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Balgeddie Reel
The Balgeddie Reel We do have a version of the music here in Atlanta called the Stone Mountain Reel which is quite good as well. s/RBJ **************** The Instructions: 1-4: 1st and 3rd men set, turning in place, hands in 1st position. 4-8: 1st and 3rd ladies dance toward and then away from their partners. 9-14: 1st and 3rd ladies cast off, followed by partner, dance up and cast around 2nd (4th) man. 15-16: 1st and 3rd couples dance into a diagonal line with left hands to partner, right hands to first corners, 2nd and 4th ouples stepping up. 17-18: Balance in line with 1st corners. 19-20: Dropping right hands, 1st and 3rd couples set advancing into diagonal line with 2nd corners. 21-22: Balance in line with 2nd corners. 23-24: 1st and 3rd couples turn with the left hand ready for... 25-28: Right hands across as follows: (1st lady with 2nd couple at the top, 1st man with 3rd lady and 4th couple in the middle, and 3rd man with 5th couple at the bottom.) 29-32: 1st and 3rd couples turn by the left hand and cast on own sides, 4th and 5th couples stepping up. Repeat with new 1st and 3rd couples.
The instruction of "Balgeddie Reel" is included in the book "Memories of Fife" by Mary Shoolbraid Brandon. I believe you can get a copy of the book either through TACBOOKS (e-mail is xxxxx@xxxxxxx.xxxxxxxx.xx) or by writing to: Studio Imports, 4541 Willens Avenue, Woodland Hills, CA 91364 (this is 1995 address, I hope it is still good.). The instruction given in the other post on strathspey list earlier (quoted below), I believe, is NOT quite accurate. I would strongly recommend getting the original instruction. Shengzhang Tang
--- By all means do point out the inaccuracies. s/RBJ In a message dated 11/22/98 9:55:51 PM Eastern Standard Time, xxxx@xxxxxxxx.xxx writes: << The instruction of "Balgeddie Reel" is included in the book "Memories of Fife" by Mary Shoolbraid Brandon. I believe you can get a copy of the book either through TACBOOKS (e-mail is xxxxx@xxxxxxx.xxxxxxxx.xx) or by writing to: Studio Imports, 4541 Willens Avenue, Woodland Hills, CA 91364 (this is 1995 address, I hope it is still good.). The instruction given in the other post on strathspey list earlier (quoted below), I believe, is NOT quite accurate. I would strongly recommend getting the original instruction. >>
On Sun, 22 Nov 1998 xxxxxxxxx@xxx.xxx wrote: > --- By all means do point out the inaccuracies. I don't have the book and the original post of the instruction with me now at work, so I can only write down what I can remember as the differences (at the risk of adding more inaccuracies). I would still strongly recommend getting the original book. Here are some of the subtle differences: In the chase figure: the 2nd and 4th woman step up on on bars of 11-12 and 2nd and 4th man step up on bars of 15-16 (in another word, 2nd&4th couples do not step up together as couples). In bars of 17-24, the active couples (i.e., 1st and 3rd) dance whole figure with 8 setting steps (i.e, two balance, two advancing turning, two balance, two advancing turning), the end supporting corners (2nd and 5th couples) dance 4 setting steps each, two balance steps with active couple and two setting steps afterwards. The 4th couple in the middle also dance 8 setting steps, two balance with active people as 1st corners, setting and turning (pulling back left shoulders) ready for balance with the active people as 2nd corners, then continue setting and turning (in same direction) ready for 4 hands across in the middle. While those differences are fairly subtle, they do seem change the flavor of the dance somewhat. I particularly like the 8 bars of setting by the rotating corners, 4th couple, which is not always done. I think those difference may be due to the earlier version of the leaflet that was written down by someone else which had similar description as given by the earlier post. That leaflet had been circulated for some years till probably four years ago. I hope I am not adding more confusion. I will check the book when I get home and correct myself if necessary. The dance is really a very fun and enjoyable one. I believe the deviser is ok with either the "real" music or "American Southern" version music according to what says in the book. Enjoy the dance. Shengzhang Tang xxxx@xxxxxxxx.xxx
The major innacuracy most often danced is the first four bars when the men set turning in place....Mary Brandon says hands should not be on hips or in the air - that is highland and she never intended any highland in this dance. At first she was not sure about the "American Southern" music but says "whichever set of tunes suits the dancers pleases the author". The original music "Balgeddie Mains" was recorded by her brother Murray Shoolbraid. Stella Fogg Richmond, VA One of Mary's "old" pupils.
