March 7, 2006, 10:36 p.m. (Message 44538, in reply to message 44537)
Summer dancing in Alva (near Stirling, Scotland) is held for 12 weeks during each summer with a different programme each week and 20 dances on the programme. There are no recaps. Similarly the twice monthly Castle Club Dances in Stirling during the winter months have no recaps. In both cases a booklet is issued in advance containing the names of the dances, and source for each, for every evening's dancing. These venues are generally full (nine sets or more in the smaller winter venue) and the dancers attending are able to complete the dances without any problem. What you find is the more confident dancers are usually in the top sets with the less confident towards the bottom of the rows. At these venues dancers form up immediately after the preceding dance. At dances in the Helensburgh, Glasgow and Ayr Branch areas a brief recap is given for each dance. Dancers do not form sets before the dance is called at these events, as a general rule. However, again the more confident dancers form up nearer the top of the rows and therefore the bands will see the same people most of the time. I have noticed one or two sets which prefer to dance within their own group, one set comprises 'birlers' and another a 'self help' group who manage better when dancing together. The vast majority dance with different partners each dance. There is a saying here "he who pays the piper calls the tune" and if bands are accepting money to play at venues where they do not like the customs then perhaps they should refuse the bookings. Alasdair Graham Dumbarton, Scotland. For those who indulge in pedantic corrections see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pedantic