strathspey@strathspey.org:40334

Anselm Lingnau

Reel of the 51st

Jan. 17, 2005, 7:59 p.m. (Message 40334, in reply to message 40333)

Martin wrote:

> These dances were obviousl y notdesigned to be danced a la Black Mountain
> reel (1st & 3rd cps dancing simultaneously), nor is 1st cp expected to
> dance 3 times through, as far as I know.

Many three-couple dances can be straightforwardly adapted to 5-couple sets of 
the Foss ?1s and 3s start? variety. This includes the Reel of the 51st, which 
we have done in this fashion to great effect at demonstrations, or when only 
5 couples have turned up for the night.

> So why?
> Is it an echo of the old "longwise for as many as will" sets?
> Or were there just 10 abled-bodied prisoners available at the outset?

No idea. As 5-couple dances of the ?1s and 3s? variety, which in themselves 
are in a way a continuation of the ?longwise for as many as will? idea, 
hadn't been invented yet, my guess would be that, having nothing better to do 
with their time, the POWs tried to get as many people to join the dance as 
would turn up for the practice sessions, i.e., your suggestion #2.

Anselm
-- 
Anselm Lingnau, Frankfurt, Germany ..................... xxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxx.xxx
Microsoft bought MS-DOS from a Seattle company, and it was called QDOS then
(Quick and Dirty Operating System). Some say it is not quick anymore, but the
rest stays the same.                                  -- Wilson Roberto Afonso