C W
Why do we have eight inroductory bars?
March 5, 2006, 4:37 p.m. (Message 44485)
Hi all
After reading Doug Schneider's post, I was wondering why we have the
musicians play the first eight bars to begin with. I often thought of these
eight bars as a call to the dance floor, kind of like church bells call you
to service. Also I thought of the music as a little taste for what's to
come. If I hear a tune I like, I can look forward to hearing the whole piece
until I am actually dancing the dance. Kind of like a stolen finger of icing
before having a piece of the cake! :) Neither one of these two ways of
looking at it make sense though in Doug Schneiders prefered location. So I
wonder: What is the original purpose of asking the musicians to play eight
bars of the upcoming dance music?
>Doug Schneider wrote:
My preference, when emceeing, is:
1. Dancers form sets
2. Emcee briefs dance
3. Band plays 8 bars
4. Emcee recaps dance
5. Everyone dances
I have the band play 8 bars after the sets are formed because I want the
dancers to get in the right mood for the dance, and because I want the
dancers
to focus on the music and appreciate the band.
DOUG SCHNEIDER
Highland Mist Scottish Country Dancers
St. Louis, Missouri/Illinois<