> Ian wrote;
>
>
> > To dance (and play) a Strathspey properly, requires MORE energy, not less,
> > due to the muscular control and split-millisecond timing required to do it
> > right. It is a festival of latent controlled power
>
> This brings up one of the things which seem to have changed in the
> last 15 years, (which shows my age I suppose), which is how the
> close in strathspey differs from that in skip change - I seem
> to remember that in skip change you just kept as high on your toes
> as you could, whereas in strathspey you tried to keep the heel lower,
> which means that instead of contracting your calf as much as you
> can, you have to "half contract" it and still keep your balance -
> (which as Ian says requires both strength and control). The current
> practice leads what to my eyes looks like a very strange step with
> a high close, followed by a total collapse - two dips instead of one!
>
> The reason I am writing is to find out whether anyone else has a
> similar memory.
Hi, Malcolm
Oh,yes! I thought you weren't in the room that night ! The Heel.
It must have been rising all these years. I can still hear a V.I.L.
saying that one should just be able to roll a pencil under the heel
when balancing in the upright position. What's more, in Frances
Stamp's teachers class (R.I.P) we tried it. It's surprising how low
that is! I have always endeavoured to do just that.
At a recent W/E school I was told I was too low! 'Nuff said.
Cheers, Ron :)
< 0 Ron Mackey,
'O> Mottingham,
/#\ London. UK.
l>
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