June 2, 2008, 5:12 a.m. (Message 52580)
I know we've talked about this before, but I can't find it. I'm organizing a demo for July with only three dancing couples. I'd like to do Lord MacDonald of the Isles (Str), and a quick-time dance for a 3-cpl set. Any suggestions for a demo dance that isn't super-difficult, but yet fun to watch and dance, for three couples? Monica -- "If you can't be a good example, then you'll just have to be a horrible warning." Catherine Aird
June 2, 2008, 11:47 a.m. (Message 52585, in reply to message 52580)
On of my favorites is Whistler's Jig. It has solo rights and lefts and a poussette at the end. Elissa Hock Akron, OH
June 2, 2008, 4:37 p.m. (Message 52588, in reply to message 52585)
Thank-you all for your suggestions. I confess to being somewhat brain-dead wrt dances these past few weeks, as our group has been searching for a new class location since May 24th. The good news is, we start in the new hall this evening! So choosing dances for this demo has not been at the top of my mind. Monica -- "If you can't be a good example, then you'll just have to be a horrible warning." Catherine Aird
June 2, 2008, 4:51 p.m. (Message 52589, in reply to message 52580)
My group enjoys Flight of the Falcon. We use the 3 repetition jig music from the Grandfather Mountain CD recording of Bobby Brown. Wendy Grubb New Orleans, Louisiana --- Monica Pollard <xxxxxxxxx@xxxxx.xxx> wrote: > I know we've talked about this before, but I can't > find it. > > I'm organizing a demo for July with only three > dancing couples. I'd > like to do Lord MacDonald of the Isles (Str), and a > quick-time dance > for a 3-cpl set. > > Any suggestions for a demo dance that isn't > super-difficult, but yet > fun to watch and dance, for three couples? > > Monica > -- > "If you can't be a good example, then you'll just > have to be a > horrible warning." > Catherine Aird >
June 2, 2008, 4:54 p.m. (Message 52590, in reply to message 52589)
All the (old) recordings for Bonnie Anne are other good sources for 3x32 Jig sets. Does anybody still do Bonnie Anne? Bruce Herbold San Francisco
June 2, 2008, 5:28 p.m. (Message 52591, in reply to message 52590)
We used the tune to death in Baton Rouge because we only had three couples for quite sometime. But we never did learn the dance Bonnie Anne. As for three couple dances, the list IS huge! I recommend one that the first couple doesn't immediately interact with the second couple because you'll have third couple stepping up and firsts casting after the first repetition. So things like Reel of the Royal Scots and Maxwell's Rant can be troublesome (but certainly not impossible) with only three couples. I'll second Wendy's suggestion of Flight of the Falcon. James Mungall --- On Mon, 6/2/08, Bruce Herbold <xxxxxxxx@xxxxx.xxx> wrote: From: Bruce Herbold <xxxxxxxx@xxxxx.xxx> Subject: Re: dances for 3 cpl sets? Was Re: favourite books To: "SCD news and discussion" <xxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxx.xxx> Date: Monday, June 2, 2008, 9:54 AM All the (old) recordings for Bonnie Anne are other good sources for 3x32 Jig sets. Does anybody still do Bonnie Anne? Bruce Herbold San Francisco
June 2, 2008, 6:23 p.m. (Message 52592, in reply to message 52591)
Sometimes I think that I will go mad if I ever hear that tune again! But guess what? Every SCD class, Bonnie Anne gets played to death! As for three couple dances that make good demo dances, I'll echo Wendy and James, with "Flight of the Falcon". Another fine three couple dance IMO is "Wind on Loch Fyne" which is a three couple strathspey done in a triangle set. Tom Mungall Baton Rouge, La, USA
June 3, 2008, 3:59 a.m. (Message 52626, in reply to message 52592)
> Sometimes I think that I will go mad if I ever hear that tune again! But > guess what? Every SCD class, Bonnie Anne gets played to death! > This is a great shame. Bony Annie is a super dance and the music fits like a glove. More groups should give it a try. Everyone is hunting around for new dances to do when there are entertaining dances like this which have been done for years. At the very least it different and not at all difficult. It is a modern un-truism that anything more than 4 years old should be trashed! If you need that number of bars go and mob some modern bands to supply what you need. Happy Dancing :) Ron Ron Mackey RSCDS London, Croydon & International Branches
