strathspey@strathspey.org:44846

Chris1Ronald

Re: Dashing White Sergeant (was Two Chords)

March 22, 2006, 9:47 p.m. (Message 44846, in reply to message 44832)

Jim Healy wrote:
"The old timers on this list will be unsurprised at my approximately  
biennial 
answer to this question. The DWS always did, and IMO should always  still, 
start with a four bar intro. That allows plenty of time for the  centre 
person to acknowledge both partners and both lines of three to make  eye 
contact."

 
I'm glad you wrote it again, Jim, as I don't remember reading it  before.  In 
fact, I don't remember hearing it on a recording,  either.  Your remarks had 
me scurrying for my recordings of DWS.   Curiously, as you certainly know, the 
two RSCDS recordings (Music for Collins  Pocket Reference volume 2, and A 
Scottish Celebration) that I own both have  just a single chord.  
 
A four-bar, or two-chord, intro clearly makes sense in this type of  dance, 
but I wonder how newer teachers or MCs or musicians could discover  that this 
is an accepted - or even preferred - intro, other than by reading your  
biennial contribution on the subject on the Strathspey list!  I don't  suppose 
there's anything about it in the new manual (in the Bow and Curtsey  section) is 
there?  (I don't have my copy of the manual  handy.)
 
Chris, New York.