SMiskoe
Ceilidh Dancing
Oct. 20, 2001, 6:43 p.m. (Message 27943)
A few months ago we had some discussion about attracting new dancers and
keeping dancers. I would like to recount my recent experience and hope it
sheds some light on the difficulty of attracting/keeping dancers.
I have just finished teaching a 5 week community education course of
"Scottish Ceilidh Dancing". About a dozen folks signed up and I usually had
8 or 10 at each session. Two dancers had had SCD experience, one had done
International. I alternated the menu between easy set dances and couple
dances; ieFlying Scotsman, Gay Gordans, Cumberland Reel, Eva 3-step, Strip
the Willow, St Barnard's Waltz, Foula Reel, Canadian Barn Dance, Dashing
White Sergeant. Each week I reviewed at least a third of the previously
taught dances.
The dancers were enthusiastic, by the end of the 5th week they were listening
to the tunes, dancing to the music, and most had mastered a 2-step. At least
half wore sneakers although I mentioned several times that smooth soled shoes
might be easier for dancing. The 2 that had had SCD experience said they had
been put off by the drill and found the many figures confusing. One said, "I
should have brought my husband here, he would enjoy This." They all want to
sign up for another session in the spring (I will have to enlarge my
repertoire.) I don't think any of them would enjoy the technical aspect of
SCD, they just were not good enough with their feet. Fortunately I had a
wonderful musician who could play at any tempo and sometimes added 3 measures
at the end of the round to allow folk to catch up.
I think that what I am saying is that SCD is very technically demanding and
not a lot of people will make the transition from the easy ceilidh dances to
the SCD. Also, the number of SCDances has grown enormously so one cannot
expect to get a lot of repetition in classes.
Just an interesting comparision of dancing.
Cheers,
Sylvia Miskoe, Concord, NH USA