Changeover
Goodbye Scots; Hello beginning sakbutt players! Today marks the beginning of early music week. Hopefully, like Scottish Week, it will be less hellish than my fellow crew members have been projecting.
After all that bitching, Scottish dancing actually started to grow on me. It reminds me a little of ballet, but without all the body image shit. Scottish dancing in general is immensely more formal than any other folk dancing I've encountered. It took me a while to pick up on, but by watching people I realized that just as important as knowing the figures is having good posture (and a turnout!) while waiting to dance, pointing your toes while hopping along, and carrying yourself with grace. Last night, the last dance of the session, was a formal Highland Ball, complete with intense Pirate Themed decorations, prom dresses and kilts with tuxedo shirts. The evening started with a Grand March into the dance hall, which I did in my best black dress, accompanied by my friend Dan, wearing a purple plastic tablecloth-turned-strapless gown. (The head cook, while we were dressing Dan: "And now we enter the realm of the homoerotic." Me: "When were we ever not in the realm of the homoerotic?") The dance itself was nice, although I messed up more than my fair share of figures. But once again, folk people proved to be gracious, and were just happy that I made an effort.
While I was doing my cabin checks this morning, a woman came up to me and commented on my dancing:
Her: You know, I really enjoyed watching you dance last night.
Me: (embarrassed) Oh, well, I was trying, anyway...I really don't dance much Scottish.
Her: But you're a dancer, and you're amazing to watch.
The crew thought this was a little creepy, but it was one of the most flattering things anyone has said to me here. I know how exhilarating it is to watch someone dance who really loves it, and I was so glad to hear that I exhude that.
Also a plus: the Scots left us a ton of booze. Score one for the team.
After all that bitching, Scottish dancing actually started to grow on me. It reminds me a little of ballet, but without all the body image shit. Scottish dancing in general is immensely more formal than any other folk dancing I've encountered. It took me a while to pick up on, but by watching people I realized that just as important as knowing the figures is having good posture (and a turnout!) while waiting to dance, pointing your toes while hopping along, and carrying yourself with grace. Last night, the last dance of the session, was a formal Highland Ball, complete with intense Pirate Themed decorations, prom dresses and kilts with tuxedo shirts. The evening started with a Grand March into the dance hall, which I did in my best black dress, accompanied by my friend Dan, wearing a purple plastic tablecloth-turned-strapless gown. (The head cook, while we were dressing Dan: "And now we enter the realm of the homoerotic." Me: "When were we ever not in the realm of the homoerotic?") The dance itself was nice, although I messed up more than my fair share of figures. But once again, folk people proved to be gracious, and were just happy that I made an effort.
While I was doing my cabin checks this morning, a woman came up to me and commented on my dancing:
Her: You know, I really enjoyed watching you dance last night.
Me: (embarrassed) Oh, well, I was trying, anyway...I really don't dance much Scottish.
Her: But you're a dancer, and you're amazing to watch.
The crew thought this was a little creepy, but it was one of the most flattering things anyone has said to me here. I know how exhilarating it is to watch someone dance who really loves it, and I was so glad to hear that I exhude that.
Also a plus: the Scots left us a ton of booze. Score one for the team.