HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: thoburn@ki1.chemie.fu-berlin.de (John Thoburn)
Subject: Scottish Country Dancing, Poussette
Summary: Poussette
Keywords: SCD
Organization: Free University of Berlin, Germany
Date: Mon, 17 Aug 1992 18:22:00 GMT

Can anyone explain why in Scottish Country Dancing the man 
should begin the poussette on his left foot?  

I've now mastered this contrived left-foot start simply as 
a challenge to myself but see no point in it.  If the man
starts on his left foot and the woman on her right, then
there is a mirror plane of symmetry.  But turning the
corners requires rotational symmetry (sorry for the 
nomenclature, I've got group theory on my brain), ie that
they begin with the opposite foot.  Experience with 
beginners has shown that it really does flow much better 
when started with the right foot.  This leaves the jete on 
the left foot pointing in the direction in which the man 
has to turn.

Another problem with the left footed start is that it
invariably requires an akward change in footing both coming
into and getting out of the poussette.  I can, in most
cases, dance my way through these akward transitions (I
sometimes even enjoy the challenge of doing it the hard
way) but I don't see any point in perpetuating what 
appears to be simply wrong.

Did one of those little old ladies who pasted Scottish
Contry Dancing together from their collective memories 
make a mistake?  Or is there a good reason for dancing 
the more complicated way?

John Thoburn
thoburn@ki1.chemie.fu-berlin.de
Organization: Doctoral student, Biology, Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA
Newsgroups: rec.folk-dancing
Date: Wed, 19 Aug 1992 15:30:01 -0400 
From: Denys Proteau <dp2p+@andrew.cmu.edu>
Subject: Pittsburgh Int. Fall Camp



                       Announcing....   ...   ...   ...

                                 The Tuesday Night
                                  Folk Dance Group
                              of Pittsburgh Presents


                              A Fall Folk Dance Camp
                                      with

                                  Ahmet Luleci
                           teaching dances from Turkey

                                      and

                                 Chris Carpenter
                        teaching dances from Eastern Europe

                                and live music by
                                     BAMCO


                              September 18-20, 1992

                             SNPJ Recreation Center
                            Enon Valley, Pennsylvania

For a real world or an Email registration form, please respond to
 dp2p@andrew.cmu.edu
 or call (412) 621-5640  and ask for Denys.
From: 71155.174@CompuServe.COM (71155.174@compuserve.com  (Bob Willoughby))
Newsgroups: rec.folk-dancing
Subject: Dance - Band in the USA
Date: 19 Aug 92 01:20:56 GMT

To:   >INTERNET:folk-dancing@cs.pitt.edu

This Labor Day Weekend dance event is the brain-child of Fred Park, and done
through the sponsership of a new non-profit he's involved with in the Asheville
area. Fred is bringing together musicians who aren't regulars in the dance 
scene, but folks he feels will create great dance music. The structure of the
music is unstructured - I think Fred looks for musical bonding to happen at the
event, and is leaving details to evolve into musical magic.

          The staff includes:
                  
                          Fred
                          The Swampcats
                          Bob Lucas
                          Grey Larsen
                          Tom Mitchell
                          & me (Bob Willoughby)

Those of you who know these folks can see that swing dancers will have happy 
feet. Most of the staff are multi-instrumentalist, so Contra dance band 
formations will be decided in a huddle, while the dance is being taught. That 
may be a bit of an overstatement, perhaps a better way of saying this is --
expect the unexpected.

