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.
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 > -----Original Message----- > From: strathspey-bounces-mlamontbrown=xxxxxxxxxxx.xxx@xxxxxxxxxx.xxx > [mailto:strathspey-bounces-mlamontbrown=xxxxxxxxxxx.xxx@xxxxxxxxxx.xxx] On Behalf Of