Hornpipe-the dance

Subject: Hornpipe-the dance
From: ADeane
Date: 27 Jun 99 - 11:36 AM

Husband wants to dance the original Sailor's Hornpipe. Has anyone got/know where to find steps please? ADeane

Subject: RE: Hornpipe-the dance
From: PeteFletcher
Date: 28 Jun 99 - 03:02 AM

Hi,

I've got a feeling that the "Sailors Hornpipe" was a Victorian invention like many of our "traditions" and was never done by sailors as such. Doesn't stop you dancing it of course....

Peter.

Subject: RE: Hornpipe-the dance
From: Barry Finn
Date: 28 Jun 99 - 06:48 PM

Doerflinger says that sailors sung the song when there was no instrument on hand to accompany the sailors while dacing the sailor's hornpipe. I was in this past Sea Revels (Boston) & one of the teens did this dance, a nice job of it too. While partying aboard the Polish schooner, Zawisza Czarny, a few of the crew started in dancing this during the merryment but the most impressive display of this dance I've even seen was back over 20 years ago by a highland piper living in Boston, from somewhere in the Canadian Maritimes, Judy is all I remember of her name & maybe in her early 50's now but seeing her dance this would convince any that this dance belonged at sea. Barry

Subject: RE: Hornpipe-the dance
From: Fadac
Date: 28 Jun 99 - 06:55 PM

If you go to a Scottish games, you will find kids performing the Sailors Hornpipe. Every movment in the dance was a copy of a real movment as used on working sail.

Suggestion; Find your local Scottish Scocity. and ask them. I'm sure there are books on how to perform the dance.

It's fun to see these young (8-14) boys and girls dressed as 18century British sailors dancing away. This is one of my favorate things to watch at the Scottish games.

-Fadac

Subject: RE: Hornpipe-the dance
From:
Date: 01 Jul 99 - 08:35 PM

According to Mayhew's book (I have the part dealing with the criminal classes) the preferred dance of English sailors in mid-Victorian London was the polka. He describes a visit to one of the taverns/halls where they danced.

Subject: RE: Hornpipe-the dance
From: alison
Date: 01 Jul 99 - 09:07 PM

We used to do it like Fadac said.... you know pretending to pull ropes, climbing ladders, scanning the horizon etc...... and throw in some 1.2.3 type footwork.... (step, ball, change if I remember rightly).. probably not correct enough for any real dancers but it's what we used to do as kids in dance class.

slaine

alison