Dates for the event: Sept. 4, 5, & 6 (Labor Day Weekend)
Place: Swannanoa 4-H Camp

Presented by: Sequoyah Educational Community
              PO BOX 727
              Swannanoa, N.C.  28778

Full weekend (food, lodging and all events) .......... $75.00

for more info call 704-683-1700
From: brock@cs.unca.edu (J. Dean Brock)
Newsgroups: rec.folk-dancing
Subject: Re: Scottish Country Dancing, Poussette
Keywords: SCD
Date: 18 Aug 92 01:48:53 GMT
Organization: University of North Carolina at Asheville


I've thought the reason was that if both people start with the
right foot, the woman will step on the man's left foot.
However, it certainly is awkward.
From: djp@ecs.soton.ac.uk (David Pritchard)
Newsgroups: rec.folk-dancing
Subject: Re: Scottish Country Dancing, Poussette
Date: 18 Aug 92 11:24:28 GMT
Reply-To: djp@ecs.soton.ac.uk
Organization: SNARC

In article NF65N6U@math.fu-berlin.de, thoburn@ki1.chemie.fu-berlin.de (John Thoburn) writes:
>Can anyone explain why in Scottish Country Dancing the man 
>should begin the poussette on his left foot?  
>
>I've now mastered this contrived left-foot start simply as 
>a challenge to myself but see no point in it.  If the man
>starts on his left foot and the woman on her right, then
>there is a mirror plane of symmetry.  But turning the
>corners requires rotational symmetry (sorry for the 
>nomenclature, I've got group theory on my brain), ie that
>they begin with the opposite foot.  Experience with 
>beginners has shown that it really does flow much better 
>when started with the right foot.  This leaves the jete on 
>the left foot pointing in the direction in which the man 
>has to turn.
>
>Another problem with the left footed start is that it
>invariably requires an akward change in footing both coming
>into and getting out of the poussette.  I can, in most
>cases, dance my way through these akward transitions (I
>sometimes even enjoy the challenge of doing it the hard
>way) but I don't see any point in perpetuating what 
>appears to be simply wrong.
>
>Did one of those little old ladies who pasted Scottish
>Contry Dancing together from their collective memories 
>make a mistake?  Or is there a good reason for dancing 
>the more complicated way?

It isn't more complicated.  Irish dancing has a similar feature.
The man (almost) always starts anything on the left foot, and the woman
on the right.  Depending on the nature of the specific figure symmetry
is achieved by
	Reflection:	both move same direction
	Rotation:	man `forward', woman `backward'
You need this (or similar) convention to avoid treading on each other's
feet when dancing close (the most fun way).

Since all moves start on the left, and have an even number of whatever
happens next, there is no problem with flow (as far as "which foot?" is
concerned). 

Incidentally, the pousette figure that I know does not involve any turns.

--
Dr David J. Pritchard		
Electronics and Computer Science	tel	(+44 703) 592722
University of Southampton		fax	(+44 703) 593045
Southampton SO9 5NH			email	djp@uk.ac.soton.ecs (UK)
United Kingdom					djp@ecs.soton.ac.uk (World)
Newsgroups: rec.folk-dancing
From: jacksond@ogre.cica.indiana.edu (Richard Jackson (Bmg))
Subject: SUGARHILL 14, Contra Weekend Dance
Summary: Sugarhill 14, Aug. 21-23, Bloomington, Indiana
Keywords: contra dance, sugarhill, bloomington
Organization: Indiana University
Date: Thu, 13 Aug 1992 07:28:54 GMT


                                                                                                         SUGARHILL 14 DANCE WEEKEND

                         RANSBURG SCOUT RESERVATION

                           BLOOMINGTON, INDIANA

                         AUGUST 21, 22, & 23, 1992

                   $25.00 PREREGISTER/$30.00 AT THE DOOR

This includes Saturday Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner, Sunday Breakfast.

Tent camping on the banks of Indiana's largest lake.

LARGE 70'x180' WOOD DANCE FLOOR

Beautiful 600 acre camp with sand beach, lots of activities for the family.

Bring your instrument and/or calling card as well as your dancing shoes, this
is one of the finest Contra dance weekends in the midwest.

Call (812) 339-5209 for more info.

