[SCA-Dance] Theme and Variations

[billqs at aol.com]

I agree with much Thyra has posted. Back when I was active I felt like the best way to improve accuracy- dance more period dances, and dance them in a more period fashion was to train the people that train the dancers- the local dance masters and mistresses. It has often happened unofficially this way, as it is natural that more dance instructors make the a large amount of the dancers who spend most/all their time at dance events at places like Pennsic, Gulf Wars etc.


After all, little is to be gained being negative toward the casual dancer who really only knows what they've been taught. Focusing on the positive and getting a "training regimen" for local dance ministers is a great way to impact change to the most dancers. Also, it never hurts to have a pow wow with your set if you have dancers from different places. I remember one Pennsic where our 3 couple Whirligig had dancers from 4 different kingdoms. I suggested we quickly discuss how we would do the dance, being told that "we could just pick it up as we went along" and then hilarity ensued (though it wasn't funny at the time.)


Just my two antique shillings


Wm Redcape



-----Original Message-----
From: Thyra Eiriksdottir <thyra.edottir at gmail.com>
To: sca-dance <sca-dance at sca-dance.org>
Sent: Thu, Apr 6, 2017 9:51 am
Subject: Re: [SCA-Dance] Theme and Variations

I've had similar thoughts, and concur that there is no final solution tothe conundrum.The more we agree on dances, the more we dance them together, which is allto the good. I think that is slightly more important than having the rightreconstruction, frankly.But, variations can lead to new insights, and the "common" way of dancingthings can slowly change towards being more accurate. But it has to happenin a way that keeps everyone having fun out on the floor. Eventually, as wefigure out how to make the historically accurate more accessible, it comesinto more common use.  That's the way it's generally worked throughout allparts of the SCA, I think.I do think we should be researching and sharing our ideas and trying toimprove our accuracy. I don't think we should be focusing on what we thinkis "wrong," and focusing on eliminating it, as that directs the emphasistoward the negative rather than the positive.  (I don't think you weresuggesting that, Danielis, I'm stating it in general.)Interestingly, while mostly Italian dances were on my mind while writingthis, I just had an experience where I nearly wrecked a Jenny Pluck Pearsset at Gulf Wars, because most of the dancers had a regional variation andI didn't even pay attention to what they were saying, because I Knew ThisOne. It was fascinating to at least go back to the source and see where thevariation had come from (I don't agree with it, but it was logical). And wegot through the dance anyway, and chatted about it afterward, and it was apositive experience. It did make me feel a bit like someone from adifferent culture visiting a foreign land, in a good way.Thyra​________________________________________________________________To send mail to the entire list, be sure sca-dance at sca-dance.org is listedin the To line of any response.To Unsubscribe send mail to: sca-dance-request at sca-dance.orgPosting guidlines on the list info page: https://lists.andrew.cmu.edu/mailman/listinfo/sca-dance________________________________________________________________