June 2, 2008, 6:35 p.m. (Message 52594, in reply to message 52591)
We haven't done it in years in New Orleans but one day when we have a set eager and able to learn Bonnie Anne I'll teach it. Some other thoughts for 3 couple dances: The Green Dragon - I don't remember who wrote it but it is in the Middle Earth Collection. We usually do it in a four couple set but it could work and is not terribly difficult. Also we do medley's with several dances like Petronella, Flowers of Edinburgh, Roxburgh Castle, Corn Riggs, etc. that are the same at the end. A new strathspey that is easy but nice is Gifts from the Pretoria 35th anniversary book. It is 3 couples - since we don't actually have music we have been using the music for Herself again from the Grandfather Mountain CD. Wendy Grubb New Orleans, Louisiana --- James Mungall <xxx_xxxxxxx@xxxxx.xxx> wrote: > We used the tune to death in Baton Rouge because we > only had three couples for quite sometime. But > we never did learn the dance Bonnie Anne. > > As for three couple dances, the list IS huge! > I recommend one that the first couple doesn't > immediately interact with the second couple because > you'll have third couple stepping up and firsts > casting after the first repetition. So things > like Reel of the Royal Scots and Maxwell's Rant can > be troublesome (but certainly not impossible) with > only three couples. I'll second Wendy's > suggestion of Flight of the Falcon. > > James Mungall > > --- On Mon, 6/2/08, Bruce Herbold > <xxxxxxxx@xxxxx.xxx> wrote: > > From: Bruce Herbold <xxxxxxxx@xxxxx.xxx> > Subject: Re: dances for 3 cpl sets? Was Re: > favourite books > To: "SCD news and discussion" > <xxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxx.xxx> > Date: Monday, June 2, 2008, 9:54 AM > > All the (old) recordings for Bonnie Anne are other > good sources for > 3x32 Jig sets. Does anybody still do Bonnie Anne? > > Bruce Herbold > San Francisco > > On Mon, Jun 2, 2008 at 7:51 AM, Wendy Grubb > <xxxxxxxxxx@xxxxx.xxx> wrote: > > My group enjoys Flight of the Falcon. We use > the 3 > > repetition jig music from the Grandfather > Mountain CD > > recording of Bobby Brown. > > Wendy Grubb > > New Orleans, Louisiana > > > > --- Monica Pollard <xxxxxxxxx@xxxxx.xxx> > wrote: > > > >> I know we've talked about this before, but > I can't > >> find it. > >> > >> I'm organizing a demo for July with only > three > >> dancing couples. I'd > >> like to do Lord MacDonald of the Isles > (Str), and a > >> quick-time dance > >> for a 3-cpl set. > >> > >> Any suggestions for a demo dance that isn't > >> super-difficult, but yet > >> fun to watch and dance, for three couples? > >> > >> Monica > >> -- > >> "If you can't be a good example, then > you'll just > >> have to be a > >> horrible warning." > >> Catherine Aird > >> > > > > > > > > > > > > > >
June 2, 2008, 9:14 p.m. (Message 52605, in reply to message 52594)
I didn't want anyone to misunderstand what James and I were saying about "Bonnie Anne", it isn't the dance we object to but, rather, the music that gets played to death in our Baton Rouge SCD class for three couple sets. Tom Mungall Baton Rouge, La, USA
June 2, 2008, 7:17 p.m. (Message 52596, in reply to message 52580)
Tom Mungall wrote: "As for three couple dances that make good demo dances, I'll echo Wendy and James, with "Flight of the Falcon". Another fine three couple dance IMO is "Wind on Loch Fyne" which is a three couple strathspey done in a triangle set." Oh yes! And one could have everyone moving on the last four bars of Flight of the Falcon so that the three couples finish in a triangular formation ready for Wind on Loch Fyne. I'm not kidding. I haven't actually tried it, but I think it could be done quite neatly. Of course, one would have to choreograph the dancers out of Wind on Loch Fyne afterwards, unless one had another triangular dance, but some way could probably be found to do that too..... Chris (currently in Leicestershire). **************Get trade secrets for amazing burgers. Watch "Cooking with Tyler Florence" on AOL Food. (http://food.aol.com/tyler-florence?video=4&?NCID=aolfod00030000000002)
June 2, 2008, 7:25 p.m. (Message 52597, in reply to message 52596)
