RE: your first message greg, yes - I accept that I overreacted given the fact that she was writing in the 1950s, or even the 1940s if you accept that books take some time to come to press. Most of the current dances (most, not all) are a product of 'revival'. Having said that, some of the revival started earlier than the publication date so she should have taken that into account if she had actually researched it properly. Also, as I said, the clogging was an unbroken tradition and was quite strong in some areas in pre-WWII.

Also, my reading of the quote - which may well be incorrect and out of context - is that she is suggesting that there has never been a dance tradition. Not true, although it is true to say that the dominant musical expression in Wales is song.

Re:the second message, many of the songs, particularly the political protest songs of the 1970s into the 1980s indeed called on tunes from many places, including Ireland, Scotland and the USA. However, the 18th century tune book which I mentioned has a doctoral thesis backing it up and - yes - some tunes are of English origin (and elsewhere) but there are also tunes which might be considered English (or otherwise) but were, indeed, Welsh in origin. Also, without going deeply in the whole ethnomusicology thing, there are many many tunes which have the Welsh 'musical DNA'. (feminine line ends, tune compass, metres, etc)

Capt B, in actual fact the Patagonia Welsh are, unfortunately, the last community likely to have taken the dance traditions with them, as there was a heavy religious motivation in that initiative (and led by a minister). Having said that, I think dancing is enjoying a bit of a revival there are present, linked with revival of the language. As a matter of fact, I was at a fund-raiser for the Welsh school in Patagonia last night ...

sian