dance questions

Subject: dance questions
From: Pinetop Slim
Date: 19 Mar 00 - 08:17 AM

I recently came across sheet music for "Sonny's Mazurka," but it came without any indication of the tempo. Alas, I've never seen anyone dance a mazurka. Could someone help me get up -- or down, as the case may be -- to speed on it?
Also have been curious about the dances or bowing rituals that go with Shaker tunes like "Bow and Be Simple" and "Come Life, Shaker Life." Can anyone describe them or refer me to a video or place where they are performed?
Is there anything in the way of a "Dummy's Guide to Folk Dances" that might answer these or other questions like: what's a slide? What's a schottische?

Subject: RE: dance questions
From: Wavestar
Date: 19 Mar 00 - 10:17 AM

Best way in the world to find the answers to your questions, even if it's not the most practical... Got to NEFFA! If someone knows about the dance you want, they'll be there...

-J

Subject: RE: dance questions
From: Jeri
Date: 19 Mar 00 - 10:35 AM

Mark - we play the tune in our session. There's a MIDI here. I think it should go a bit faster. (Sounds to me like it should be similar to a perky waltz, but I've never seen anyone dance to it.) In my music program, it was set at 120, and I sped it up to 140. If you'd like me to send the altered MIDI, e-mail me.

Subject: RE: dance questions
From: wysiwyg
Date: 19 Mar 00 - 10:39 AM

Mark, try the Fiddlers' Fakebook-- good stuff on your questions.

Subject: RE: dance questions
From: M. Ted (inactive)
Date: 19 Mar 00 - 05:28 PM

A Mazurka should be at a moderate tempo--the dance has some big moves in it, so it has a very full and billowy kind of feel, which you are compromise if the you play it too fast--120 or even a bit less--also, the Mazurka has a feel that is not a waltz feel, the accented beat is the third beat, not the first, as in a waltz--

In order to get the real feel, you should hear it played by someone who plays for dancers--if you are ever in the Philadelphia area, there is no one better that accordianist John Matulis, who is a master at most folkdances, and particularly Polish, Ukrainian, Russian--I believe he goes to NEFFA on occasion--

As to the Shaker stuff--I am not aware of any Shaker instrumental traditions, but I am very familiar with their dancing, having performed with Westwind, whose "Shaker Service" is the only performance of this religious ritual ever authorized by the Shakers--

The Shakers did not really dance, the music was used for a charismatic type ritual in which begins with the song sung slowly and which gradually becomes faster as various participants are possessed by the holy spirit--

There are a number of shaker hymnals, the lyrics to te hymns being original to the shakers, but the melodies were typically derived from English hymns and dances--a typical feature of a shaker melody is that it features an A and B part, which can generally be sung simultanieous for counterpoint, or offset for the effect of a round--

Subject: RE: dance questions
From: Pinetop Slim
Date: 19 Mar 00 - 08:24 PM

Thanks so much: Wavestar, will look into NEFFA. Praise, FF goes onto my wish list. Jeri, the midi was a huge help -- and your session must be a great one. M.Ted, any videos available of your dance group performing the Shaker numbers? Might there be any movies showing the sweeping movements of the mazurka?

Subject: RE: dance questions
From: Sorcha
Date: 19 Mar 00 - 09:21 PM

I think I have the choreographed steps in a book by Ira Ford. I am too sleepy to post them tonite, but will look tomorrow. Also tempos, etc.

Subject: RE: dance questions
From: M. Ted (inactive)
Date: 19 Mar 00 - 10:40 PM

I'll see if I can dig up my Westwind links and my Polish links tomorrow--there was a discussion a month or so back about Polish dances--but don't remember the threadname-- I don't know if they have done the suite lately--I do remember that there were records and tapes of it available at one time, that is if you remember what a record is--

Subject: RE: dance questions
From: Hardiman the Fiddler
Date: 20 Mar 00 - 12:18 AM

I enjoy Sonny's Mazurka too!

I used to play it more up tempo, but lately I've been enjoying it at a little slower speed. I don't know what the typical tempo is for a Mazurka, but I heard some of them played a break-neck speed, and some played as a more stately dance. To me, Sonny's Mazurka has a dream-like quality to it, I think that's why I've enjoyed a little slower.

I use the fiddler's fake book quite a bit, and have found it to be a really valuable resource. It doesn't have everything, but it will keep you busy for a couple of years! Hardiman

Subject: What's a schottische
From: GUEST,guest, leeneia
Date: 20 Mar 00 - 12:18 AM

Long ago in this thread, the someone asked "what's a schottische?" A schottische is a dance in 2/4 time. Your feet go:

one (step) two three hop one two three hop one hop, two hop, three hop, four hop.

While your feet are doing that, you make bigger dance moves such as going forward, going backward, changing places with other couples, whatever, as explained by the caller.

The word schottische is German for Scottish. Strangly enough, I have never heard of a Scot doing a schottische, though perhaps they do it and don't want it bruited about.

Subject: RE: dance questions
From: alison
Date: 20 Mar 00 - 12:23 AM

A slide is a fast jig.. usually done in 12/8 time.

slainte

alison

Subject: RE: dance questions
From: Sorcha
Date: 20 Mar 00 - 09:18 AM

Mazurka Steps:
In 3/4 time, consists of 6 steps, on the last of which a half turn is made.
From Third position, do the first step of the Polka
Do the 2nd step of the Polka
Slide the left foot back to the side of the right leg, the toe being pointed downwards and off the floor, then hop on the right foot.
4th, 5th, and 6th Steps are a Polka half round. The first three steps should be take sidewasy, partners facing each other.
And I am not a dancer so don't ask me what 3rd position is!*BG* But I could find the Polka steps!

Subject: RE: dance questions
From: Jacob B
Date: 20 Mar 00 - 09:38 AM

Whether or not you can go to NEFFA, go the the N EFFA Linkfest. There are over 2400 links, including descriptions of the dances, organizations that will sell you recordings of the dance music and books through the mail, and (probably) groups that do the dances in your area.