Quote Originally Posted by Panache View Post
I'm trying to imagine pas de basque or strathspey setting step in

"Sunday boots, which subsequently became their working boots"



a bit less graceful I should think.
Well very different anyway. The Fletts found two different forms of the pas de basque (i) both feet remain on the ground for the final beat, (ii) the front foot is extended. Before 1914 (i) was by far the most common. The Fletts found no dancing master who taught version (ii) and many stated it was wrong. Version (ii) is what is taught today by the RSCDS. The steps are now more 'balletic' and are probably based more on highland dance steps than those used in country dances.

The Fletts go on to say there was no excessive pointing of the toes by either men or ladies. "The strathspey travelling step ... appears to be made possible by modern use of light heel-less dancing pumps ... and we never met it in older people". The present shoes seem to have come from those worn by highland dancers competing at games rather than social dancing.

Indeed their use for social dancing was deprecated by D. G. MacLennon in his "Guide to Teachers, Dancers and Judges" which set out the standards for Highland and Traditional dancing in 1925: "Another matter that should be discouraged is the wearing of solo dancers' stage pumps - heeless, thin soled. These 'slippers' were never worn by anyone in a ballroom as they are bad for flat feet and fallen arches."

I have certainly suffered from the lack of support in those shoes but, as in the case of the kilt, I don't intend to be put off by the historical inaccuracy. The lightweight shoes are needed for the steps as they are now done and I just enjoy the dancing.