strathspey@strathspey.org:44927

simon scott

RE: Angus Macleod- to promenade or not to promenade????????

March 30, 2006, 8:50 p.m. (Message 44927, in reply to message 44925)

Hi Marie

I'm very sure I'm right in saying that the "together" in this part of
Angus MacLeod means "nearer hands joined" rather than promenade.  When
the two couples have done the arches and under they retain nearer hands
as they dance round the corner and then to top or bottom of the set.
That is how I've always know it since it came out in 1969.  I have never
seen or heard of the lead and follow that you mention (even though we
are dancing in the same area).

Simon
Vancouver


Hi Everyone
Maybe those who danced Angus Macleod when it first came on the dance
scene will answer this question.

My dance instructions for Angus Macleod are from the GIendarroch Sheets.
I do not have the dance book "Dances Of  An Island Clan"  that Alan
Paterson's Dance Data suggests.

The Glendarroch Sheets instructions for this dance come with a sheet of
diagrams for Angus Macleod.

On Bars 59 to 62 it shows in diagram the dancing cpls in Promenade hold
( side by side)

In the written instructions it says for these bars:

 57-64    With 3rd cpl making an arch and 2nd dancing under it. 
           2nd dance down and, together, cast up round 4th woman and
dance up the middle to the top of the set, 
          
          while 3rd dance up and, together, cast off round 1st man and
dance down the middle to the bottom of the set.
         
          After casting, 2nd man and 3rd woman pass left shoulder ( this
is where the promenade hold seems to be correct)
        
         On 63-64 1st cpl move down and 4th cpl move up.

Locally it is danced with one dancer leading and the other following
after they have danced under the arch. I taught this dance with the
promenade hold as that is what I took from the instructions. Personally
I did like the promenade hold, but "When in Rome do as the Romans do" is
not a problem for me.

That said, where did the promenade hold in the diagram come in, and what
does "together " stand for in the written instructions? Yes, I want to
get it right and who else better than to ask this question to ,than my
favourite group "Strathspey Server". Cheers Marie