What kind of dancing are you into?

Subject: RE: What kind of dancing are you into?
From: GUEST,.gargoyle
Date: 09 Sep 03 - 10:48 PM

AIN"T it KHEWL (to quote "the L-KAT"... how the MC has gone "retro" with all the exhausted past threads "coming to life?"...through various "unknown" GUESTS????

Thank You Klones

Sincerely,
Gargoyle

I think Max is looking to "sell" (cash-out) soon.

Subject: RE: What kind of dancing are you into?
From: Mr Red
Date: 09 Sep 03 - 05:21 PM

e-ceilidh (see http://www.netservs.com or join the e-mail service)
French (but never did get the Mazurka)
Cajun (but never did get Zydeco)

Subject: RE: What kind of dancing are you into?
From: Pied Piper
Date: 09 Sep 03 - 05:49 AM

Horizontal.
PP

Subject: RE: What kind of dancing are you into?
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 09 Sep 03 - 05:43 AM

What fun to see this old thread!
Since Oct 99 I've taken a break from morris dancing, and have rediscovered English country dancing (Playford style). My sweetie plays in a band so I don't get to dance with him much, but I love the elegant, flowing grace of the dances. I'll be going to the Strafford Ball in a month!

Subject: RE: What kind of dancing are you into?
From: fiddler
Date: 09 Sep 03 - 04:12 AM

Two penneth form me......

Any dancing is a symbiotic relationship between the band and the dancer. One can bounce off and enhance the performance of the other.

Appalachian is perhaps one of the key forms to note this - some 'Dancers' bang and bump so loud they might as well be acapella (no on second thoughts I take that back they should be shot) others work around the music and produce some cracking percussive sounds. Same for Irish.

There we go a good dancers feet are an instrument a bad dancers feet are like shaky eggs and should be destroyed unless used purely for their own pleasure rather than an instrument of torture for the rest of us.

Subject: RE: What kind of dancing are you into?
From: GUEST,Fylde
Date: 09 Sep 03 - 03:58 AM

Just seen this thread - June Burton asked about judging clog contests - the way I heard it is that in the local pub there was a chute from the street into the cellar to roll the barrels down. When not in use this was covered by a stout wooden platform. Cloggers would dance on this, and the judges would listen below in the cellar. This gave impartiality and some degree of intoxication I think.

At our local Festival some years age we revived the Lacashire and Cheshire style of clogging, which is danced off the toe - spectacular and very tiring.

Subject: RE: What kind of dancing are you into?
From: fat B****rd
Date: 09 Sep 03 - 02:52 AM

I learned the foxtrot, waltz and stumbling quick-step so we could go to a "penguin suit" do but apart from doing the "embarassing when other middle-aged people do it" stuff I'm a dance-hall jiver and proud of it.

Subject: RE: What kind of dancing are you into?
From: lady penelope
Date: 08 Sep 03 - 07:13 PM

i started off with tap and ballet classes, I enjoyed both but knew I was never going to be a succesful ballet dancer - too broad.
But when I stopped the ballet lessons the tap went too, which I really did miss. I can't play Arty Shaw and that without my feet starting to itch. At the moment I'm too heavy to get into any kind of tap ( oh me poor knees ) but I'm ( successfully ) working on that. If i loose enough weight I'm going to find some appalachian clog classes too!

Other than that I'll have a go at any kind of dance. I love belly dancing ,because it just lifts my spirits and it's really just for me. I would love to get Parker to do some kind of partner dance with me, but he don't do the "E" word (execise). I've done some cajun and would like to do more. I've love set dacing and barn dancing. I want to have a go at Rappa. I would also like a go at Hula.

I sing, play the trumpet badly and the penny whistle worse. Dancing to me is just another way of losing yourself to the music.

TTFN Lady P.

Subject: RE: What kind of dancing are you into?
From: fogie
Date: 08 Sep 03 - 12:23 PM

Slap dancing! thats what happens when I try it.

Subject: RE: What kind of dancing are you into?
From: GUEST,Philippa
Date: 07 Sep 03 - 04:17 PM

Hutzal mentioned a video of Ira Bernstein (which is also mentioned in a thread on clog dancing). Well, I haven't seen the video, but the man can dance! he dances several different styles of step/clog/tap dancing and he can talk about the background and characteristics of all of them, even just after having danced one with great energy. He also sings and he plays the fiddle and the fiddlesticks.

