Boring dances or boring music (The Hard Drive)

Chris1Ronald

Jan. 27, 2006, 9:07 p.m. (Message 43882)

Sylvia  wrote: "While Bob doesn't want to name names I will name one: Lady  
Harriet  Hope."
For me, another dance in the category of "odd dance - great tune" is The  
Fairy Dance (Book 3).  The Fairy Dance (as a tune) is among my  favourite driving 
reels (up there with De'il Amang the Tailors, etc.) but  the dance is so 
awkward (the first eight bars, anyway) that one hardly ever  sees it on a 
programme. 
 
Now for the shameless plug.  Feeling that such a great tune should not  be 
'wasted', a little while ago I devised a dance to go with it.  It's  called 'The 
Hard Drive'.   As you may guess, I submitted it for the  Strathspey 10th 
Anniversary competition.  But as it didn't make the cut  (another of my dances 
did, so I'm not complaining) I can publish it now:
 
 
The Hard Drive.      A 32 bar reel for three couples. 
 
Music: The Fairy Dance  (traditional)
 
 
Bars
1  - 4                 1st and 2nd men turn one and a half times with  right 
hand, while 1st and 2nd women turn one and a half  times with left hand, to 
change places on the sides.  
5  - 8                 1st and 3rd men turn one and a half times with left  
hand, while 1st and 3rd women turn one and a half times  with right hand.  3rd  
couple finish in 2nd place facing out, 1st couple in  3rd place facing in. 
9  - 16               1st couple with nearer hands joined dance up to the 
top, cast  off one place on own side, meet in the centre and turn with right hand 
twice  round to finish facing partner’s  1st corner.   
3rd  couple dance out and down to 3rd place on bars 9 and 10.   
17  - 24             Diagonal reel of four with 1st corners, passing left 
shoulders  at end of bar 24 to face own  2nd corner 
25  - 32             Diagonal reel of four with 2nd corners, finishing in  
2nd place on own side facing in, ready to begin  again. 
Repeat  from new places.  
Devised by Chris Ronald,  March 2003. 
Notes:   
1.   On bars 13 to 16,  1st couple may take both hands (or  other suitable 
grip) and spin. 
2.      At  the end of the 2nd, 4th and 6th repetitions,  the woman in 2nd 
woman’s place remains facing out, ready to turn left  hand with the woman at the 
top. 
3.    Dancers are welcome to add twiddles in the reels of  four. 
4.      Teaching hint:  To  begin the diagonal reels, 1st woman faces down 
each time, and 1st man faces up  each time.

SMiskoe

Jan. 28, 2006, 1:09 a.m. (Message 43891, in reply to message 43882)

In a message dated 1/27/2006 3:10:46 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,  
xxxxxxxxxxxx@xxx.xxx writes:

The  Fairy Dance (as a tune) is among my  favourite driving 
reels (up  there with De'il Amang the Tailors, etc.) but  the dance is so  
awkward (the first eight bars, anyway) that one hardly ever  sees it  on a 
programme. 



My solution to this is not to write a dance but to incorporate the tune as  
an alternate into some other dance set.  That way it gets lots of  exposure.  
But as a musician I have the liberty to do this.
Sylvia Miskoe, Concord, NH USA

Chris1Ronald

Jan. 28, 2006, 1:17 a.m. (Message 43892, in reply to message 43882)

Sylvia wrote: "My solution to this is not to write a dance but to  
incorporate the tune as  
an alternate into some other dance  set."
 
Fair point, Sylvia.  I know musicians do already make good use of  the Fairy 
Dance tune.  
But please try the dance anyway!  
 
Chris.

SMiskoe

Jan. 28, 2006, 1:29 a.m. (Message 43893, in reply to message 43882)

In a message dated 1/27/2006 7:19:12 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,  
xxxxxxxxxxxx@xxx.xxx writes:

But  please try the dance anyway!  




Of course.
Sylvia Miskoe, Concord, NH USA