The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #76097   Message #1345659
Posted By: clueless don
02-Dec-04 - 03:51 PM
Thread Name: Barn Dances - Country Dances
Subject: RE: Barn Dances - Country Dances
This is probably off-topic as regards the original question, but there is a body of tunes in the Irish tradition called "Barndances" or "Barn Dances". They are also sometimes called "Germans" - I recall one source stating that this is because they derive from "German Schottisches" (as opposed to "Highland Schottisches", which are reportedly the source for the Irish tunes variously called "Highlands", "Flings", or "Highland Flings".)

Back in the '80's My Irish dance teacher taught us a couples dance called "The Barn Dance". This consisted of a short series of dance movements, which when completed were then repeated (and repeated, and repeated ... well past the point of boredom!) I presume that this dance was meant to be danced to the Irish tunes called Barn Dances. This dance was part of a number of couples dances - such as the Stack of Barley, the Corn Rigs, The Gay Gordon(s), Shoe the Donkey, etc. - that were done at Ceilis (I can only speak for Ceilis in the Baltimore MD/Washington DC area of the USA.)

Don