strathspey@strathspey.org:44030

Ron Mackey

Re: Scottish dancing - improvise and freestyle

Feb. 2, 2006, 12:06 a.m. (Message 44030, in reply to message 43971)

> Hi there,
> 
> in reply to Fiona and Anselm,
> 
> I think we are revolving around the age old problem of prim and proper 
> dancing (see countless posts from the past few weeks) Vs. spontaneity. 
> It is indeed true that we are in debt with the society for standardizing 
> SCD (whether or not it is a fabrication it matters not since it has 
> stuck anyway), however one of the reasons for having rules, and a good 
> one at that, is that you can break them.
> For example the eightsome reel epitomises free style dancing. I am not 
> historian, but I will never believe that at any stage since it was 
> devised, the Eightsome has ever been danced RSCDS style. If anything it 


	All this discussion about the virtues of improvisation put me in 
mind of Webb-Ellis playing football!!  He picked up the ball and ran with 
it!!   	All very well but football Webb-Ellis started out playing is now 
called 'Soccer'  (Association Football) whereas what he started is the 
now known as the game called Rugby Football.  They are no longer the 
same thing.
	And then, of course, in America they changed it again and 
'improved' it!  But then they would, wouldn't they?? :)) 
     The main reason for the institution of the RSCDS was because 
people got fed up with too much 'improvisation'!
	 So- just make sure you have a clear idea what you are trying 
to do or you might find SCD devided into 'Boring'Dancing, 'Fun' 
Dancing. (or Non-Boring?) or just 'Chaos' Dancing.