Presented by those folks at;

                      Bloomington Old Time Music and Dance!
--
   ----------Richard M. Jackson-----jacksond@ogre.cica.indiana.edu----------
    ---P.O.Box 1216---Bloomington, IN--47402--Wk(812)-339-1444-Ext.-244---
   --I take a simiple view of life, keep you mind open and get on with it.--
Newsgroups: rec.folk-dancing
From: rlw@IDA.ORG (Richard Wexelblat)
Subject: Re: Scottish Country Dancing, Poussette
Organization: IDA, Alexandria, VA
Date: Tue, 18 Aug 92 11:23:03 GMT

thoburn@ki1.chemie.fu-berlin.de (John Thoburn) writes:
: Did one of those little old ladies who pasted Scottish
: Contry Dancing together from their collective memories 
: make a mistake?  

As I understand it, those "little old ladies" (who were not so little
and were certainly not old when they began) more or less invented
Scottish Dancing.  They didn't remember it.  

The story I was told by Miss Milligan (or Miss Carmichael?) was that
Scottish Country Dancing was a product of the Scottish Court In Exile
at the French court and was pretty much the invention of the French
Dancing Masters.  The 20th century revival involved reinventing the
steps, patterns, figures and dances.

This is hearsay.  I'd appreciate someone closer to the true history
correcting this anecdotal view.
-- 
--Dick Wexelblat  (rlw@ida.org) 703 845 6601
  This message is not copyright.  Please feel free to use it
  in any context, at any time, with or without attribution.
  Quotes out of context and parodies are encouraged.
From: duncan@ravel.ati.com (Jim Duncan)
Newsgroups: rec.folk-dancing
Subject: Re: query - cassette sound system sources
Date: 19 Aug 92 04:25:30 GMT
Article-I.D.: ravel.29
Reply-To: duncan@ravel.ati.com (Jim Duncan)
Organization: KUFX 94.5 FM Stereo, San Jose, CA 'The Fox'

In article <16086@pitt.UUCP> ramshaw@polar.bowdoin.edu (Lance Ramshaw) writes:
>I teach Scottish Country dancing, and am looking for a cassette tape sound
>system with variable speed.  A mike input and music search would be also
>be nice.  (Sharp at least used to make one, the HK-20PA, and some folks
>have found karaoke boxes that work.)
>
karaoke boxes?  What a great idea; I'll check this out immediately.

However, I recommend everyone avoid the little Marantz machines such as
the PMD-201.  This line is the successor to the earlier Superscope
portables, and I can say first hand and professionally that beyond
being successors, they suck.  Unreliable, overpriced, expensive to fix
- these babies have it all.  Any $30 Radio Shack portable will hold up
better but unfortunately will lack variable speed.  Some dancers and
dance studios in my area have bought these Marantz models and have
found them to be a ticket to hell.  I won't use them in broadcasting
anymore; the cheap ones from Radio Shack never break.  

-- 
KUFX |      w  ["]                            | WA6MBV     
94.5 |...   |___|_____..duncan@ravel.ati.com  | Jim Duncan  
FM   |          H                             | ----------   
********  \_____I_____/  37 3 10N/121 59 10W  **************
From: pearl@sw.stratus.com (Dan Pearl)
Newsgroups: rec.folk-dancing
Subject: Re: query - cassette sound system sources
Date: 17 Aug 92 21:06:15 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: Stratus Computer, Inc.

You might want to try Supreme Audio in New Jersey.  They have a
1-800 number, and a catalogue.  

I assume you want something with a built-in speaker; they have several
models with varying amounts of power.  
-- 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dan Pearl  **  Stratus Computer, Inc.  **  pearl@spectacle.sw.stratus.com
Newsgroups: rec.folk-dancing
From: ericb@mirador.com (Eric Black)
Subject: BACDS newsletter subscriptions
Reply-To: eric@Mirador.COM (Eric Black)
Organization: Mirador Computing Systems
Date: Mon, 17 Aug 1992 19:28:45 GMT

It has been pointed out to me that BACDS ([San Francisco] Bay Area Country
Dance Society) offers a "subscription-only" membership at reduced price.
This gives you a year of the quarterly newsletter (4 issues), and allows you
to have your name listed in the directory (no, there are currently no prizes
for the most distant member, but who knows, there may be one in the future).

