Eccles' Rant

Chris1Ronald

Jan. 31, 2006, 11:57 p.m. (Message 44009)

I've been reading the instructions for Eccles' Rant in the 18th Century  
Book, and am planning to teach it soon.  I wonder if there's anyone out  there who 
knows the dance and could answer a few questions.
 
1. Would you face out on bar 8 (ready to cast), or would  you complete the 
Petronella turn, and then begin to cast on bar 9? 
2. The instructions specify that second couple move up on bars 11 to  12.  
But, if the aim is to be helpful to first couple, they should rather  step up on 
bars 9 to 10 while first couple are casting to second place.   Any comments 
on that?
3. As first couple, would you retain nearer hands on bar 16, ready for  the 
circle with the second couple.  (It would seem a bit unnatural  to break hands 
only to rejoin a moment later.)
4. Can anyone comment on the origin of the name, which is also the name of  
the lead tune, besides the fact that Eccles is a town near Manchester, best  
known for its Eccles cakes.
 
Thanks,
 
Chris, New York.

mlamontbrown

Feb. 6, 2006, 3:39 p.m. (Message 44162, in reply to message 44009)

I finally bothered to look up my instructions for this dance (it looks as if it is
many years since I bothered to teach it), and of course the original instructions.

1) I think the way the instructions are written, I would dance the first sixteen bars
as a petronella movement, without the setting, so the last 2 bars are move to
original place and turn to face in.

2) The normal rule for moving is to do it so that the dancing couple have space - but
there is / was another rule that you did so at a time that did not take the attention
away from the dancing couple (so it was 3&4 of the phrase, rather than 1&2 or 7&8, if
first couple were dancing down the middle and up to 2nd place).

3) As for point 3, the diagram in the book shows the position at the end of bar 16,
with first couple in the middle, nearer hands joined, facing the 3s.

Malcolm

Malcolm L Brown
York 

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