March 9, 2006, 6:36 p.m. (Message 44613)
I am looking for the instructions/sources for two dances. One is The Islay Strathspey; the other is Islay, a strathspey for 5 couples. I have crib notes for the latter which are not completely clear to me. Can anyone help with either or both dances? Thanks Merrill Heubach Lunenburg, Nova Scotia
March 10, 2006, 5:11 a.m. (Message 44616, in reply to message 44613)
You seem to have stepped on a real mystery here! The 5C version ("Islay") is cribbed in "Minicribs" but no source given; it is also listed in the Sutton Coldfield Index with the sources remaining a mystery. The "Islay Strathspey" is listen in the Sutton Coldfield Index as from RSCDS (MacNab), and in Napiers Index as collected by Jean Milligan; but it does not appear in the Miss Milligan Miscellanies nor in the Mary MacNab books (nor in the original MacNab Leaflet sets.) Please share any information with the rest of us! Angus
March 10, 2006, 9:09 a.m. (Message 44617, in reply to message 44616)
Angus, The information about "Islay" was supplied to me by another lady who died a few years ago and I do not have anything more than what is listed in the Index. The entry for "Islay Strathspey" in the Sutton Coldfield Index was originally entered into the index by the late Barry Priddey and has been carried on in subsequent issues. I know who holds all Barry's old SCD books and leaflets after his death, but unfortunately that person is on holiday until end of March. I will pursue for you when they return. Kind regards George Meikle compiler of the Sutton Coldfield Country Dance Index
March 10, 2006, 10:25 a.m. (Message 44618, in reply to message 44613)
I have been trying to find the deviser of 'Islay' for sometime without success. @The Islay Strathspey" is listed in my Index as being 'Collected by Miss Milligan' but this does not seem to have been published by anyone. Wesley
March 10, 2006, 11:25 a.m. (Message 44619, in reply to message 44618)
I have found in the past that sometimes this kind of situation arises when someone pinches and alters an existing dance for some local occasion and little is heard of it again. A few years ago I was asked to call a "Fair Isle Jig" at a dance, couldn't find it anywhere and by anywhere I mean contacting musicians in Fair Isle etc. to no avail. Ten minutes before the dance started I was handed a crib by the dance organiser someone had just taken the Virginia Reel, decided to play it to a jig and call it the Fair Isle Jig. In message <002b01c64424$87f4da00$xxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Wesley Harry <xxxxxxxx@xxxxxxx.xx.xx> writes >I have been trying to find the deviser of 'Islay' for sometime without >success. >@The Islay Strathspey" is listed in my Index as being 'Collected by >Miss Milligan' but this does not seem to have been published by anyone. >Wesley -- Bryan McAlister
March 10, 2006, 8:05 p.m. (Message 44622, in reply to message 44618)
Bryan McAlister remarked: | I have found in the past that sometimes this kind of situation arises | when someone pinches and alters an existing dance for some local | occasion and little is heard of it again. | A few years ago I was asked to call a "Fair Isle Jig" at a dance, | couldn't find it anywhere and by anywhere I mean contacting musicians in | Fair Isle etc. to no avail. Ten minutes before the dance started I was | handed a crib by the dance organiser someone had just taken the Virginia | Reel, decided to play it to a jig and call it the Fair Isle Jig. It's somewhat conventional to point out that the American "Virginia Reel" is essentially the same dance as the one published by Playford under the title "Sir Roger de Coverly", whose tune was a slipjig. Forms of the dance go way back all over northern Europe. The dance doesn't really have a strict relation to the tune, and that's part of why it's commonly used with novice crowds. So people can and do use pretty much any tunes that they like (that can be played at a walking tempo). I wonder if the actual origin of the dance is known. More likely it's one of those dances that lots of people have (re)named and claimed. -- _, O John Chambers <:#/> <xx@xxxxxxxx.xxx.xxx> + <xxxxxx@xxxxx.xxx> /#\ in Waltham, Massachusetts, USA, Earth | |
March 11, 2006, 5:50 p.m. (Message 44631, in reply to message 44613)
Hello All, I have checked the source of my crib for this dance & discovered that Jean Shaw (from Wales) devised the dance, her reply to my query is:- "Hello Charles It is one of my own, so just a leaflet. I Went to Islay Dance Weekend some time ago when it was their 10th Anniversary, and I "penned" it after I got back. Regards Jean" I can email a zipped copy of the original leaflet to anyone interested but if you want to contact Jean direct her email address is xxxxxxxxxxx@xxxx.xxx Charles Upton Minicrib
March 12, 2006, 8:08 a.m. (Message 44642, in reply to message 44631)
Hello Charles, Yes, please. Thanks, Eric
March 12, 2006, 4:39 p.m. (Message 44648, in reply to message 44613)
Oh Dear! If you requested a copy of this dance & have not had a reply (before this email) please email me again as I've had several requests for copies but unfortunately deleted one request before replying. Apologies for having to "Spam" the Strathspey Server. Charles Upton Minicrib