An Hour’s Christmas Dance

Mr McLean and I are hosting an hour of dancing after the parish Christmas party. Our idea is that it will give young parents who enjoy dancing–but for obvious reasons can rarely go out–the opportunity to cut a caper or two with the fancy-free parishioners. Everyone will have been fed, the children will have had an extended opportunity to run around, and then those who like to dance can stay to dance.

An hour is not enough for a proper dance, of course. Organizers want at least 2.5 hours: an hour of dancing followed by an interval and then a second hour of dancing. However, I could not imagine anyone wanting to spend a solid four hours in our small parish hall (especially if they have children) on a Sunday afternoon, so one hour it will be.

There will be a mix of ceilidh, waltz and swing-dancing. The ceilidh dances will be fixed, but I am willing to be flexible on the waltzes and Lindy Hops. Possibly one dance form will be more popular than the other with our young parents. (Perhaps I should ask them in advance!)

Certain ceilidh dances–that is, simplified versions of Scottish Country Dances–seem to appear in a certain order. Ceilidh bands and callers begin with the Gay Gordons and then the Dashing White Sergeant. They end with Strip the Willow. Therefore, I will have these dances. In fact, I will study them online so that I can call them myself.

Other ceilidh dances that I know well enough to consider simple include the Canadian Barn Dance and the St Bernard’s Waltz. The Virginia Reel is a good option, and the Eightsome Reel is pleasingly authentic.

If I chose 5 ceilidh dances, they might take about 35 minutes to explain and execute. (I’ve seen advice not to have more than 6 or 7 ceilidh dances per hour, leaving time to rest.) That would leave 25 minutes for “restful” waltzes and jazz tunes, which themselves are approximately 3.5 minutes long. (And I’ve seen advice to DJs to play 17 swing tunes an hour!) To give breathing space, one could have 3 waltzes and 3 swing dance tunes.

Thus, the McLeans’ Hour of Dancing might look like this:

• The Gay Gordons
• The Dashing White Sergeant
• A Waltz
• A Swing Tune
• The Canadian Barn Dance (or the St Bernard’s Waltz)
• The Virginia Reel
• Two Waltzes
• Two Swing Tunes
• Strip the Willow

However, another option might be to add a ceilidh dance, or substitute a more complicated one (e.g. The Eightsome Reel), in which case I would have just 2 waltzes and 2 swing dance tunes.

Thus, the McLeans’ Eightsome Reel Hour of Dancing might look like this:

• The Gay Gordons
• The Dashing White Sergeant
• A Waltz
• A Swing Tune
• The St Bernard’s Waltz (or the Canadian Barn Dance)
• The Virginia Reel
• The Eightsome Reel (Budget 10 – 15 minutes)
• A Swing Tune
• A Waltz
• Strip the Willow

A complicating factor is that these dances are apparently difficult for small children, about whom I know very little, to grasp quickly. However, I have noticed that at Polish weddings, for example, small children just amuse themselves together, or take refuge in grandmotherly arms, or get passed from relative to relative, or fall asleep in corners.

Here are some helpful videos if you would like to learn the three stalwarts: the Gay Gordons, the Dashing White Sergeant, and (again) Strip the Willow:

I do enjoy Robbie Shepherd’s valiant attempt to stop yet another generation from dancing Strip the Willow like homicidal baboons. Most definitely we will have to dance it like proper ladies and gentlemen; otherwise someone might crash into the pesky fireplace.

Now to consult my Scottish Country Dancing expert on the advisability of my two proposed schemes!