If you are interested in the subscription-only membership, send your name
and mailing address with a check for $7.50 (US funds) to:
    BACDS Membership
    P. O. Box 22165
    San Francisco, CA   94122
    USA

I should point out that the full membership is $15, and gives you a discount
off the door price at any regular BACDS event; visit the Bay area a few times
and you can make back your investment.

Of course, anyone within 2 hours driving time (3 hours? 4?) of San Francisco
can find regularly scheduled contra and square dances relatively nearby (in
terms of California distances, anyway), and is highly encouraged to join BACDS!

-Eric
----
Eric Black	"Garbage in, Gospel out"
Mirador Computing Systems, P. O. Box 308, La Honda, CA   94020   USA
  Email: eric@Mirador.COM    Voice: +1 415 747 0101   FAX:  +1 415 747 0101
From: pearl@sw.stratus.com (Dan Pearl)
Newsgroups: rec.folk-dancing
Subject: Re:  cassette sound system sources
Date: 21 Aug 92 16:34:52 GMT
Article-I.D.: transfer.5783
Organization: Stratus Computer, Inc.

In article <16146@pitt.UUCP>, Jeff_Folkins.wbst147@xerox.com writes:
> It appears that amongst the northeast contra musician crowd that the "in" tape
> recorder is the "Marantz PMD221".  This wonderful tape recorder has the two
> features:  1) Variable Pitch Control and 2) Half Speed Control. 
> ... The PMD221 has a
> good mike input and many features but no music search.  Also, it is mono.
> Marantz sells a similar version which is stereo but it does NOT have the half
> speed control (I don`t remember about the pitch control).  This is a serious
> tape recorder and prices in at about $300-400.


Why pay list price?  J&R Music World (1-800-221-8180, 24 hour, catalog & orders),
sells a full line of Marantz stuff:

PMD-221 Sells for $299.95

PMD-201 (As above, but without third head for tape monitoring): $249.95

PMD-222 (Like PMD-221, except uses XLR mic jack instead of 1/4" phone): $329.95

PMD-430	(Stereo, pitch control but not 1/2 speed): $479.95

They also sell Sony TCM-5000EV and the TC-D5M, but they don't specify prices.

New York residents, tax additional.

SHIPPING CHARGES for order over $100: 5% of merchandise total up to $75


Also, Homespun Tapes sells

PMD-221 for $325 plus $7.50 postage
PMD-201 for $249 plus $7.50 postage

New York residents, tax additional.

They can be reached at 1-800-338-2737
-- 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dan Pearl  **  Stratus Computer, Inc.  **  pearl@spectacle.sw.stratus.com
From: sandell@chowning.CNMAT.Berkeley.EDU (Gregory J. Sandell)
Newsgroups: rec.folk-dancing
Subject: Re: query - cassette sound system sources
Date: 17 Aug 1992 18:14:35 GMT
Organization: University of California, Berkeley
NNTP-Posting-Host: chowning.cnmat.berkeley.edu

In article <16086@pitt.UUCP> ramshaw@polar.bowdoin.edu (Lance Ramshaw)  
writes:
> I teach Scottish Country dancing, and am looking for a cassette tape  
sound
> system with variable speed.  A mike input and music search would be also

For years Superscope (was that part of Sony, or Marantz?) made quite nice  
tape decks that were small, battery-powered, but laden with lots of  
features, like variable speed.  I've had once since 1978 which still  
serves me well for musical transcription!
--
Greg Sandell
Research Fellow, Center for New Music and Audio Technologies (CNMAT)
sandell@cnmat.cnmat.berkeley.edu
From: goldie@herald.usask.ca (Hugh Goldie)
Newsgroups: rec.folk-dancing
Subject: Re: Scottish Country Dancing, Poussette
Keywords: SCD
Date: 17 Aug 92 22:32:16 GMT
Organization: University of Saskatchewan

I enjoy doing the poussette with the left foot for several reasons.  It's fun! 
The small challenge makes SCD even more interesting.  It is aesthetically 
appealing, which makes SCD even more enjoyable. 

