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Scottish
Autumn Meeting
The
day started with the retiring Chairman Mr Robert Harrold introducing the
new Chairwoman, Miss Jacqueline Ferguson. He then wished everyone an enjoyable
day.
The
morning lecture was devoted to the Scottish Hornpipe and was taken by
Sharon Radcliffe. With her sense of humour combined with her knowledge,
the members were soon involved in the breaks, steps and arm movements
so characteristic of this dance. We all came away knowing and understanding
a lot more of the Scottish Hornpipe.
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| Committee
members - Christine Norman, June Wilson, Kate Pebby, June Hornby, Mervyn
Short with Sharon Radcliffe and members of the class |
Melodie
Williams receives the Jack McConnachie Award with members of the Committee
and group |
Before
the morning ended there were two presentations. The first to Melodie Williams
for winning the competition for the Jack McConnachie sword in May 2000.
The winner always receives a plaque to commemorate the year of the win.
This was presented by Mr Robert Harrold.
The
next presentation was to our retiring Chairman from members of the Scottish
section. This gift was presented by Miss Christine Norman, who thanked
Mr Harrold for all the work he had done for the Scottish section over
the years. The afternoon was taken up with a lecture from Mr Jimmie Hill,
an RSCDS teacher from Brighton. The lecture was entitled 'Back to Beginnings'
and the members were first taught two early dances, Mrs Murray of Ochtertyre
and The Haughs o' Cromdale.
Everyone
on the floor enjoyed reviving memories of these two dances, taught in
a thorough and explicit way.
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| The
excellent group 'Green Ginger'who accompanied Jimmie Hill's class, 'There's
nothing like Music' |
Christina
Norman presenting a retirement gift to Robert Harrold from the Scottish
Committeert |
Everyone
was then introduced to a very special section of figures from Pains First
Quadrilles. These figures introduced new steps and formations to those
taking part on the floor, the concentration of all involved, and the way
they executed the movements, was entirely due to the excellent explanations
and demonstrations by Jimmie Hill. A real feast of new information for
the Scottish country dancer.
Jimmie
then completed a very successful afternoon by teaching the last set of
the Lancers. Throughout his lecture he was accompanied by the three piece
band Green Ginger. They really made one want to get up and dance and gave
the whole afternoon a lift. Please come back again soon.
Thanks
must also go to the RSCDS bookstall, which was available to members during
the morning.
Altogether
a very enjoyable day. It was a great pity that so many friends were absent,
they missed a rare treat. Please try and support your Scottish section
future events.
Kate
Penny
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National
Course Chichester
August 2001
A variety of ages, standards and teaching experience were brought together
in August for the highly successful and popular National Dance Faculty
Summer Course at Chichester. After only a very short while it was evident
that everyone in the group was pulling so well together that even the
evenings were taken up with extra sessions.
All the Grade syllabi
up to and including Intermediate and some Advanced 1 were very ably taught
by Miss Barbara Simons who inspired everyone to enjoy learning new dances
as well as consolidating the basic styles. There was also guidance for
the Associate examination with the appropriate exams arranged for the
end of the course.
The accommodation
was clean and comfortable and everyone felt cared and catered for. As
dancers we all appreciated the light salad lunches with the cooked meal
in the evening and even more popular were the drinks and social life at
the bar after an exhausting day.
And joys of joys,
a wonderfully skilled National Dance accompanist John Taggart who could
adapt a piano and an accordion to sound like the authentic music of so
many different countries.
Large numbers of
students and teachers attend Chichester each year, and with good reason,
due to the valuable instruction, the opportunity to increase their knowledge
and exchange ideas, coupled with the chance to meet friends old and new
in the sociable and relaxing atmosphere of Chichester, which is now becoming
well established as the place for summer dance courses.
Anne
Tyrer
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Longsword
An Introduction
to the Longsword Dance tradition of Yorkshire.
Written and compiled by Diana Jewitt, English Folk Dance & Song Society,
Cecil Sharp House, 2 Regent's Park Road, London NW1 7AY.
The EFDSS has over
the past years produced some excellent and extremely helpful books on
English Folk Dance, Maypole Dances, Victorian Dances etc and now a book
on Longsword. The books are designed for teachers working within the National
Curriculum, but they are in fact useful for any dance teacher.
This new publication
is first class, and as all the other books, very well illustrated, clear
diagrams, photographs, helpful notes and information. Three dances are
described from the Yorkshire villages of Flamborough, Kirby Malzeard and
Sleights. They should be fun to teach and very much part of our English
heritage. Thanks to Diana Jewitt for sharing these dances with everyone.
For the Education
Catalogue contact the EFDSS and for information try the website www.efdss.org
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Studia
Choreologica Vol III
Edited
by Roderyk Lange
Centre for Dance
Studies
Les Bois
La Rue de la Pointe
St Peter
Jersey JE3
7AQ
Channel Isles
£10.00 plus P&P (£2.00 UK), (£3.00 Europe)
For any student
on a dance degree or compiling material for a dissertation or preparing
for a National Fellowship, these volumes of folk studies make an important
contribution to the indepth study of folklore. The material presented
is always stimulating and interesting and aimed at the serious student
of dance rather than the social folk dancer. These booklets and the previous
'Dance Studies', which covered 20 volumes over a 25 year time plan, do
place folk dance and folklore in a higher category.
The present volume
contains three studies: 'An Epilogue to the Circle Dance Monograph' by
Gyorgy Martin and presented by Erno Pesovar, which deals with the Hungarian
Karikazo, 'Ritual Reminiscences in Certain Children's Games in Bulgaria'
by Anna Ilieva and 'Towards a Structural Analysis of Folk Dance: Choreotypes
and Dance Patterns in Pontic Dance Tradition' by Magda Zografou.
In a booklet of
only 100 pages and many black & white illustrations, each study makes
for an interesting read and a valuable reference.
Robert
Harrold
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Syllabus
Notes
The new syllabus
outline is now available. Teachers should note the following small amendments:
Primary National
Character
A traditional English dance should now be presented in addition to the
solo and group arrangement.
Primary Folk
3 traditional dances from England and one other contrasting country should
be shown e.g. 1 English and 2 others or 2 English and 1 other. These can
be syllabus or non syllabus.
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Teachers
Group
The next meeting
is on Sunday 3rd February 2002 at Preston College (11.00am to 3.30pm).
Gillian Hurst of The Spanish Dance Society will be teaching Sevillanas.
This is an invaluable opportunity to learn or refresh this style. Please
bring castanets.
Details from Helen
Gray 0161 440 8093 or
Annette Clark 01245 469197
For cost etc see UK
Courses
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Future
Courses
14th April 2002
- Ashmansworth, Nr Newbury
A day of Grade work with Hazel Burrows and Tanya Allen concentrating on
Grades 3 & 4 and including arrangements suitable for examinations.
For details and
specific requests contact Mrs Hazel Burrows 01635 254765.
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