strathspey@strathspey.org:27860

KeithNap

Re: Australian Ladies

Oct. 12, 2001, 2:03 p.m. (Message 27860, in reply to message 27804)

> From: Ian Thomson <xxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxx.xxx.xx>
> Subject: Australian Ladies 1
> 
> I have it on the very best authority that this dance was devised in May 
> 1967 in New Zealand by Bob Campbell of Canada for Jean Conway, Elma See, 
> Lorraine Dyall,
> and Margaret Gray of the Newcastle (Aust.) Colleges Strathspey and Reel 
> Club.
> Elma See was one of the distinguished teachers at the 26th Australian 
> Winter School held here in Brisbane recently. (This is the version where 
> the corners set and cross while the dancing couple keep crossing between 
> them to the right.)
> 
> 
> 

Hi,
       Of the four Australian ladies mentioned above, only on Elma See is 
still actively involved with Scottish Country Dancing.   The dance was 
written by Bob Campbell who was inspired by a photograph of a winning 
competition team at the Highland Games on New years day in Sydney in the 
early 60s.   He wrote the dance to a pipe tune,  Australian Ladies.   
Unfortunately, the Australian men in the team seem to have been forgotten.  
One of them, Heinz Duewell, was also at the Queensland winter school, still 
dancing at 80.  Elma See's husband, Hugh was another, although no longer 
dancing.

Bob Campbell never came to either New Zealand or Australia, so the dance was 
not written in New Zealand.

I remember first learning this dance, with the second and third couples 
dancing rights and lefts with setting in bars 17 to 32, whereas in the 
Glasgow Assembly book when published the second and third couples cross with 
the right hands each time.  In my archives I have a typewritten copy of the 
dance, source unidentified, in which the second and third couples dance 
rights and lefts.

(Hays) Australian Ladies was written on 29th June 1966, but the dance was not 
published until 1994, after Alec Hays death, thus it is not as well known. 
Bob Campbells was written in May 1967, and was published in 1976.   The two 
dances are completely different.   Hays instructions recommend the Music "Gay 
Gordons" by Stan Hamilton and "The Flying Scotsman" in R.C.A. victor R.P.L. 
3404.   The dance is named for the tune Australian Ladies used in the 
recording.

Keith Napier
Sydney Australia