Subject: RE: What kind of dancing are you into?
From: alison
Date: 07 Jun 00 - 02:57 AM

Disco!!

and any of the Latin American stuff... rumba, samba, lambada... not much good at them.. but it's fun trying.... and the beat is fantastic....

slainte

alison

Subject: RE: What kind of dancing are you into?
From: GUEST,Baba
Date: 07 Jun 00 - 02:03 AM

I like to dance by the moonlight.

Also adore the ebullient thrill of Irish set dancing. Highly recommend it to those of you who don't have a musical instrument grafted to your body and "couldn't possible dance - someone has to play the music!"

Subject: RE: What kind of dancing are you into?
From: Mbo
Date: 06 Jun 00 - 11:51 PM

Good thought, Mark!

--Mbo

Subject: RE: What kind of dancing are you into?
From: Mark Clark
Date: 06 Jun 00 - 11:45 PM

I don't know if into is the right word, but any dance that calls for me to hold a woman close to me is okay in my book. (g)

      - Mark

Subject: RE: What kind of dancing are you into?
From: mactheturk
Date: 06 Jun 00 - 11:32 PM

Two universal truths:

#1. You can't listen to banjo music and be in a bad mood.

#2. It's impossible to play the washboard and not dance.

Mac

Subject: RE: What kind of dancing are you into?
From: Jacob B
Date: 06 Jun 00 - 05:19 PM

Hello, edwards. Click here to go to a site with listings of lots of places where you can go to learn the dances. Good luck.

I dance contras, squares, English, morris, rapper, longsword, clog, swing, and I'm one of a handful of people who are trying to revive the Eastern European Jewish dances that were done to Klezmer music. I also have taught most of those kinds of dancing.

Subject: RE: What kind of dancing are you into?
From:
Date: 06 Jun 00 - 02:00 PM

I would like to learn simple international folk dances. Including square dance, Virginia Reel, hihgland fling, Chinese pole dance, hat dance etc.

Subject: RE: What kind of dancing are you into?
From: Marion
Date: 02 Nov 99 - 01:28 PM

Loraine, I know of one instructional video for Irish stepdancing. It is called "Celtic Feet" and is by the male lead in "Riverdance: the New Show" (I believe is name is Colin Dunne). I can't give you a review of the tape, but can confirm its existence.

My friendly neighbourhood Blockbuster has Celtic Feet available to rent, so see if yours does too...

Good luck, Marion

Subject: RE: What kind of dancing are you into?
From: KathWestra
Date: 01 Nov 99 - 03:04 PM

One of my greatest memories is waltzing at Pinewoods Camp to the singing of Scottish singer Margaret Bennett. Thanks, June, for the reminder! (And I'd love to know more about the Danish tradition of dancing to ballad-singing.)
Animaterra -- Snow Ball? When? How do I find out more??? Kath

Subject: RE: What kind of dancing are you into?
From: June Burton
Date: 01 Nov 99 - 04:13 AM

I've tried and enjoyed many various types of dancing, but the only one I've found I can make a living at is Ballroom Dancing, so that is my day job. (Actually, I teach until 10 pm some nights!) I morris danced with the Castlewood Morris Women in Lexington Kentucky and loved it, haven't done much since moving to Houston as it is a bit hard on my knees these days. Also loved trying flamenco, but it is too percussive on the feet (have to make a living, you see.) Still love to clog, contra, square, international folk, etc. etc.

By the bye, did you know that in Denmark, they still dance to sung ballads? A very old tradition that is still sometimes seen in children's singing games in this country.

And when Cecil Sharpe came to the Appalachian Mountains, he found some communities where dancing was frowned upon (the Devil in the fiddle!) but dancing to singing, or "play-parties" as they called it, was acceptable. When I danced with the Berea College Country Dancers, we did an old version of set-running that was danced to the voices and the stamping of the feet and clapping hands of the dancers. "Killy kranky is my song..."

Not long ago, I was dancing late at night on the front porch of an old house at Winedale, to some fine fiddle, guitar, and banjo. I found myself thinking of my clogging as a rhythm instrument (my feet!) because it was too dark to see. That seemed to put more emphasis on the sound than the look or feel of the dance.

I've heard it said that in the English Clog-Dance Contests, the judges would sit under the stage and judge just by the sounds made by the dancers' feet. Any truth to that?

The folk-waltz is still my favorite, tho a waltz clog is also great fun!

Subject: RE: What kind of dancing are you into?
From: Lonesome EJ
Date: 01 Nov 99 - 02:17 AM

When I was 11 and my cousin Marilyn was 14, she taught me to do the Bop, and to Rock n Roll Swing. Still my favorites, although I wish I could Tap like Fred Astaire.

