John's article (from 1981) does indeed talk about achieving a trance-like state after dancing for half an hour to one tune, as in past times. I suppose the nearest we'd get to that state in our society today is on the club scene, where - with or without the aid of some stimulant or other - people can dance continuously and work themselves up into such a frame of mind.

But perhaps not at a modern ceilidh.

John also talked yesterday (as he does in the 1981 article) about needing to play a tune hundreds of times so as to enable variations to be played. Only after a complete familiarity with a traditional tune - being steeped in it, as it were, can one develop variations. Interesting to note, in threads on very traditional sessions on this and other boards, how such playing of variations might be frowned on!

I still hold to my own personal view, which is that you should play how and what you feel in a style which is personal to you. Along the way you'll encounter people who disapprove and disagree with you, and you'll also meet congenial souls who share your perspective.