Semester 1 Week 10

Step Practice

• Pas de basque
• skip change of step
• slip step
• strathspey travelling into setting

Airyhall Delight
32 Jig, RSCDS Book 40

1-4	1,2 set half RA
5-8	1,3 half RL
9-12	3,1 set half LA
13-16	2,1 half RL
17-22	1s lead down 4 steps and up 2 steps
23-24	all set
25-32	6 hands round and back

Turned out to be a nice social dance, works well if you keep the set narrow.

Awkward for 1st lady in first 16 bars.

17-24 are harder than they look on paper.


The Silver Strathspey
32 Strathspey, RSCDS Book 44

1-4	1s set cast 1
5-8	2,1,3 set circle half way left
9-12	1s Xr cast to r while 3,2 set half RA
13-16	1s Xr cast to r while 2,3 set half RA
17-20	1W with 2s, 1M with 3s, half rs reel 3
21-24	1s Tb 1.5
25-32	3,1,2 Knot

A nice dance with lots of technical points in it and covering.


Alan J Smith
32 Jig, RSCDS Book 45

1-4	Set dance down one place
5-8	1M3M Tl while 1W3WTr
9-16	Double Triangles
17-24	CPC Xr
25-32	6 hands round and back

A nice dance with some unusual features.

Announcements

I will be stepping down as the demonstration class teacher at the end of this term. I will be moving to Manchester to take up a new job. Thanks for being a great class and making it enjoyable to teach you.

We will be having a class next week which will be my last class.

SUSCDF 2008

SUSCDF 2008

Men	Person	Women	Person
Am	Craig	Aw	Jenni P
Bm	Xavier	Bw	Annabel
Cm	Neil	Cw	Holly
Dm	James	Dw	Lucy
Em	Ruth	Ew	Sanne
Fm	Rachel	Fw	Henri
Gm	Jo	Gw	Linda
Hm	Remco	Hw	Jen

Inverneil House

Starting formation:
t

Aw Am Gm Gw

Bw Bm Hm Hw
Dw Dm Fm Fw
Cw Cm Em Ew

t

Dance once through with couples D and H starting from second place and slip to the bottom at the end.
t

Dw Dm Gm Gw
Aw Am Fm Fw
Bw Bm Em Ew
Cw Cm Hm Hw

t

Dance once through with couples C and G starting.

Dw Dm Fm Fw
Aw Am Gm Gw
Cw Cm Em Ew
Bw Bm Hm Hw

65-68 1,2 & 3,4 half double fig 8 - middles (2,3) cross out while ends (1,4) dance up or down the sidelines

69-72 2,3 dance out nearest end and cast off 1 place

Dm Dw Fw Fm
Am Aw Gw Gm
Cm Cw Ew Em
Bm Bw Hw Hm

73-76 2,3 half double fig 8 - 2s cross down while 3s dance up sidelines

77-80 2s dance down 2pl and cast 1 while 3s cast up 1, dance up 1, and cast off 1

Dm Dw Fw Fm
Cw Cm Em Ew
Aw Am Gm Gw
Bm Bw Hw Hm

81-88 2,3 petronella (2M, 3W face up or down sideline to start the petronella)

Dm Dw Fw Fm
Cm Am Ew Gw
Cw Aw Em Gm
Bm Bw Hw Hm

89-92 2,3 petronella as if in a square set across the line of the other set, while 1,4 chase with the lady leading through the petronelling couple to

Dw Dm Am Cm Gw Ew Fm Fw
Bw Bm Aw Cw Gm Em Hm Hw

93-96 1,4 petronella one place round in little squares to

Dm Bm Am Cm Gw Ew Fw Hw
Dw Bw Aw Cw Gm Em Fm Hm

Butterscotch and Honey

Dm Bm Am Cm (t) Gw Ew Fw Hw
Dw Bw Aw Cw (t) Gm Em Fm Hm

1-16 as normal

17-24 cast to

Cm Gw
Dm Hw
Bm Fw
Am Ew

Aw Em
Bw Fm
Dw Hm
Cw Gm

25-32 set, T Both 1/2, circles of 4 to the left

Gw Cm
Hw Dm
Fw Bm
Ew Am
t
Em Aw
Fm Bw
Hm Dw
Gm Cw

33-48 first 16 bars of B&H as normal

49-56 cast to

Hw Dm
Fw Bm
Em Gm Cw Aw
Ew Gw Cm Am
Fm Bw
Hm Dw
Couples E, G, C, and A set on bars 55 & 56
57-64 Turn both hands once round and 4 hands round to the left

Petronella

Hw Dm
Fw Bm
Em Gm t Cw Aw
Ew Gw Cm Am
Fm Bw
Hm Dw

1-32 dance once through star petronella
33-56 dance first 24 bars of second time through petronella normally
57-60 dance first half of pousette
61-64 spin to finish evenly spaced in a circle with the men with their backs to the middle partners facing
65-80 petronella in big circle
81-88 Spin for 8 bars
89-96 Lead out directly to the audience

Semester 1 Week 8

Step Practice

• Pas de basque
• Strathspey setting into travelling step

Worked on dances for SUSCDF dem and started working through the linkages.