Subject: RE: What kind of dancing are you into?
From: Mudjack
Date: 01 Nov 99 - 01:21 AM

Watched nude dancnig a few times(my younger days) and wanted to try couch dancing but found out it was not for couch potatos and involved a partner I think my wife might have serious objections to. Mudjack

Subject: RE: What kind of dancing are you into?
From: Loraine
Date: 01 Nov 99 - 01:02 AM

Hutzul- I took your advice and did a "clog" search and found quite a few instructional videos on the www.clog.org website. It just so happens that "clog" is a Gaelic word meaning "time", i.e. to dance in time. Thanks for the tip! I also found a website for Walkley Clogs- traditional English clogs (shoes) with wooden soles, either "shod" with rubber soles or just the bare wood. They even had a pair of dance clogs. Beautiful shoes! I wear clogs (strange coinsidence, eh?), not as nice as the Walkley brand however, but my favourate pair has wooden heels and I love them! They make a wonderful sound. For other clog (shoes) fans, their URL is: www.scoot.co.uk/walkley_clogs Maybe once I've gotten the hang of clogging I can buy me a pair of those fancy shmancy clogs to clog in. My dad always thought the better the quality and cost of the harmonica, the better he'd sound (ha!). Maybe his rationale works for clogging too.

Subject: RE: What kind of dancing are you into?
From: TonyK
Date: 31 Oct 99 - 11:42 PM

I love to Waltz and Contra and have even begun calling some dances here in N.E. Pa. I had an awful time learning to waltz, especially with my wife. We are both first born and tend to want to run things. I got the best lesson from one of my good male friends and from that experience can say that a man who waltzes well is handy indeed.

Subject: RE: What kind of dancing are you into?
From: lloyd61
Date: 31 Oct 99 - 09:51 PM

There is nothing like a Cajun Waltz.

Subject: RE: What kind of dancing are you into?
From: Hutzul
Date: 31 Oct 99 - 03:22 AM

Oh, I forget to include

For the 'catter in Northern Illinois, try contacting the Old Time School of Folk Music in Chicago and Fox Valley Folklore Society in Warrenville or a close western suburb for info an local dancing.

Subject: RE: What kind of dancing are you into?
From: Hutzul
Date: 31 Oct 99 - 03:17 AM

1. There are several videos available on clogging. Try "clogging" on your search engine (I used Yahoo). It will take you the the clog home page as well as several other types of folk dancing. A great video is available from Ira Bernstein? He's listed on the above pages.

Personally, I love to clog but my best efforts are while I am seated. I can really fly then.

My husband and I have both been involved for many years in Ukrainian folk dancing, including a semi-pro (lots of love with no money to individual dancers) performing group called "Ukraina" based in Chicago.

Subject: RE: What kind of dancing are you into?
From: roopoo
Date: 31 Oct 99 - 02:59 AM

Have done mainly NW Morris since the early 80s, touching along the journey Cotswold, Border and Plough Stot dances. I am very familiar with Castleford Longsword, as my side, Terpsichore, have several husbands who are members of it, and one of them also dances with us! I enjoy a bit of ceilidh dancing, failed miserably at clog-step and recently, for the short time it ran in our village, joined a jazz-dance class which also did a bit of cheer-leading! They didn't like my idea that we should do the routine for the local primary school sports! Let me say that the youngest of us was old enough to have children at the school, and mine have long left! I have no inhibitions at times, but then I do go around with the musicians of the Whitby Scratch Morris!

I hope Loraine is right about passing it on to your kids. My son tried Cotswold when he was a small boy, but didn't really like it, and couldn't keep with the music. To his eternal shame we have him on video. My older daughter danced with us until she found it too embarrassing at about 14 years old, but she did have 7 years dancing. My younger daughter has been doing it for about 4 years and is just entering that dangerous age: early teens. She will not dance anywhere she thinks anybody who knows her will be. Kids can be very cruel. It's such a tragedy when your own culture is rejected by the young, because if they ever want to discover it in later years, it may not be there! I don't know what it is about England. Most other countries seem proud of their traditions. We (as a whole)seem only to want what is fed us by commercialism. On Hallowe'en, isn't it strange to think that the most pursued activity tonight will be one imported (like line dancing) from across the Atlantic? It may have its roots in Mischief Night and the like, but the other traditions such as Soul Caking are now mainly done by a faithful few. I hope somebody will tell me that it isn't so!

