The Ghillies Gazette - Winter 2003
The President's Pen
The year 2002 was a good year for ASCDS. We have all had the opportunity to
dance a lot at class, socials, workshops, demos and balls throughout the year.
This had been available to us by the concerted efforts of our wonderful teachers
and a few dedicated volunteers who help put these events on. My hat is off
to you all!
The 2002 St Andrews Ball went off with a few hitches, but overall it was a
resounding success. John Taylor saved the day with his brilliant playing
with a little (very little) help from his buddy, Max
(he looked good,though). The ball made a profit, the new hall was an acoustical improvement,
and the dancers had a great time.
The ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING for ASCDS will be held February 11, 2002 at
7:00PM at QuickSilver. All ASCDS members are urged to attend as we will have
some important business to talk about. There will be election of officers,
officer and committee reports for 2002 and a discussion of the 2003 ball.
This is the FUTURE of ASCDS so your input is important! PLEASE COME!
Cynde Jennings, President
Demo Team News
The Demo team did a great job at the Austin Celtic Festival on November 3, 2002.
For the first time ever at that event we had a good stage, which was covered
and even had transparent walls. Sound man was very helpful, Torf had done his
usual excellent job of preparing music for us, and Jorgen, Jane, Daniel, Diane,
Wade, Andrea, Shelley, Bill, Rosemary and Sarah danced. We introduced our
"Big Medley II" which we enjoyed and it was well received.
Trail of Lights was another fun dance experience. And this year it was
WARM-about the warmest on living memory of dancing for Trail of Lights. We
danced basically the same program as was danced for the Austin Celtic
Association, but with the addition of Mike Donwer's joining us to dance McNeil
of Barra and a sword dance. Dancing for this event were Jorgen, Cynde, Nathan,
Christina, Ward, Amanda, Gallowa, Jane, Wade, Diane, Jamie, Rosemary Shelley
and Sarah. Again, Torf had provided good music for us.
Thanks to everyone, and there were many, who danced at Pioneer Farm. All the
dancers as well as the people who came to visit the barn had a good time. As
usual we enjoyed the music by by Elizabeth Pittman and friends.
Demo Team Schedule
Upcoming event for the demo team is dancing for the Burns Supper in Kerrville.
Sarah
Announcements
Welcome to our new members for 2003!
The new adult dancers are: Lori Driggins, Eva Stewart. Jack Stewart,
Susan Clonts, Dave Robbins, Jill Robins, and John Clonts,
and the new teens are: Mercy Barney, Amanda Barney, Alice Lloyd, and Elizabeth Doyle.
Dance Socials
The January Social will be January 24 at 7:30PM at the Ballroom in the Sky.
The Post Valentine's Day Social will be February 16 at 3:00PM at the Ballroom in the Sky.
The March Social will be March 14 at 7:30PM at the Ballroom in the Sky.
Dances of the Month
- January
- Level 1c - No Dance of the Month in January
- Levels 2&3 - Pinewoods Reel
- February
- March
Cross by the Right Hand (an Analysis)
The simplest Figure in Scottish Country Dancing is probably "Cross with the
Right Hand." Let us take this figure apart, analyze it, and reassemble the
parts so we can all dance it better.
The set in Figure 1 is made up of four women (squares) and four men (circles)
standing in lines facing each other with the top of the set towards the left
of the figure. The couples are numbered 1, 2, 3, 4 as shown. The center of the
set between couple 1 is the point C1, between couple 2 is C2, etc. The object
of crossing is for the people involved to change places. For example if couple
1 is crossing, the first man will go to the position of the first woman and
the first woman will occupy the position of the first man. They cannot dance
straight across the dance and crash
into each other - the smaller one would suffer. They therefore must dance along
a polygonal line or a curved path to avoid the other. A curve is preferred to
a series of straight lines. Crossing by the RIGHT hand tells the dancers the
general shape of curve each will dance. In this case the curvature is to the
right. It could be a circle, parabola, hyperbola or any other well-defined or
random curve. The preferred track of each dancer is an elliptical curve because
it starts and stops correctly with the minimum change in direction and minimum
interference with other dancers.
Execution of the Figure
In figure 1 couples 1, 2, and 3 are crossing by the right hand. Each dancer
will dance along half of an ellipse into the position of his partner and stop
there facing his partner, dancing forward all the time without making
unnecessary changes in direction. The major axis of the ellipse passes through
the center C between the dancers and is tilted slightly to the left. The dancers
move along the curve taking hands at the point C. The hands stay at this point
as each dancer helps his partner, coordinating their paths until they pass. The
dancers let go of the partner's hand and follow the ellipse slightly outside the
set, slowing down around the apex, curving into the partner's place where he
comes to a complete stop.