Semester 1 Week 7

Step Practice

• Strathspey travelling
• Skip change of step
• Pas de basque, moving
  

Inverneil Hous
32 Reel RSCDS Book 35

• 1,2 half figure 8, 1s dance down 2 places and cast up 1
• 1,3 half figure 8, 1s dance up 1 place and cast 1 place
• 1s petronella movement
• 1s cast round to the right, dance across the set and cast to second place while 2,3 petronella movement
  

Butterscotch and Honey
4 couple 32 Strathspey

• 1s set, turn R into promenade hold. Half reel 3 with the 2s
  
• half reel 3 with the 3s, half reel of 3 with the 4s
  
• 1s lead cast, cross over, and dance up side lines
• 2,3 and 4,1 turn both and open out into circle to the left

Petronella
2 couple 32 Reel RSCDS Book 1

• 1s petronella for 16 bars (we did a variation where the 2s join in)
• 1s lead down the middle and back
• 1,2 poussette
  

Semester 1 Weeks 5 and 6

These classes were taught by Liz Green. She taught:

• La Fleur de Lyon (S)
• Chequered Court (J)
• Autumn in Appin (S)
• Blooms of Bon Accord (R)

Back to usual this week.

Semester 1 Week 4

Step Practice

• Strathspey travelling
• Strathspey setting

Lea Rig
32 Strathspey (2 couple) RSCDS Book 21

• Petronella
• Lead down and back
• Right hands across
• Half poussette

Rakish Highlandman
40 Jig (3 couple) RSCDS Book 19

• Reel of 3
• Lead down and back
• Allemande
• Corner partner
• Double Triangles

Semester 1 Week 3

Step Practice

• Skip change of step
• Pas de basque

Reel of Mey
48 Jig (3 couple) RSCDS Book 22

• Cross cast, 1,2 right hands across
• Cross left cast, 1,3 left hands across
• Dance up to the top, cast 1, dance down 1, cast up 1
• Reel of 4 with first corner
• Reel of 4 with second corner
• 213 circle

Flowers of Edinburgh
32 Reel (3 couple) RSCDS Book 1

• Chase and set
• Chase and set
• Down the middle and back
• Poussette

Semester 1 Week 2

This class was taught by Liz Green. Hope you enjoyed it.

I gather from Johann's comment that she may have covered Strathspey travelling, good stuff ;)

Semester 1 Pub Quiz: What makes a good demonstration?

List the 3 elements of a demonstration that you consider to be most important.

There will be a prize(s) for the best/most original/??? entries, within reason. Also, no essay answers (I've got read these ;)

Closing date: 31 October 2008
Prize giving: 11 November 2008
(sounds just like school)

Semester 1 Week 1

Step Practice

• Skip change
• Slip step
• Pas de basque
• Strathspey travelling
• Strathspey setting

The Sailor
32 Hornpipe (3 couple) RSCDS Book 24

• cross into double triangles position, set, fish hooks, set
• Reels of 3
• down for 2, up to top, cross and cast
• 2,1 Rights and lefts

Sandy O'er the Lea
32 Strathspey (2 couple) RSCDS MMM2

• right hands across, left hands across
• all set cross right, set cross left
• 1,2 lead down and back
• allemande

Mairi's Wedding
40 Reel (3 couple) Cosh

• turn right, cast 1, turn left
• 1st corner half reel of 4
• 2nd corner half reel of 4
• 1st corner half reel of 4
• 2nd corner half reel of 4
• reel 3 across
• 6 hands round and back

Demonstration class 2008/9

Another year of dancing is starting up, and I am contemplating what to teach in this year's demonstration class.

Well, as with the last time I was teaching, I will be keeping details of the dances that we cover in this blog. I hope that members of the class find this useful.

Please do comment on classes to let me know what you liked or what you disliked. Additionally, if there is anything that you would like me to cover/clear up, then either speak to me or leave me a comment (or even better do both).

See you at classes

Alasdair

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.