Another good reason to enjoy Scottish Country Dancing

[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.

[Graham]

Interesting! I'm new to X-Marks the Scot, and I'm sorry to say that I had not heard of Scottish Country Dancing before. So I just Googled it, and discovered that it seems pretty big here Downunder. (Now I'm wondering how I could have missed it before!)

The Ozzie website doesn't have many pictures. The only pictures I could find were on the Tasmanian site. Lots of tartan, mostly on women and bairns though, they seem to have a shortage of adult men.

It's looks like fun. I'd need a lot of lessons though, I've never danced before.

The Tassie site was probably the Hobart group, like us in the north of the island, they have trouble attracting men to dance.

For a couple of years I was the only man in our group, now there is one other and he is nearly 80.

Still, I don't mind there being mostly lasses

SCD is great fun, I dance twice a week, sometimes more. I've never done it in trousers...and never will.

[MartinGrenoble]

... I'm sorry to say that I had not heard of Scottish Country Dancing before. So I just Googled it, and discovered that it seems pretty big here Downunder. ...

In a small way, it is pretty big all around the world.
Small because none of us seem to have found a way of advertizing our pastime to get new people into our clubs.

I'm not surprised Greenguzzi had not heard of SCD before; it remains a very confidential activity, even though all the groups would love to increase their membership.

Even when they do discover a local SCD group, I have found that women are reluctant to give it a try as they think they have lost their youthful grace, men are reluctant because it is not a TV sport, the young are reluctant because it's not noisy enough, the old because it's too energetic ... and the Scots are reluctant because nasty school ma'ams made them do it as kids, and they hated it!

Lots of people are put off by the relatively long apprenticeship period during which they feel complete idiots. But those that persevere are rewarded when, all of a sudden, the patterns click into place, the rhythms feel completely natural -- and they are hooked for life.

I began my dancing a little earlier than kilt wearing, about 50 years ago, and have found it a great way of meeting people wherever I have been.

Martin,
in Grenoble, France.

[vmac3205]

While on vacation, we danced with a great group in Budapest, Hungary. All Hungarians - not a Scot or a kilt in the group, but fine dancers. All had been well schoold on their foot work and looked good. in our area, the average age of the dancers is probably 55. In Hungary, they were all late teens to mid 30s,

Yeah for the youth!!

[muirkirkca]

Took my first lessons in Jan-Mar period and will repeat in the fall. Had about 16 in the class and mostly female and post 55 as myself. Great exercise of the mind and body including balance. I admit that I take some artistic (or lack thereof) licence with the steps however. Decent shoes that don't slip on the floor are an advantage. Didn't wear a kilt but that will likely change as it seems more in keeping with the environment.

[TatterDel]

I bought several old SCDS books on Ebay and they have the music and steps in them.... but I don't know where the nearest SCD group is. I found one up near Nashville but that's over an hour a way and with the gas prices I can't afford to drive that far.
I sure wish there was a group in Tullahoma, TN (or at least within a 30 minute drive).

[Alaskan Kilted Guy]

I admire you folks that enjoy dancing. I for one don't dance at all, as I feel very self conscious when I do. It has never been a fun event. Now, that being said, maybe dancing kilted would be a whole different matter.....I might have to give it a shot.

[Arlen]

I admire you folks that enjoy dancing. I for one don't dance at all, as I feel very self conscious when I do. It has never been a fun event. Now, that being said, maybe dancing kilted would be a whole different matter.....I might have to give it a shot.

Take it it from someone who recently got the heart-breaking comment at a wedding of 'Oh my god, you dance just like your dad!' Scottish country dancing can be really fun and help you to dance better.

For what it's worth, here are the two main things which helped me a lot.


1: There is a severe shortage of men. So the ladies are always very happy to have a gentleman to dance with and being so appreciated really helped me to start working on actually learning to dance well.


2: One of the secrets to dancing well in SCD is having strong legs and an ability to control your body.
It sounds odd, but doing martial arts really helps with this.


So, we can conclude by saying that SCD makes you a sought-after man and you have to be relatively manly to do it!

[davedove]

1: There is a severe shortage of men. So the ladies are always very happy to have a gentleman to dance with and being so appreciated really helped me to start working on actually learning to dance well.

I find that's true of most dances. I just started some ballroom dance classes and while my class seemed to somehow get the same number of men an d women, the class before us had about a third more women than men.

I think the problem is most men don't like to dance unless they know what they're doing. But, of course, if you don't try it you'll never learn.

So guys, if you have any inclination to try out any type of dancing, go for it. You will probably be very popular there.

I will have to try out SCD some day.

[Carolina Kiltman]

I admire you folks that enjoy dancing. I for one don't dance at all, as I feel very self conscious when I do. It has never been a fun event. Now, that being said, maybe dancing kilted would be a whole different matter.....I might have to give it a shot.

As an elderly coot (75) I have to admit that some of the more complicated steps are difficult, especially when arthritic joints complain, yet my bride and I are members and generally go to the weekly practices, and are part of the special occasion dances. Lots of fun, and nobody complains about my lack of skill. Some things I just cannot do well, the pas de basque, for instance, yet that isn't going to stop me from having fun! For those who have never seen HCD, I can only say that it is refined square dancing (which I understand is a child of it) So quit thinking that everybody is looking at you and jump right in! (We have a joking "other right hand" when one of the lefties reaches out)