Another good reason to enjoy Scottish Country Dancing

[Andrewson]

Thanks for all the supportive statements in this thread.

Maybe this is the moment to point out that the wearing of kilts for SCD has next to no historical justification, at least for most people.

The Fletts in their authoritative "Traditional Dancing in Scotland" (1964) report on the Kilberry Ball, held until 1914 in Argyllshire. It was a dance for country people of a remote district, held in the granary of the home farm on the estate:
"The party from the 'big house' was in evening kilt and ladies' dinner frocks. One or two of the pipers were in the kilt. The rest of the company wore their Sunday clothes ... [Men] wore their Sunday boots, which subsequently became their working boots, [and their best Sunday suits]."

The founders of the Scottish Country Dance Society (later 'Royal' SCDS) in 1923 seemed to be determined to drag the country dances out of the barns and into the elegant ballrooms of the upper classes (they thought this was the best way to ensure that the dances were preserved as a living tradition) so they emphasised the dress of those aristocrats and we got the active promotion of the kilt as appropriate wear for SCD. Incidently we also got the promotion of the light weight 'ballet' slippers as footwear which had quite an influence on the steps that were taught as appropriate for SCD. We have to admit that the whole SCD thing today is highly artificial from a historical perspective

Not that I really care. I am just happy that these historical mistakes led to my greater enjoyment today.

[Panache]

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.

Cheers

Jamie

[Galician]

I must admit that "artificiality" definitely comes to mind with the SCDS. I say this as one who loves to dance.

There is even a group which meets blocks from my work place, and I've joined them for their Burns dinners. Maybe it's being a neophyte to their repetoire, but a good number of their dances give me pause about participating on a regular basis. The steps can be sooooo compicated!

[Panache]

I must admit that "artificiality" definitely comes to mind with the SCDS. I say this as one who loves to dance.

There is even a group which meets blocks from my work place, and I've joined them for their Burns dinners. Maybe it's being a neophyte to their repetoire, but a good number of their dances give me pause about participating on a regular basis. The steps can be sooooo compicated!

At first it does seem a bit daunting. Once you get the basics down it isn't too hard. There is also a whole range of different dance in SCD. Some are very complicated and for advanced dancers while others are simple and easily learned. Oddly what makes a particular dance easy or hard isn't neccessarily the steps/moves but how they are arranged. I have done some beginner dances that were very hard because they din't flow well, yet I managed to get through an advanced dance like "Gang the Same Gate" several months back because each move flows well into the next.

Give it a try!

Cheers

Jamie

[Kiltman]

At first it does seem a bit daunting. Once you get the basics down it isn't too hard. There is also a whole range of different dance in SCD. Some are very complicated and for advanced dancers while others are simple and easily learned. Oddly what makes a particular dance easy or hard isn't neccessarily the steps/moves but how they are arranged. I have done some beginner dances that were very hard because they din't flow well, yet I managed to get through an advanced dance like "Gang the Same Gate" several months back because each move flows well into the next.

Give it a try!

Cheers

Jamie

In Spokane most of us are in our 60s. It's really good for us semi-seniors. Keeps the mind and the body working. Every now and then we have a dance and invite the contra dancers to come. What a difference to do contra dancing you don't need to think and only go around in circles. Nothing against contra, it's just to point out yet another advantage to SCD. Oh, yes, and in a kilt.

[Andrewson]

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.