strathspey@strathspey.org:28006

Fyreladdie

Re: Lead up - which hand?

Nov. 1, 2001, 4:34 p.m. (Message 28006, in reply to message 28002)

In a message dated 11/1/01 4:24:19 AM, x.xxxxxxxx@xxxxxxx.xx writes:

<< 
Why do we have a strong tradition of RHJ when LHJ is more elegant and 
gives better contact with your partner?  Should not tradition aim to 
promote the best choreography?  Can anyone tell us how the tradition 
arose, and why it should be applicable in this case?
 >>

Eric,
    In Dalkieth's the lead is with the right hand both down and back. I do 
agree it would be more pleasing to see a left hand lead but those are not the 
instructions.  There are a good many dances that require different hand leads 
that are seemingly awkward and less graceful. It is, for whatever reason, 
what the devisor wanted. But the grace of a dance is in the teaching. I pose 
it to my class as a challenge. 
    I would imagine that the problem with altering any dance is that of 
consistency throughout the branches in the world. Uniformity was the purpose 
of the RSCDS. There is nothing more ungraceful than the fumbling of hands in 
the middle of a lead. As a dance devisor I also have reasons for certain hand 
usage which may not be apparent to some dancers. But I have been know to 
change things in a dance for sake of demonstrations. 
    I know several dances I'd love to alter the hand leads but that is 
unfortunately, not left up to me. I sympathize.

Bob Mc Murtry
Felton, Calif