Oct. 8, 2001, 9:26 p.m. (Message 27802)
I belong to a SCD group in Thunder Bay, we would like to add Australian Ladies to our repertoire, and I am trying to obtain a copy of the written instructions for this dance. Dr. James Smith (in Vancouver) kindly sent me the version devised by Robert M Campbell, and mentioned that there is another version by Alex Hay. I tried to find a copy of this on the Strathspey site but could only find very general and brief details, not instructions for dance itself. Would it be possible for you to email me a copy of the instructions for the Alex Hay version, or tell me where I might find them on the internet (or a book title if published in book form). Also, is one version more popular (or more widely performed) than the other? With thanks, Dennis Roddy
Oct. 9, 2001, 6:20 a.m. (Message 27805, in reply to message 27802)
The Alec Hay version is contained in "Twenty SCD" by Alec Hay. The Bob Campbell version is in "Glasgow Assembly and other Scottish Country Dances". The Bob Campbell versions seems to be the more popular in the U.S., at least in my experience. Glasgow Assembly is available from TACBooks (Teacher's Association of Canada). Twenty SCD may also be available from TACBooks. Jay Andrews Alexandria, VA
Oct. 9, 2001, 6:29 a.m. (Message 27806, in reply to message 27802)
The most commonly danced 'Australian Ladies' here in Sydney is Bob Campbell's dance published in Glasgow Assembly. Alec Hay's 'Australian Ladies' is published in Book One of "A Selection of 20 Scottish Country Dances Devised by Alec Hay". This is (or was) published by the Howick Scottish Country Dance Club in NZ and copies can probably be obtained from the secretary who was (some years ago!) Mrs R Muldoon, 67A Cockle Bay Road, Howick, Auckland. New Zealand. This dance is usually referred to as "Hay's Australian Ladies" and it is a 4 x 32 bar reel for 4 couples. I have never danced Hay's A. L. and, as far as I know, it has not been danced in Sydney - however, I just might get it out and have a go at it next week! Bars 19-20 could be interesting to achieve! Jan Wilson Alexandria, Sydney Australia
Oct. 9, 2001, 2:08 p.m. (Message 27811, in reply to message 27802)
A comment (and question) on Australian Ladies . The following is partly from memory. In addition to the two completely different versions of Australian Ladies -- one a 4-couple dance (Hay) and one a 3-couple dance (Campbell) -- I recall another set of instructions for the better known (at least around Toronto) Bob Campbell version. The first version I saw -- in typescript on a single page -- had different instructions for the corners in bars 17 - 32. While the dancing couple were doing their "cross and cast to the right" four times, the corners followed the same track as they do in the final version, but with changes of hands. That is, the corners' figure was "rights and lefts", with two bars of setting between each travelling movement. By the time the dance reached formal publication, the handing was changed to right hands for all the changes by the corners. Does anyone else recall this change? Or have I got the Hay version (which I have not got) confused with the Campbell version? Ian McHaffie xxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxx.xx
Oct. 9, 2001, 8:33 p.m. (Message 27829, in reply to message 27811)
My memory accords with yours, Ian. I first learned Bob Campbell's Australian Ladies in Hobart, Tasmania, in 1984. At that time I was given a photocopy of a closely typed page of instructions, on which the original "change places giving the left hand" for bars 23-24 and 31-32 had been crossed out and replaced by "change places giving the right hand." That would, of course, have been some years after the publication of the dance in its present form in Glasgow Assembly, but does indicate the way the dance evolved. Incidentally, my copy of Glasgow Assembly gives an unusual printing history: it was first published "in part" in 1970 (with or without Australian Ladies?), and the "first full printing" took place in 1976. The TAC-sponsored reprint was in 1982. Regards Rosemary Coupe Vancouver
Oct. 10, 2001, 2:01 p.m. (Message 27838, in reply to message 27829)
Rosemary: I looked at the printing history on my edition of Glasgow Assembly: -- 5th printing, 1990 -- and, who knows, there may have been others since! This must make it one of the most popular books other than the RSCDS publications, some of the eariest of which must have been through multiple printings and editions by now. In looking through the Glasgow Assembly book again, I made two interesting discoveries. Firstly, there is a note about Australian Ladies, which I hadn't noticed before, -- thanking Iain Boyd for the changes in bars 23 & 24 and bars 31 & 32 -- and also for a change in bar 8. I wonder what change that was?? Perhaps the previous version had the dancers finish the four hands across on the sidelines and then dance in for the lead up. The dance was devised in 1967 for four Australian Ladies. Is any one of them a Strathspey subscriber? Perhaps one of them recalls the occasion and the changes. My second observation was how clearly all the dances are described. Bob's descriptions seem to set a standard for how to describe a dance for someone who hasn't seen it danced. I have sometimes tried to work my way through an unfamiliar dance from the written instructions, only to find out that I didn't really know at the end what the devisor had in mind. Bob's clarity often needs more words than there is room for on a "crib". --- Which relates to a previous thread. Should a crib teach the dance precisely from scratch to someone who has never heard of it? Or should it serve to remind a reasonably experienced dancer of the main figures? Ian McHaffie xxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxx.xx
Oct. 12, 2001, 1:13 a.m. (Message 27854, in reply to message 27838)
G'Day, All, The 'Australian Ladies' are still around, but I don't think they subscribe to the list. However, Iain Boyd has had some things to say on the list from time-to-time, perhaps he could enlighten us. Iain, are you out there? If Iain doesn't reply, perhaps either Keith Napier could ask Elma See. Happy Dancing (particularly os Australian Ladies - either version!) Brian Charlton, Sydney, Australia
Oct. 12, 2001, 9:05 a.m. (Message 27857, in reply to message 27802)
At 09:13 12/10/01 +1000, you wrote: >G'Day, All, > >The 'Australian Ladies' are still around, but I don't think they subscribe >to the list. > G'Day Brian Why don't you just buy the book?;-)) Murray Wilson Auckland NZ