strathspey@strathspey.org:40310

Fiona Grant

Reel of the 51st

Jan. 15, 2005, 4:06 p.m. (Message 40310, in reply to message 40295)

Malcolm writes:
"As John has already said, when the BBC showed the dance being performed by
people in
battle dress and boots they did a sort of scuffling step. But they also
performed the
dance the way it is still danced by the Reelers (and I suspect by the army).
In their
version the turns, including the one after the balance in line, are done as
burls,
going clockwise - despite the apparent lack of speed because they are not
using skip
change, there is a lot of speed generated in the turns. - The advantage of
performing
it this way is that on the last turn (birl) the dancing couple are moving
the right
way into the circle."

A couple of summers ago I attended a "Old Scots Reels and Quadrilles" class
in South Uist in the Hebrides, tutored by Frank McConnell (a splendid step
dancer and teacher). He taught the Reel of the 51st as he was told it was
originally devised for 5 couple sets (10 times through at the very least).
He had the instructions for the dance from talking directly to Hector Munro,
the son one of the original dancers in the 51st. Hector is the Chief of the
Clan Munro and occupies the house at Foulis in Easter Ross. Hector's father
Patrick Munro (previous Chief) was one of the prisoners held in the camp at
St. Valery when the dance was composed.

The version taught by Frank was in the style of the Reelers as Malcolm
describes (hard shoes/boots and rhythmic stepping). One key feature
distinguishing it from the ballroom version published by the RSCDS is the
absence of any balance in line. After setting to corner (setting can be
stamp and kick (x2) or stamp,stamp,stamp x2), turn corner right arm, birl
partner right, set and turn other corner right arm, birl partner right into
the circle. The birls are done with crossed hand hold: slap right hand to
partner's right hand, slap left hand to partner's left hand on top and pull
round to right to spin as fast as possible (the grip is holding onto the
hand base below your partners thumb joint). Also, the corners start moving
into the circle before the beginning of the phrase so that the dancing
couple join an already moving circle, and little impetus is lost for the
dancing couple. The circle goes round very fast, a slip step with a strong
pull. It is possibly the most physically demanding country dance I have ever
danced, and a good deal of upper body strength required for satisfactory
performance!

Well, this is the men's version, and I guess it was modified for ladies to
join in at home, and then for the RSCDS ballroom style.

Definitely worth trying though.
Fiona

Bristol
UK