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Reel of the 51st
John K. Andrews
Jan. 14, 2005, 8:08 a.m. (Message 40295)
I've been recruited to participate in a demo which includes the Reel of the 51st. The organizer has expressed a desire to have us perform the original version as devised by Lt. Atkinson in 1941. I've been asked to try and obtain a copy of it. All I know about the original is that unlike the current version in Book 13 it was danced in a five couple set. Can anyone provide me a copy or point me in the right direction? Also, does anyone know what footwork was originally used? Jay Andrews Alexandria, VA USA xxxxxxx@xxxxx.xxx
Can´t help with the notes. Regarding the style, you might want to check out Ian Jamieson´s film of dancing in the Borders. There is a copy in the School of Scottish Studies at Edinburgh university, and another at Berea College (Ky). I have one, and gave a copy to the RSCDS archives in the early 80´s. Jamieson, is probably the only RSCDS afiliated person who did actual field research in country dancing. Many of his dances are in the Border Book produced by Allie Anderson, of Edinburgh Branch. In the film, rescued by the Fletts, litterly from a dustbin after Jamieson died, are some good examples of costume, and some military dancing with the men´s hairy sporans longer than their kilts.
'The Reel' #165, August 1983, devoted a double page spread to the Reel Of The 51st. [I believe the same article had already appeared in New Zealand and in TACtalk.] It contains a reproduction of the original handwritten notes. They are difficult to read, but if you cannot obtain copies of the publications above, I will send a transcript as best I can. BBC Scotland made a TV documentary on the dance many years ago. In it the prisoners danced in 'tackety buits'. How anthentic that was, I don't know, but you can imagine that not much in the way of 'steps' was possible! They used a scraping shuffle, which, as it was also the band, was extremely effective. John M Sturrock Cupar UK
Jay, I though the following information might be of use to you in your quest for details about "The Reel of the 51st Division". I recently received a copy of a newly released CD from a very good Canadian friend of mine, Fred Moyes. Fred came over and stayed with me when he recorded the CD at David Cunningham's studio on 13th July 2004. After making the recording, Fred left us to go and play at Summer School in St Andrews. On track 9 of the new CD, Fred has recorded "Reel of the 51st Division (Prison Camp Version)" as a 5x32 Reel. His sleeve notes about the dance are as follows and may help you with some background information:- ------------------------------------------------------------------- "Reel of the 51st Division" In June of 1940, the remnants of the 51st Division of the British Expeditionary Force surrendered to the Germans at St Valery-en-Ceux on the coast of Normandy, France. The 51st was a Highland Division comprising officers and men of the Black Watch, Camerons, Seaforths, Gordons and Argylls. There was also a unit of The Royal Army Service Corps, composed mainly of men from Perth. One group of officers ended up at a prisoner-of-war camp in Laufen, Bavaria where they started a dancing class, dancing, first to clapping and "tempo" calling, whistling of tunes, then chanters obtained through the Red Cross, and finally an accordion. Remembering dances was difficult, so they improvised and even made up a few completely new dances. They danced, not in ghillies and Highland finery, but in army battledress and army boots, the only clothing and footwear they possessed. One of these new dances, a creation of Lieutenant Jimmy Atkinson of the Argyll Highlanders and Lieutenant Peter Oliver of the 4th Seaforth Highlanders, subsequently modified by suggestion from Lieutenant Colonel Tom Harris Hunter of the R.A.S.C., was named The 51st Country Dance (Laufen Reel). The dance was first performed in public at Officer's Camp 7B at Warburg in Westphalia, Hallowe'en 1941, before Major General Victor Fortune who approved the dance and its name. Copies of the dance eventually reached Perth, Scotland, where the dance was known briefly as The St Valery Reel. However, this title was short-lived and the dance was given the name by which we now know it, The Reel of the 51st Division. Initially, the R.S.C.D.S. refused to accept the dance. However, its popularity resulted in its eventual acceptance - but not without a few modifications. The original five-couple set was reduced to four, and a bow, which has ended the first eight bars, was deleted. The dance appeared in RSCDS Book 13 (the 1951 edition), the "original" tune being The Drunken Piper. The tune most used in the prison camps where the dance was danced during the war was My Love She's But A Lassie Yet!. For his "Prison-Camp" version of the Reel of the 51st, this is the lead tune used by Fred Moyes on his CD "What You Hear is What You Get!" Most of the above information is derived from an article by Michael Young, which appeared in TACTALK. It was made available to me by J.D. Shaw of London (Canada) and R. Anglin of Ottowa, both enthusiastic Scottish Country Dancers and former army officers. The Reel od the 51st Division was danced by a battledress-clad group of ten men at the Teacher's Association of Canada Summer School Ceilidhs in 1994 and 2004, with a uniformed Fred Moyes providing the "original" music on both occasions. Fred Moyes 2004
Jay, Recently I had the use of a full set of RSCDS Bulletins. I found references there to the events leading up to the eventual publication of this dance by the Society. From memory the dance was first published as a leaflet for inclusion in an earlier book and "The Reel of the 51st" was not initially included in the dances for Book 13. It appears to have been the late Queen Mother (who knew of the dance) who asked why it was not being published - and guess what happened? I have since passed the Bulletins on for the use of my successors so cannot give accurate details or references but I did post the information on "Strathspey" just after the Queen Mother died drawing attention to the fact that she was the person who made the Society take the historic step of publishing a "newly devised" dance which is now regarded as "traditional"!! Regards Alan Cupar, Fife
