Melbourne Clog Hornpipe

Chris J Brady

Nov. 15, 2013, 4:59 p.m. (Message 64992)

Hello - as an ex-pat New Zealander I'm researching clog dancing / step dancing in NZ. 

I searched the web and found informative pages at:
 
<http://www.nzahnd.org.nz/pages/3-6/The-Continuing-Story>
 
"Dances were also provided by Technical Committee members viz
Melbourne Clog (late Mrs Orma Smith), Lancashire Clog (late Mrs
Adeline Hobbs), ..."
 
and at:
 
<http://www.scottishdance.net/highland/NewZealandHistory.html>
 
As an aside many readers here may not know that in New Zealand they
had (still have?) a slightly different approach to Scottish country
dancing and Highland dancing than in the UK or indeed the rest of the
world. I believe that this has resulted in the retention there of a
number of traditional Scottish dances that are not now performed in
the Northern Hemisphere.

As mentioned above and below one proponent of Scottish dancing in the
'old'-style was Orma Smith. It was a sad loss when she passed away.

See: <http://lritch7.tripod.com/Orma_Smith.html>

However dance politics aside my interest is in the following dances:

** Melbourne Clog Hornpipe

One of the dances that Orma Smith submitted to the NZ Technical
Committee and which was included in their competition syllabus /
syllabi was the "Melbourne Clog Hornpipe."

I have communicated with the Scottish dance folks in NZ specifically
about this dance, but on every occasion I have been ignored. I guess
that this is due to the sensitivity of New Zealander dancers doing
their own thing (UDI?) and apparently being banned from competing in
the rest of the world.

However as a bona-fide researcher into Scottish and English
traditional dance and also as a clog dancer of many years I am really
interested in this dance. I have been sent the instructions which are
uploaded to Mediafire for free downloading by all at:

<http://www.mediafire.com/folder/h38qc5mo2tcnj/Melbourne_Clog_Hornpipe>.

Unsurprisingly this is also known in Australia . It also has its own tune called the same.

http://www.colonialdance.com.au/clog-dancing-1285.html

What I really need now is film clips of the NZ and/or Australia
versions so that I can see how and if they relate to English or
Scottish clog dancing (using wooden-soled shoes) per se.

Does anyone know if such a film clip(s) exist(s)? I have searched
YouTube and found nothing.

I would also be interested to know if this dance is known outside of
New Zealand or Australia albeit in non-competitive form.

** Clog Waltz # Lancashire Clog

I am also keen to learn more about the Clog Waltz and Lancashire Clog
dances - Scottish-style. I have already researched and learnt these
from the English traditions.

===

Thanks -

Chris B.
(Auckland, NZ # London UK)

P.S. Also found these references - so these dances are in a living tradition.

<http://clan.gmdesign.org.uk/html/nz1.htm>

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