As I am losing the thread, I'm going.

mouldy

Subject: RE: What kind of dancing are you into?
From: Loraine
Date: 31 Oct 99 - 02:19 AM

I regret that I never learned how to clog from my grandmother. When she and her brother were younger they were clog dancing champions. Unfortunately, she was always sick as I and my sister and brother were growing up, and most often bed-ridden and didn't have the strength to teach us. Those of you who do know how to dance, particularly country dancing and folk dancing, pass it on to your kids. They may think it's nerdy now, but they'll love you for it and appreciate it as the get older. Heritage is so important.

Does anyone know if they have an instructional video tape on country dancing, clog, or Irish/Scotish step dancing?

Subject: RE: What kind of dancing are you into?
From: Alice
Date: 30 Oct 99 - 12:43 PM

SeanM, check out the local ballroom dance classes at your nearest campus. The ladies in the class will love you for it, and you will never regret learning the skill. -alice

Subject: RE: What kind of dancing are you into?
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 30 Oct 99 - 08:56 AM

Kath, will you be coming to the Snow Ball in Peterborough? Let us know via the Mudcat- that goes for anyone else who will be coming! We'll give a hearty welcome then
I love to contra, swing, waltz- esp with a good partner. I morris as much for the music and companionship as for the opportunity to bash sticks and jingle bells.
I also love to dance all alone, late at night, as the music and the spirit moves me!
Allison-smiling-mysteriously

Subject: RE: What kind of dancing are you into?
From: Herge
Date: 30 Oct 99 - 07:23 AM

Cajun dancing id hard to beat!

Herge

Subject: RE: What kind of dancing are you into?
From: SeanM
Date: 29 Oct 99 - 11:45 PM

I feel so left out...

As a charter member of the "Younger Generation tm", and especially having especially... ummm... broad tastes, I can vouch for dancing at least 4 variations on "Slam Dancing", a few variations on the "Gothic 'my life is miserable' crawl, and FAAAAAR too many variants on the classic "White Boy Two-Step".

Do these count?

;^)

M

Subject: RE: What kind of dancing are you into?
From: KathWestra
Date: 29 Oct 99 - 05:16 PM

Lucius -- Have never danced in Peterborough, but have known Bob McQuillen and his music for many years. His waltzes are the best. Have danced many times in Concord, MA at the Scout House, and at Brattleboro Dawn Dances, and in central Mass. once or twice. But mostly here in the Washington, DC, area where I live. (Sunday afternoon waltzes in the Spanish Ballroom at Glen Echo Park are terrific -- come down sometime.) And Alice, you're Soooooo right. A guy who knows how to waltz is a babe magnet indeed! Kath

Subject: RE: What kind of dancing are you into?
From: Cap't Bob
Date: 29 Oct 99 - 03:21 PM

I can't believe that Spaw has not made a comment on this one!

Subject: RE: What kind of dancing are you into?
From: Alice
Date: 29 Oct 99 - 03:12 PM

I remember when I took the Flamenco class (which was great), I kept having to struggle against all the modern hula that my body had memorized. I looked up at the mirror and saw a big "aloha" smile on my face and heard the teacher saying, Alice!! Stern! You have to look stern! Well, the attitude of flamenco is more like the warlike Maori than the sweet come-hither hula. It definitely took an attitude adjustment to get more aggressive for the flamenco. It is interesting how each type of dance has a mental and emotional attitude that goes with it. From flamenco, I went to tango, and after dancing solo styles, it was hard to get into the liquid surrender of following a partner in tango. It is definitely an amazing dance form, though. I loved the movie The Tango Lesson. Anyone else see that film?

Subject: RE: What kind of dancing are you into?
From: Danielriverwind
Date: 29 Oct 99 - 03:11 PM

Depends on whether ot not I've bathed that week

Subject: RE: What kind of dancing are you into?
From: Rana
Date: 29 Oct 99 - 12:40 PM

Why has line-dancing become so popular in England?

People think they're joining a queue.

Rana

BTW. With ref. to Hokey Pokey, I recall Country Joe MacDonald at a concert at Reading U. in the early '70s singing it as the encore and getting the whole audience to join in.

