29 Sep
2008
29 Sep
'08
7:54 p.m.
Bob --
If I were you, I wouldn't do Sackett's Harbor as a triplet for a bunch of
10 year olds on Civil War Day.
(I'm assuming that these kids aren't experienced country/contra dancers.)
It's not a representative Civil War era dance - fairly representative
War of 1812 dance, and there are easier and more representative dances
of the era (more below).
The change of orientation (circle left 3/4) can be confusing for experienced
adults, and you don't get any benefit from it in triplet formation. (As a
triple minor, you have the benefit of it containing the contra corners so
there's no chance of grabbing people from outside your set; this makes it a
potentially good dance for introducing contra corners.)
I'd suggest Sicilian circles: Rustic Reel, Soldier's Joy, Haste to the Wedding
(all of them much closer to your historical period, documentable, and likelier
to succeed); some form of Virginia Reel and/or Opera Reel (as whole-set dances,
less likely to fall apart).
Directions on request.
-- Alan
Hi all,
I'm thinking of going to my son's school's Civil War day and teaching a
dance.
The idea of Sackett's Harbor is nice because it is relatively local (Upstate New
York)
and has the cool history from 1814?(dance used to be called Speed The Cable - google
it),
But I am leery of teaching a triple minor with contra corners as a progression dance.
I'm wondering if anyone out there has called this
dance as a tripLET, and fixed the
progression by having the 2's and 3's trade places while the ones go "across
the hall?"
If not, I will claim it as my own!! If so, I would like to know the name of the dance and
the
author, so credit can be righteously given.
Also, what do you think are the prospects of teaching
said dance to a group of 5th graders?
Finally, Sackett's Harbor has been called so many
times in our weekly dance of late that
I have taken to adding the following "flourish" when the involved dancers are
all experienced:
As an idle dancer during the contra corners part, Join in for stars of 3 when the active
is turning
the person across from me. (I could also do the 3 person star with the person behind me,
but
I haven't done it because I can't keep track of who's in that set and
don't want to confuse the
beginners) It really adds some zest to an otherwise ho-hum (no partner swing) dance.
Any comments?
For reference:
Sackett's Harbor:
Hands six circle 3/4 Left?(8)
Actives "down" the hall -really across the hall, and Rigadoon?(8)
(this is where I would have 2's and 3's trade places with allemande or sashay or
do-si-do)
Actives Turn alone come back and cast to
??? middle position (in original dance cast is with 2s, in triplet version it's with
3's) (8)
Contra corners (this is where I add my zest) (16)
Actives fall back to place (-)
Lines of 3 forward and back
Hands Six circle RIGHT (8)
In the triplet version, the 1's become 2's,
the 3's become 1's and the 2's become 3's.
In the original, the 1's stay 1's and the 2's and 3's trade back and
forth until the end of the set.
Bob
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Alan Winston --- WINSTON(a)SSRL.SLAC.STANFORD.EDU
Disclaimer: I speak only for myself, not SLAC or SSRL Phone: 650/926-3056
Paper mail to: SSRL -- SLAC BIN 99, 2575 Sand Hill Rd, Menlo Park CA 94025
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