This is so interesting. We have done Balgeddie Reel for years using the instructions distributed with the leaflet -- thinking we were doing everything as correctly as possible. I even danced in the same set as the devisor and she (very politely) said nothing. Now Shengzhang Tang and Stella Fogg mention a couple differences that will certainly put a slight flavor difference on the dance. Our group prefers using the music found at track 13 "The Plantation Reel" on the David Cunningham CD to the Southern medley, but we use both from time to time. Now I want to look for the music mentioned by Stella. Although most of the dance won't change, I certainly want to see what these differences look like. Reminds me of passing right shoulders in Mairi's Wedding. (OK, the devil made me say that. - ha ha)
. > > Reminds me of passing right shoulders in Mairi's Wedding. (OK, > the devil made me say that. - ha ha) > > > > -- > "Richard L. Walker" <xxxxxxxx@xxxxxx.xxx> Expect there are a few grim faced, tight lipped purists around at that ! :) Cheers, Ron :) < 0 Ron Mackey, 'O> Mottingham, /#\ London. UK. l> xxx.xxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxx.xxx
At 06:02 PM 11/22/98 -0500, you wrote:
>Balgeddie Reel is in the book "Memories of Fife" by Mary Brandon. Do you
>have the "real music" or are you using the "American music"?
>Stella
>
>
>
>
Stella,
I guess I must have the "American Music" as it starts with "Oh
Susanna", I think. I have another version, but am not sure about
it, as I just
presumed it was the same.
Pauline.
< 0
`;>
/#\
|>
Pauline Foster (Brisbane, Australia) xxxxxxx@xxx.xxx.xx
Thought I'd pass on Murray's reaction to yesterday's comment on the sourc= e music for Belgeddie Reel. He doesn't subscribe to Strathspey but responde= d very quickly when I forwarded the message, as I was unaware of Murray having recorded anything without yours truly standing over him with a big= black squeezebox. Note also Murray adds yet another 'original' tune to the melange -- must see if I can work up a set containing all three (or was that four) 'first= ' tunes. :-) -2chter Message text written by Murray Shoolbraid >At first she was not sure about the "American Southern" music but >says "whichever set of tunes suits the dancers pleases the author". The= >original music "Balgeddie Mains" was recorded by her brother Murray >Shoolbraid. = >Stella Fogg >Richmond, VA > --I suppose Stella Fogg was reading through a Scotch mist when she wrote that. Mary notes in her book "Memories of Fife" (have you got that??) th= at the tune (printed there) is by me; but the dance was devised to "Tommy Ford's Fancy"; and the "Southern tunes" (O susanna etc.) were recorded by= Bobby Brown. My own tune, alas, has not seen vinyl or whatever they're using these days. Cheers Murray <
At TAC Summer School 1997 at the University of Waterloo, Canada, Mary Brandon took our class through Balgeddie Reel, partly for the purpose of clarifying what she had intended for the dance. I can confirm that as recently as August 1997 Mary intended what Stella Fogg and Shengzhang Tang have recently posted, namely: 1) men do not place hands on hips during bars 1-4; 2) women step up on bars 11-12 and men on bars 15-16 (i.e. not all together); 3) couple in 3rd place for the balance-in-line figures dance 8 bars of pas de basque with all pivots anticlockwise (yes - at least 5/8 of a revolution on the last two bars). I danced Balgeddie Reel as recently as three evenings ago, in a room with many sets, and saw few if any dancers conforming with points 1) and 2) above. Conformance with point 3) was about 50/50. --- Alex R. A. Collins, Toronto, Canada
Not so much concern as interest. I had no idea what the original instructions included and I'm just glad to get them. Like this Greek teacher said last Saturday night, "The steps described now are authentic; beyond that it is choreography." I know that high kicks will continue to reign supreme around here for the first four bars.