Subject: RE: What kind of dancing are you into?
From: Gypsy V
Date: 29 Oct 99 - 12:31 PM

I would KILL (almost literally)to find a contra dance or ceili (Can't spell that worth a tinker's d*) around me. Northern Illinois, above Chicago, seems devoid of public dancing. Bleh! I used to contra dance all the time back "home" in New York state. A little tap, jazz, enough ballet to cause problems. I'm in Irish step classes for adults now, hard and soft shoe. I'm finding hard shoe Irish is an AWEFUL lot like tap... but the arms have been changed to protect the innocent. That's the formal stuff. I wouldn't mind learning belly dancing just for fun. I'm a singing musician first, but dancing is such a great way to get your energy flowing (and a better work-out than Tae-Bo :D )

Subject: RE: What kind of dancing are you into?
From: Mían
Date: 29 Oct 99 - 12:04 PM

Ballet for 8 years before my toes gave out, alas. I enjoy a good branle, morris, medieval/ren dance in general. Love Irish set dancing - there's nothing like being gripped around the waist & being twirled so your feet leave the ground! Well. maybe there are is...also love a waltz or two or three.

Subject: RE: What kind of dancing are you into?
From: MMario
Date: 29 Oct 99 - 12:04 PM

I watch

Subject: RE: What kind of dancing are you into?
From: Alice
Date: 29 Oct 99 - 12:01 PM

Kath, I'll second that on waltzing. Too bad most guys don't learn how, because being able to waltz is a real "babe magnet".

Subject: RE: What kind of dancing are you into?
From: Bert
Date: 29 Oct 99 - 11:57 AM

I started off in England doing 'Old Time Dancing', then I did some English Country with the EFDSS. Then I found real American Square Dancing which is nothing at all like what the EFDSS call American Square Dancing.

Met my first wife and did International Folk Dancing with SIFD for some years.

I got back into American Square Dancing when I first came over here but kinda dropped out. It got too cliquish. Haven't done any lately.

Bert.

Subject: RE: What kind of dancing are you into?
From: Bob Jovi
Date: 29 Oct 99 - 11:49 AM

Ok KathWestra, so you like to waltz to Bob McQuillen tunes. Is this with him playing the tunes, or not? In other words, do you waltz in the Peterborough area?

Its great to see so much Morris in this thread, I remember other threads where it was--let's say--not afforded much respect. I dance on one Cotswold team and play for another (electric guitar, no less). I also have done NorthWest and Longsword. I seem to do more Contra and less English and Scottish Country Dancing than I like.

Lucius

Subject: RE: What kind of dancing are you into?
From: bbc
Date: 29 Oct 99 - 11:24 AM

I did international-style ballroom dancing for 6 years (when I had a partner) & loved it. We also did round dancing, which is a kind of cued ballroom dancing, often done in conjuction w/ square dancing. I have done club level square dancing, as well. Used to do Jackie Sorensen aerobic dance. Currently, I am doing no dancing at all. Blah.

bbc

Subject: RE: What kind of dancing are you into?
From: KathWestra
Date: 29 Oct 99 - 10:40 AM

I love contras and English country dance -- contras for the exhileration, English for the grace (and the graceful tunes). And I LOVE to waltz, particularly to tunes by Bob McQuillen. Waltzing with a man who knows how is the most deliriously wonderful dance experience I can imagine. Kath

Subject: RE: What kind of dancing are you into?
From: Ringer
Date: 29 Oct 99 - 09:32 AM

Patrish: Many thanks for the offer, and please don't think me ungrateful, but I'm afraid a book of tunes wouldn't be of much use to me. Also, histories, etc, aren't my thing, either - for me, the enjoyment's in the dancing not the history.

Having said that, I remember once (20 years ago?) coming across a description (in a book, not a magazine artice) by someone who accompanied him of a visit Cecil Sharpe made to Longborough when collecting Morris dances (I used to dance the Morris, Cotswold & NW clog, in a previous existence). As I recall, the dancers thought they had half a dozen different dances, but there was only one dance to half a dozen different tunes. Can anyone place this reference? I seem to recall that C# was referred to as "The Director".

Subject: RE: What kind of dancing are you into?
From: JedMarum
Date: 29 Oct 99 - 09:13 AM

I can't dance - don't ask me.

Subject: RE: What kind of dancing are you into?
From: Rana
Date: 29 Oct 99 - 08:43 AM

Hi,

Somehow I got into Morris when I moved to London, Ontario (from Vancouver) in 1986. I joined Greenfiddle Morris in Toronto in 1989. Owlkat, you must have joined TFMM (Toronto Morris Men) - wonder if we ever met at a London/Toronto ale.

Rana

Subject: RE: What kind of dancing are you into?
From: Fadac
Date: 29 Oct 99 - 07:36 AM

I like the Mudcat dance, the Hokey Pokey.

-Fadac