Jay enquired: > > I've been recruited to participate in a demo which includes the Reel of the > 51st. The organizer has expressed a desire to have us perform the original > version as devised by Lt. Atkinson in 1941. I've been asked to try and > obtain a copy of it. All I know about the original is that unlike the > current version in Book 13 it was danced in a five couple set. Can anyone > provide me a copy or point me in the right direction? Also, does anyone > know what footwork was originally used? 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. Malcolm Malcolm L Brown York
re BBC : Can I just warn against just looking at a film to see how a dance is carried out - unless it is a direct performance piece or an amateur film of a performance. Sometimes the Directors idea of what looks good in film, doesn't necessarily correspond with the way things were / are done. Directors and Producers have certain ideas on how all things scottish should look and feel and as their word is law in a film ..... and of course some things are more difficult to film than others. Just remember it was danced by men only - women being in short supply :>) Pia
In a message dated 14/1/05 7:18:26 am, xxxxx@xxxxxxxxx.xxx writes: > Can?t help with the notes. Regarding the style, you might want to check out > Ian Jamieson?s film of dancing in the Borders. There is a copy in the School > of Scottish Studies at Edinburgh university, and another at Berea College > (Ky). I have one, and gave a copy to the RSCDS archives in the early 80?s. > Jamieson, is probably the only RSCDS afiliated person who did actual field > research in country dancing. Many of his dances are in the Border Book produced by > Allie Anderson, of Edinburgh Branch. In the film, rescued by the Fletts, > litterly from a dustbin after Jamieson died, are some good examples of costume, > and some military dancing with the men?s hairy sporans longer than their > kilts. > But that film, fascinating though it is (there's also a copy in the Vaughan Williams Memorial Library, Cecil Sharp house, London) was taken in the early 1920's, whereas The reel of the 51st was devised during the second world war, surely? :-) Nicolas B., Lanark, Scotland http://www.nicolasbroadbridge.com
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
Greetings, I have been staying out of this one to read with increasing awe the myths and legends that have grown up around this dance. The basic idea of the central 16 bars of the dance was worked out by Lt. Jimmy Atkinson of the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders on the march from St Valery on the French Atlantic coast to the POW camp at Laufen in Germany. The concept of the 16 bars was to reproduce the saltire shoulder flash of the 51st Division and Jimmy Atkinson is on record as saying it was a variation on the diagonal of Scottish Reform (see below). Although as John Sturrock has said the original instructions that were sent back to Perth are not easy to read, they clearly state: 13-14 First couple, second man and third lady balance in diagonal line (Scottish Reform) 15-16 First couple turn left hand to second corners 17-20 First couple set and turn corners by right hand 21-22 First couple, third man and second lady balance in diagonal line (Scottish Reform) The rest of the dance was suggested by Lt Peter Oliver of the Seaforths and Lt Col Tom Harris Hunter of the 51st Division Logistics Group RASC. Tom Harris Hunter was, both before and after the war, Chairman of the Perth & Perthshire Branch of the (R)SCDS and it was to his wife that the original version quoted from above was sent: she passed it on to Miss Milligan. In a memorable interview a few years ago, Jimmy Atkinson relates going to Harris Hunter for advice on the dance and tune because as a senior member of the SCDS "he was the authority". I do not dispute that birling crept in some variations but that is not how the dance was devised or intended. There are several things to note in this description. It was a five couple set. Tom Harris Hunter (and Perth & Perthshire Branch) never accepted the change to a four couple set and the current Branch committee has just agreed that we will include it in programmes this year (our 80th anniversary) in five couple sets - Edinburgh are not the only ones who can have regional variations :) The instructions clearly refer to ladies and the dance was always intended as a standard social dance - the fact that it was danced by 10 men was an accident of the circumstances not a declaration of intent. The involvement of Tom Harris Hunter also tends to counter the suggestion in some parts that the setting during the balance in line should be done with high cuts. Jim Healy Perth, Scotland
Jim wrote: >... several things to note in this description. It was a five couple set. But why was it? Has anyone an explanation for the 5-cp sets that were apparently part of the Scottish tradition and which are still used I believe by reelers. 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. 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? Martin, in Grenoble, France. http://perso.wanadoo.fr/scots.in.france/scd.htm
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
Martin wrote: >But why was it? >Has anyone an explanation for the 5-cp sets that were apparently part of >the Scottish tradition >and which are still used I believe by reelers. >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. 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? At all the reeling balls I go to, with a 5 couple set the 1st couple do dance 3 times, and then dance doubles at the bottom with the 5th couple (if they're comfortable with doing this - otherwise they just drop down). However 5 couple sets are being supplanted by 6 couple sets, where the 1st and 4th couples start, and the first couple dances through 4 times.