Volume 20 #6 |
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May/June 2004 |
Articles in This Issue
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Why Are We Here?
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What brings us to Scottish Country Dance class? I believe it is love. Love of dancing. Love of the music. Love of spending time with this group of people. The magic of dance class is dropping at the door all the unhappiness of the world and one's life, to spend time completely in the present. Dancing is so real and yet so ephemeral. We each get to express our own unique combination of grace, joy, accuracy, and energy without having to create a product, add to the bottom line, or solve any problems. We all add to the fun, whether we are there just for exercise and companionship, or whether we are personally driven to perfect our technique. Something I find valuable to keep in mind is that it is JUST A DANCE. Even if I make a blunder so magnificent that it brings the dance to a crashing halt -- it doesn't matter. It's just a dance. I haven't threatened world peace. I haven't brought down a national corporation and bankrupted its stockholders. In the moment to moment of a dance, we all get confused, we all forget. Part of the fun is recovery. Remembering that I am here to find joy in the moment helps me stay out of the chasm of self-condemnation, criticism, blame, pouting, or frustration. Helping and being helped by fellow dancers with a smile, a gesture, a nod in the right direction enriches me. I am here because I love to dance, I love this music and, most of all, I love these people. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
So You Can't Read Pillings?
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Could you read English when you were four? Were the Latin letters just gibberish? Hmm, was the difference that it didn't occur to you that you couldn't learn? Big news -- Pillings is simpler than English. Pillings is not phonetic. It's a combination of ideographs, abbreviations, and sketch maps. So, how can you learn to read it? First, make a copy of the key from the front of a Pilling book, so you can refer to it easily. Now for the BIG TIP. Choose a straight-forward dance, dance it, THEN refer to the Pillings. That makes it pretty easy. It also serves to remind you that Pillings is best as a reminder for dances with which you have some familiarity. It's not a great way to learn a new dance, though as you get more comfortable with it you might surprise yourself. And you should keep in mind that Pillings doesn't give you the whole story -- especially missing are transitions between figures. A few useful conventions and examples:
Examples of abbreviations are: PROM (promenade), P (poussette), DT (double triangles), and D (back to back -- huh? doh si doh?) A few just come out and say it -- RONDEL, KNOT. Accept that you'll learn bit by bit -- from Dick and Jane to Godel, Escher, Bach. Or maybe you'll just get to Gone with the Wind. It's worth the effort. Have fun. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Memories of Our April Dance
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Cultures from around the world were broadly represented at the April 17th dance sponsored by the Vancouver SCD group. The theme of this year's dance was, "Scottish Country Dancing Around the World", and dancers were given the opportunity to wear such ethnic garb as they might have at hand.
Amazingly, everyone availed themselves of that opportunity! Not only were there to be found costumes representing America, Canada, and Great Britain, but there were several dancers clad as "visitors" from Latin America, Japan, Korea, and other Pacific Rim localities, as well as a lady from Texas -- a "whole 'nother country". One brave fellow even wore the traditional attire of Scotland!
The lively music for this garb gala was provided by Lisa Scot on the piano and Linda Danielson on the fiddle. Their tunes and driving beat were very much enjoyed and appreciated by all. With the music, and the dance, and the tea -- and don't forget the travel posters! -- it was an evening to be remembered, all the way till next time. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Calendar Notes
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Next Class Session Starts Soon! | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
At the Marshall Center, the next "semester" is almost here. The current Scottish Country Dance class runs through April 28th, and the next session starts the very next week, from May 5th through June 30th. You can sign up for class now, by registering at the Marshall Center, 1009 E. McLoughlin Blvd, or by calling (360) 696-8236. The class number is 22243 Sign up today! | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
SCD Summer Picnic | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
There's new information about the Joint Summer Picnic. See the Calendar entry for June 27th! | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
WARM UP, and COOL DOWN
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Warm up before dancing means literally to "warm" the muscles by increasing the blood flow, thereby raising the temperature of the muscles. This can be accomplished by walking around the room, by exercising, or by participating in a "walking dance". Warmed muscles and well lubricated joints help prevent dance injury. Also, stretching can safely be done AFTER warm up. Stretching itself does not warm muscles. Stretching a cold muscle can cause strands of tissue to break (unfelt) according to Dr. Sumarko, an Orthopedic specialist for ballet dancers. This causes the muscle to be in need of constant repair. It can be cumulative -- leading to injury. Cool down is allowing the muscles to regain their normal state. This is one reason I like to finish class with a waltz. Stretching after class also helps pull out the kinks, letting the muscles loose their tenseness. Socialize before class all you like but do so while walking or exercising, and be ready to dance. After class, take shoes off and stretch a moment, leave feeling relaxed. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The Birks of Invermay
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The 'birches' of Invermay, a district in Perthshire at the junction of the river May with the Earn [sic]. The beautiful tune which bears this title was first published in the Orpheus Caledonius as The Birks of Endermay. This spelling is followed in some other eighteenth century collections, and Bremner has Invermay in the title of the song and Endermay in the title of the tune! (First Song Collection) There is no locality known as "Endermay" although there is a River Ender in Blair Atholl, and this has given rise to some questionings in the past. Robert Chambers, however, a noted early nineteenth century author and Scottish antiquarian, has observed: "Ender is merely a corruption of Inver or Inner. The people of Peebles, in my young days, always spoke of Henderleithen, not Innerleithen," and this is the most acceptable explanation. As usual with the better Scottish airs, more than one set of verses are extant. The first, however, are those due to David Malloch (or Mallet) (1705-1765), who was born in Perthshire and rose from the humber station of janitor of the Edinburgh High School to a position of consequence in the literary circles of London. Unfortunately, he procured much of his progress and success at the expense of honour and was much despised in London for his self-seeking expediency. On his side he had to overcome the disadvantage of his background. No matter, Malloch was a very minor poet who would escape our notice entirely were it not for this song. It can hardly be claimed that he has written an ideal setting, but no one has produced a better: The smiling morn, the breathing spring, Invite the tuneful birds to sing; And while they warble from each spray, Love melts the universal lay. Let us, Amanda, timely wise, Like them, improve the hour that flies; And in soft raptures waste the day Among the birks of Invermay. For soon the winter of the year, And age, life's winter, will appear; At this thy living bloom will fade, As that will strip the verdant shade. Our taste of pleasure then is o'er, The feathered songsters are no more; And when they drop, and we decay, Adieu the birks of Invermay! | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Calendar of Events | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Generated Tuesday April 27, 2004 |