[Ansteorra] iso european dancers ??

Tue Feb 14 14:17:14 PST 2012

Is there also, perhaps, an issue with the availability of music? I would also like to pint at the lack of "individualisation" currently available in EuroDance. We teach dancers some basic steps, and then focus on existing choreographies; whereas -- IIRC -- ME dance teaches "moves" and then allows for a great deal of room for personal interpretation. Perhaps we should shift the way that wester dances are taught and thought about.

I had a very interesting discussion with one about the idea of swapping music for certain dances (to make things more interesting for the musicians -- after three passes of something, we are usually ready for something else), and I saw a fair amount of resistance to this idea. Perhaps we should focus less on the reconstruction of period art and more on the creation of new art in period style and aesthetic.

-- AS Zorzi

On Feb 14, 2012, at 15:58, Thomas Smith <attewoode at gmail.com> wrote:

> M'lord,
> 
> I can't say for sure why there is such popularity for middle eastern
> dance and not european, but I seriously doubt cost is a primary
> concern.  While many european dancers may like to dress up,
> particularly if they are dancing somewhere where there will be an
> audience, it is not a requirement by any means.
> 
> Perhaps it has to do with the nature of the dances themselves.  The
> vast majority of european dances call for couples (typically
> male-female), and often a specific number of couples.  Learning these
> dances therefore requires a certain minimum number of participants to
> show up, and it is not always easy to ensure a quorum.  Also, there
> tends to be more interest in dancing among women than men, so men tend
> to be in short supply.
> 
> On the other hand, with middle eastern dance a lady may practice on
> her own, and dance alone or with any number of her friends.
> 
> On Tue, Feb 14, 2012 at 1:04 PM, Ld.blackmoon <ld.blackmoon at cox.net> wrote:
>> greetings
>> 
>> ahh, ok, thank you .
>> it sounds like most of the European dancers live in the south of ansteorra.(
>> at least from the responses so far )
>> and since there is no kingdom European dance competition, I have to assume
>> that there is much less interest in that than there is in middle eastern
>> dancing , for which there is a kingdom championship / title .
>> are there any thoughts as to why this would be so ?
>> is it based on what time and place your persona lived , so that others feel
>> they can't participate without the " proper garb ?
>> is it very hard to learn such courtly graces ?? ( especially if you were
>> born with no rhythm and two left feet ? )
>> is it the " shameful " public strutting between lord and lady ??
>> 
>> or perhaps on how to gather new participants??
>> I know the few times i've seen European dances, all the dancers were dressed
>> in what looked like very expensive garb, is there a cost barrier ?
>> 
>> anyway , just an opinionated old fart sticking his nose into something new ;
>> )
>> thanks again
>> Be Safe , Be Happy, Have Fun .
>> Arthur
>> 
>> ----- Original Message ----- From: <myfanwy at pug.net>
>> To: "Kingdom of Ansteorra - SCA, Inc." <ansteorra at lists.ansteorra.org>
>> Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2012 8:30 AM
>> Subject: Re: [Ansteorra] iso european dancers ??
>> 
>> 
>>> In Bryn Gwlad, we have an active dance practice that regularly has 20ish
>>> people or so in attendance.  Shadowlands also has a group of dancers.  As
>>> somebody stated, Bryn Gwlad's Candlemas has started a tradition of having
>>> dances between the removes of feast.  Shadowlands has started regularly
>>> having a small event that has dancing.  Gulf Wars, every night there is
>>> dancing.  Same with Pennsic.  They have many people at the balls.  Pennsic
>>> the classes are usually fairly busy also. There are a few dancers in other
>>> places, but those are the active guilds that I know about.  As dancing is a
>>> social activity, we are always willing to teach you whatever dance we know!
>>> 
>>> Myfanwy
>>> 
>>> On Feb 13, 2012, at 12:11 PM, Ld.blackmoon wrote:
>>> 
>>>> greetings
>>>> 
>>>> as part of a conversation earlier today, it was mentioned that there are
>>>> people that practice dances from the sca's primary time / place  ( pre 16th
>>>> century european countries )
>>>> i being poorly designed for dancing of any type ( having 2 left feet )
>>>> was curious as to how many and how far apart those individuals , or groups
>>>> may currently be ?
>>>> also of interest , are there any events that showcase such period
>>>> endevors ??
>>>> 
>>>> thank you in advance
>>>> your friendly opinionated old fart ; )
>>>> Be Safe , Be Happy, Have Fun .
>>>> Arthur
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>>> 
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>> 
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