I don't know of any other published triangular dances like W.o.L.F., but we did an impromptu 3-couple triangular version of Rangitoto at a Christmas party a few years back. We called it "Lava Cakes." I don't remember how exactly we did it though considering Rangitoto is very geared to four couples... James Mungall --- On Mon, 6/2/08, xxxxxxxxxxxx@xxx.xxx <xxxxxxxxxxxx@xxx.xxx> wrote: From: xxxxxxxxxxxx@xxx.xxx <xxxxxxxxxxxx@xxx.xxx> Subject: Re: dances for 3 cpl sets? Was Re: favourite books To: xxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxx.xxx Date: Monday, June 2, 2008, 12:17 PM Tom Mungall wrote: "As for three couple dances that make good demo dances, I'll echo Wendy and James, with "Flight of the Falcon". Another fine three couple dance IMO is "Wind on Loch Fyne" which is a three couple strathspey done in a triangle set." Oh yes! And one could have everyone moving on the last four bars of Flight of the Falcon so that the three couples finish in a triangular formation ready for Wind on Loch Fyne. I'm not kidding. I haven't actually tried it, but I think it could be done quite neatly. Of course, one would have to choreograph the dancers out of Wind on Loch Fyne afterwards, unless one had another triangular dance, but some way could probably be found to do that too..... Chris (currently in Leicestershire). **************Get trade secrets for amazing burgers. Watch "Cooking with Tyler Florence" on AOL Food. (http://food.aol.com/tyler-florence?video=4&?NCID=aolfod00030000000002)
June 2, 2008, 7:34 p.m. (Message 52600, in reply to message 52597)
Indian River Strathspey is one we've done, although visually it might be too similar to WOLF to work in a medley. Don't know where/if it's published though. (It's in Dance Data, but without a source.) -Steve
June 2, 2008, 7:28 p.m. (Message 52598, in reply to message 52596)
How about Giants of Foudland - three couple triangular set, and Schehallion Reels. We love it. I think we dance it to Sounds of Harris, but I'd have to check that to be sure. Anne
June 2, 2008, 7:29 p.m. (Message 52599, in reply to message 52596)
We've used a medley of Wind on Loch Fyne with Ron Wallace's (or Gary Thomas, I forget) Muse Cottage--a 40-bar reel for 3 couples in a triangular formation from the "From the Redwoods" collection. Works nicely, although finding a tune medley that would work could be tricky--we generally edit our own though. We've also used the dance in medleys with dances in standard formation--transforming the sets, or moving the head around, can be quite interesting visually. -Steve
June 3, 2008, 3:01 a.m. (Message 52625, in reply to message 52580)
I like Drewry's Wooden Horse from the Turkish Set book. Sue (Chicago, IL USA) Monica Pollard wrote: > I know we've talked about this before, but I can't find it. > > I'm organizing a demo for July with only three dancing couples. I'd > like to do Lord MacDonald of the Isles (Str), and a quick-time dance > for a 3-cpl set. > > Any suggestions for a demo dance that isn't super-difficult, but yet > fun to watch and dance, for three couples? > > Monica > -- Susan McKinnell xxxxxx@xxxxxx.xxx http://suedan.com "A house without a cat, and a well-fed, well-petted, and properly revered cat, may be a perfect house, perhaps, but how can it prove its title?" - Mark Twain, The Tragedy of Pudd'nhead Wilson
June 3, 2008, 11:12 p.m. (Message 52663, in reply to message 52580)
Sorry to be late in responding, but you could try a nice 3 couple jig - Muirland Willie - which is in the back of a little book - The Foursome Reel and other dances - by John A.Brune, published in 1955. I have always thought that it was spoilt by the Society making it fit a four couple set when they published it some years later. As it was it has lots of movement, and works very well. Ian McDonald
June 3, 2008, 11:28 p.m. (Message 52665, in reply to message 52663)
This also reminds me that I meant to say that in our experience with demonstrations, the music you use is often at least as important to non-dancing spectators as the dances you do, particularly at Scottish games, e.g., where you don't have a captive audience and are competing with pipes, heavy athletics, reenactors and whatever for their attention. A good rousing recording (assuming you don't use musicians) will help pull people in and keep them interested. -Steve