strathspey@strathspey.org:44094

Martin

Re: The Guid Man of Ballangigh

Feb. 3, 2006, 1:42 p.m. (Message 44094, in reply to message 44089)

I remember first learning this as an English c d (a Playford dance, I 
believe).
When I announced (called, briefed) it at an SCD event, some alert souls told 
me I had it all wrong.
Checked my sources.
No, my memory had not  let me down.
But when the Society adopted the dance, it was changed without anyone 
telling me
;-)
Not to match Scottish style, or anything excusable, just changed.

(details for those interested:
ECD : 1-4: 1st man leads his pt down, cast back
5-8: 1st man leads 2nd man across, cast back.
9-12: 2nd man leads his pt up, cast back.
13-16:  2nd lady leads 1st lady across, cast back.
Each dancer (except 1st lady) dances an 8-bar sequence, picking up the 
person in his right after casting to original place.

SCD : 9-12: (2nd man stands still while) 1st & 2nd ladies dance across, cast 
back.
25-28: 4 hands round halfway in 4 bars is hardly typical to SCD, whereas it 
can be walked wide in ECD.)

And I still prefer the flow of the ECD version.

Martin,
in Grenoble, France