Scottish Country Dancing should be beautiful as well as fun.  The jete of
the man matches that of the woman, going in the same direction.  This
looks very nice in a large hall, when all the jetes go in the same direction.
I enjoy the feeling of teamwork, in that my partner and I share in the same
movement.  It is a challenge, but not too difficult to learn if one practises
a little.  Lets face it, I found that Pas de Basque was a BIG challenge at 
first, but once that was under control, it was nice to have something more to
work on.  I never teach left-footed poussette to beginners, nor do I insist
that  experienced dancers must do it.  Its something that may take time, but
is worth the effort.  Learning "difficult" movements increases your control, 
strength and mobility and ultimately makes SCD more fun.

                                    --Hugh
Newsgroups: rec.folk-dancing
From: htr@world.std.com (Helena T Robinson)
Subject: Re: query - cassette sound system sources
Summary: Info about Supreme Audio
Organization: The World Public Access UNIX, Brookline, MA
Distribution: na
Date: Sat, 22 Aug 1992 12:26:23 GMT

In article <5611@transfer.stratus.com> pearl@sw.stratus.com (Dan Pearl) writes 
(in part):
>You might want to try Supreme Audio in New Jersey.  They have a
>1-800 number, and a catalogue.  

Yes, I've survived the 2nd operation; but it's gonna be awhile before I can 
consider trying anything below challenge.  And round dancing will be something 
of a challenge too this time around.  :-(

Back to the matter at hand  ;-)
Supreme Audio's number is 1 800 445-7398

The company is run by Bill & Peggy Heyman, who are really nice folks.
Bill's a WSD caller.  For those who recall the square dancing segment of 
the Statue of Liberty celebration back in '86, that was Bill who called.

"Usual" disclaimer applies - we only know the owners and purchased a set of 
C3 teach tapes from them years ago.

Good luck!
Helena Robinson
htr@world.std.com

Newsgroups: rec.folk-dancing
From: takoosma@utkvx2.utk.edu (Toby Koosman)
Subject: Re: waltz:  how fast is danceable?
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41    
Organization: University of Tennessee Computing Center
Date: Sun, 23 Aug 1992 07:17:00 GMT

In article <3490023@hpcc01.corp.hp.com>, isaacs@hpcc01.corp.hp.com (Stan Isaacs
) writes...
>There is no "correct" tempo for a waltz; you need to specify what
>kind/place/era waltz, and even then, I think there is a lot of
>lattitude. 
If I'm not mistaken the query concerned waltzes at contra dances.  I think we
all recognize the variation in waltz styles but isn't it safe to say that 
there is a dominant form at contra dances, even if certain couples who are
knowledgeable about other waltzes are doing their thing?  We're quite over-
complicating the issue, I believe.  

Toby Koosman
University of Tennessee   Knoxville, Tennessee  USA
Internet: koosman@utkvx.utk.edu     Bitnet: koosman@utkvx
From: ramshaw@polar.bowdoin.edu (Lance Ramshaw)
Newsgroups: rec.folk-dancing
Subject: query - cassette sound system sources
Date: 17 Aug 92 15:20:43 GMT

I teach Scottish Country dancing, and am looking for a cassette tape sound
system with variable speed.  A mike input and music search would be also
be nice.  (Sharp at least used to make one, the HK-20PA, and some folks
have found karaoke boxes that work.)

I would appreciate any pointers to suppliers who carry such equipment or
news about currently available models.