The elliptical track allows the three couples to cross over using identical path
without interfering with each other, each finishing facing the right way without
a pivot turn or backing into place.
Right Hands Across Half Way
Couples 1 and 2 in Figure 2 are to dance Right hands across half way. The first
man and second lady are to change places while their partners change places. The
two are, in effect, changing places so should travel on the elliptical track as
before.
The first man and second woman dance along their ellipse taking hands at center
C, while the first woman and second man do the same. The ellipses are very flat
when the change is done in two bars such as in De'il Amang the Tailors. It
becomes more round when four bars are used. You will notice the two ellipses are
of different shape as the major axes are at different angles to the centerline
of the set.
Any time a dancer dances out to the sidelines and stops he should move along a
path similar to the end of the ellipse where he is dancing forward at all times.
Torf
News from Around the State
Dallas
We are delighted to report an increased interested among the local musicians
in playing for the dancers. The more live music we can incorporate, the better
the outcome, and the more fun for everyone.
We have had a very busy holiday season, including the First Annual DFW Hogmanay
Celebration at White Rock Lake. It was a smash success and we are already
planning for next year. All Scots and kilt-o-philes welcome!
Our demo season does not appear to be slowing down any. I'm having to turn down
gigs because the dancers are busy elsewhere. The word must be getting out. This
is especially gratifying as it is a way to raise Scottish consciousness in the
DFW area.
The DSCD.org website will be undergoing major revisions (as soon as I can get
around to it) to more accurately reflect the explosive growth of Scottish sites
on the Web. We have some great resources now that did not exist when I started
this project.
Tuesday night class will be focusing on the Certificate dances for awhile as I
prepare to take my full cert exam next July. Sunday class has been enjoying
guest appearances from Jack Raines and other areas teachers, focusing on
footwork and technique. We have a number of new dancers.
And, for the first time, the Dallas County Community College District will be
offering SCDing as a credit course in the Continuing Education program at
Eastfield College. Call the College for details and more information.
Houston
Jan. 14, 2003 is the fifth anniversary of Scottish Country Dancing and More!
Also see: 2002: The Year in Review.
We had 91 participants during 2002, live music on 16 occasions, parties/theme
evenings 16 times, demos 7 times, 5 group outings - and we danced 194 dances
505 times!!!
We dance Wednesdays, 7 to 10 p.m.
NEW DANCERS WELCOME - NO PARTNERS NEEDED - NO PRIOR EXPERIENCE NEEDED
Families welcome (children must be accompanied by parent/ guardian),
$5 for those 14 and over; $2.50 those under 14.
Location: Oddfellows Hall, 115 E. 14th St. (Heights), Houston, Texas
website: http://home.att.net/~diannashipman.
Dianna Shipman: 713-522-1212,
and to subscribe to the email newsletter: diannashipman@att.net.
San Antonio
The San Antonio Bluebonnet Scottish Country Dancers are holding their
Annual Ball
on Saturday, April 5 at
The International Folk Cultural Center,Our Lady of the Lake University
Grand March at 7:30 pm;
Events
Current and upcoming events are listed in the ASCDS Calendar.
If you have events you want publicized, send them in an e-mail to Roger LaPrelle.
The Austin SCD E-mail Group
If you want to send an announcement to the AustinSCD eGroup, email the
message to AustinSCD@yahoogroups.com
as if you are addressing the entire group. The message will be sent, exactly
as it appears, to everyone in the eGroup, if it is approved by the moderator
(Tim Harrison). Most messages are approved.
You can join the eGroup to receive email message announcements of interest to
SCDers in the Austin area by sending an email message to
AustinSCD-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
from the email address at which you want to receive announcements.
The Ghillies Gazette
Copyright ©2003 Austin Scottish Country Dance Society.
All rights reserved.
All submissions are subject to editing for length and
content.
Permission is granted for other nonprofit organizations to reprint articles
appearing in this newsletter with credit to the appropriate author(s) and
The Ghillies Gazette, Austin Scottish Country Dance Society (ASCDS), Austin,
Texas, USA.
The Ghillies Gazette is e-mailed to students enrolled in ASCDS sponsored dance
classed, SCD teachers, SCD organization contacts in Texas, and newsletter
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please contact Roger LaPrelle.