your toes

Strathspey setting step

• Really reach out to second with a slight dip
• Close in third rear, again not too high on the toes
• Step out again and slowly bring the foot up behind, ladies not too high on the leg, the toe should be touching the heel

Exercise
Setting into 2 steps forward

• Looked at the transition between the two steps
• At end of setting step, bring the leg up behind to complete the setting step before going forward
• At the end of the traveling step, bring the leg up to third rear areal before setting

Royal Wedding
8x32 Strathspey Book 5/1982

• 1s set turn both hands, dance down one place while the 2s dance up the side lines, 1s turn both hands finishing facing your first corner (lady releases right hand, man left hand to open the turn out)
• Turn 1st corner with right hand to lines across the dance
• Corners set facing in diagonally while the 1s set advancing to face their 2nd corners
• 1s turn 2nd corner with right hand to side lines
• Corners set facing in diagonally while the 1s set advancing to their partner's 1st corner
• Half diagonal reel of four with 1st corners, 1s pass left shoulder into half diagonal reel of four with 2nd corners, finish passing left shoulder in the centre of the dance
• All chase round clockwise to own side of the dance, 1s come dance to be between the 2s and 3s for the chase
• All turn both hands, starting from the side lines

Make sure that you have a long wide set for this dance otherwise you will find it really hard to get the phrasing.

This dance is all about phrasing. Try to give yourselves plenty of distance to cover even with the last 2 steps of a phrase.

Make sure your turns have wide hands and that your shoulders are facing each other, i.e. you are not squint.

Corners have to stay awake to remember to set.

Try to make sure that the spacing between couples in the chase is even.

Cover the turn at the end which starts from the side lines.

Miss Cahoon's Reel
8x48 Jig Book 13

Minard Castle
8x40 Reel Book 22

Rant
You must learn the dances. I will not be able to call them to you on the day of the festival. The points to remember for each dance have been posted this semester. Look over the old posts.

Semester 2 Week 3

Step Practice
Slip step

• Make sure that the feet close in first position on every step
• Make sure the toes get off the ground and are pointed

Pas de Basque

• Really think about emphasising the second beat by concentrating on transferring the weight.
• In traveling pas de basque only move on the jete
  

Exercise
Setting and moving:

• Practiced the track of the first couple in double triangles.
• Started the double triangle track with lady facing up and man facing down. Means you've got extra distance to cover. It is hard!

Setting then changing into a circle

• Pas de basque (right, left) into slip step to the left is hard! Need to transfer weight by adjusting the end of the second pas de basque step

Minard Castle
8x40 Reel Book 22

• Set cast one place, lady up man down for right hands across
• Mirror reels of three with first couple coming in and up to begin
• Reels of three across the dance, lady up man down. Finish with 1st couple back to back, lady facing 2s man facing 3s.
  
• Double triangles up and down the dance
• Circle round and back

Need to make sure that the whole dance flows. This means that the corners must dance loops on all of the reels and the phrasing of the reels is really important. It is also important that the reels across the set stay within the confines of the set.

The first couple must stay back to back in the double triangles with everyone having straight arms. The corners can push the first couple back to back. Everyone is setting for the 8 bars.

The first couple have a long distance to cover to get from the double triangles to the sidelines. There is a conundrum in this dance, you want a wide set for the reels but a narrow set to get out of the double triangles.

Make sure that your circle remains circular.

Miss Cahoon's Reel
8x48 Jig Book 13
Just went over the geography of this dance.

Semester 2 Week 2

Step Practice

This week we concentrated on our strathspey traveling step. Key points were

• Getting a straight leg at the start of the step
• Starting the step with a good strong dip
• Don't drag the feet along the floor
  

Exercise
Two handed turns.

• Need to cover when multiple couples are turning
• Don't attack the turn, phrase it so you are only half way round the turn after 2 bars.
• Remember to dance rather than back into place

Miss Catherine Allen
8x32 Strathspey Leaflet

• Cross below 3s and cast to 2nd place
• All turn both hands, 1s turn 1 1/2 times
• 1s dance up 2 steps, set, dance down 2 steps and turn both hands
• Set to 1st corners and cast round each other to face 2nd corner
• Set to 2nd corners and cast round each other to face partner's 2nd corner
• 1s dance loops round 2nd corner positions while corners dance reel of 3
• 1s cross over

Key points:

• Need to attack the first four bars but then you have to cover the turn.
  
• 1s use the time that the others are returning to place to do the extra half turn.
• Make sure you get apart from each other as you cast round to face your next corner.
• Watch the phrasing of the reels. Corners must be home by the end of bar 6.
• Watch your footwork. Make sure you are always closing in 3rd position in the middle of the step.
  

Semester 2 Week 1

Musician
For the new semester we have a new musician. Gary Donaldson will be playing accordian for us each week.

Step Practice

• Skip change of step concentrating on getting a straight leg and being able to cover a distance without looking like it is force
• Slip step
• Looked at the transition from skip change into slip step

Miss Cahoon's Reel
8 x 48 Jig Book 13

• Set cast circle to left with the 3s
• Set cast up, circle to the left with the 2s
• Cross below the 3s, cast up to the top, cross over and cast off to face your corners. 2s step up on 7 and 8.
• Corner partner finish facing your first corner
• 6 bar reel of 3 with your corners, giving left shoulder to your first corner (through the ends), 1s cross over on 7 & 8
• 8 bar reel of 3 on your own side giving right shoulder to your partners first corner (the one that flows naturally)

The phrasing of the 1s solo is to be back in place at the end of bar 5. It is really important that the corners phrase the reels correctly, i.e. the first one is a 6 bar reel the second is an 8 bar reel.

Newcastle Festival
At the moment, we have entered a mixed team from New Scotland and a ladies team jointly with Dunedin. If this is going to be the case, we need a few more volunteers to dance and for everyone to show up to the next few weeks of class. The dances are:

Mixed

• Miss Catherine Allen L 8x32S
• Minard Castle XXII 8x32R

Ladies

• Royal Wedding 5/1982 8x32S
• Miss Cahoon's Reel XIII 8x48J