Thanks,
Lance Ramshaw
ramshaw@polar.bowdoin.edu
Newsgroups: rec.folk-dancing
From: gary@clarinet.mitre.org (Gary Bisaga)
Subject: Re: query - cassette sound system sources
Reply-To: gbisaga@mitre.org
Organization: The Mitre Corporation, McLean Virginia
Distribution: na
Date: Sat, 22 Aug 1992 15:51:44 GMT

In article <BtDx80.GzD@world.std.com>, htr@world.std.com (Helena T Robinson) writes:
|> Yes, I've survived the 2nd operation; but it's gonna be awhile before I can 
|> consider trying anything below challenge.  And round dancing will be something 
|> of a challenge too this time around.  :-(
Good to see you back again!  Glad everything went well, or at least as well
as can be expected.  I look forward to see more traffic on the group!

-- 
Gary Bisaga (gbisaga@mitre.org)
Newsgroups: rec.folk-dancing
From: neilson@osf.org (Peter Neilson)
Subject: Re: waltz:  how fast is danceable?
Organization: Open Software Foundation
Date: Tue, 18 Aug 1992 20:32:15 GMT

Some of us who do various kinds of IFD waltzes actually welcome a
slower waltz, because we can pep it up by putting six pivot steps in
at the end of a larger phrase.  What, no zwiefacher?  We'll roll our own!

There are a few neat waltzes (you musicians might know which ones they
are) that flip "inside out" and then back again, for added fun.  The
basic waltz phrasing isn't "1-2-3, 1-2-3, ..." but instead is 1-2-3,
4-5-6, 1-2-3, ..." or from the dancing perspective, there are two
halves to the figure.  Well, a few tunes go "1-2-3, 4-5-6, 1-2-3,
1-2-3, 4-5-6, ... and that extra "1-2-3" throws everything off so that
the basic figure becomes "4-5-6, 1-2-3" until the band puts in another
spare 1-2-3 (or a spare 4-5-6) to return to normal.  I kind of like
this trick, and can take it at any speed.

The truly horrid "American" waltz that I've seen (at the Policemen's
Ball and at weddings) consists of the couple slowly rocking sideways,
in place, to the (man's) left on "1-2-3" and to the right on "4-5-6".
It can be done to a tune of any speed, even if it's not in 3/4, and be
considered a "nice, slow waltz."
-- 
            >>>  Peter Neilson  --- neilson@osf.org  <<<
               "No .sig file is better than this one."
(Quotation changed daily.  If you've seen this one before, it's still yesterday.)
From: tzf@csl.biosci.arizona.edu (Theron Friedman)
Newsgroups: rec.folk-dancing
Subject: Re: waltz:  how fast is danceable?
Date: 18 Aug 92 19:25:51 GMT
Reply-To: tzf@csl.biosci.arizona.edu
Organization: U of Arizona, CS Dept, Tucson

'nother problem here is that there are >LOTS< of different ways of doing
a waltz. The average contra dancer seems to vaguely remember the box-step
abomination that many of us learned in elementary school (in one ballroom
group I attended this was called "American Waltz"); fairly slow music
is just fine for this form, and fast music can be uncomfortable, particularly
since the aforementioned "average contra dancer" tends to do the step with
overly long strides.

People with IFD experience, or sometimes with ballroom or other exposures,
will do a clockwise turning step (AKA "Scandinavian Waltz" in some circles);
while this step can be done slowly it really needs moderatly peppy music
to flow properly.

(Since someone asked about the ballroom tempos: more advanced is the real
Viennese step, which basically turns counter-
clockwise (though there are other figures), and really begs for fairly
fast music, though it can be done to any speed. But few people at the
contras know this technique. There's also "English" or "International" waltz,
which takes music at fast walking tempo.)

(Here in AZ we also see people who have learned "country" waltz, which is
basically the 2-step figures fit to 3/4 music - preferred tempo is moderately
slow.)

So of course you can't find a temp to satisfy everyone. Basically you'll have to
choose between a faster tempo to make the turners happy, or a slower tempo
for the boxers. In my experience, the boxers are usually the majority, but
the turners are often the more advanced or "core" dancers. Um, how about
playing two waltzes? (And then a polka, schottish, and a hambo thanks.)

	terry friedman
Newsgroups: rec.folk-dancing