Noson Ymarfer Pob Nos Lun 8pm - 9:45pm Aelwyd yr Urdd Heol Llanbadarn Aberystwyth

Practice Night Every Monday Night 8pm - 9:45pm Aelwyd yr Urdd Llanbadarn Road Aberystwyth

The following interpretations of the dances have been primarily devised by Dr Ian Hughes and Robin Huw Bowen from studies of the Llangadfan manuscript, with the prime intention of performing the dance according to the instructions written out by William Jones. Ian, Robin and the group have spent many an hour discussing the Manuscript and the dances at the pub after Monday night practices at the Aelwyd. Dr Ian Hughes as Hyfforddwr has been instrumental in getting PDAA to adapt from the Lois Blake (LB) versions that were used for many years prior to 1986 when Robin then Ian took over the running of the group from Glyn and Lona Jones, and the process has been developing and changing over a period of time. (The technical(!) terms of "Ochri – Wonky – Ail" in the Sidings part stem from this changeover period. Certain members could not remember the sequence in the second part of the dance so this aide-memoire was coined.) PDAA do not profess to have all the answers as to how the dances should be performed. All that has been done is taking the manuscript and ensuring that, wherever possible, the same sequences of what, to whom, by whom and when, has been followed. William Jones says that "&ldots;when the theory is once understood they will soon become familiar to persons of tollerable skill & activity & the Dances may be diversified & suited to various sorts of tunes". Therefore a standard logic of settings between the various dances has been applied. The various setting combinations make it obvious that the positions of dancers in the set would change as the dance progresses. This is especially true where couple 1 set and back-to-back etc with C3. Again, we offer one solution of how this could, not should, be done. It has been quite normal for the team to perform both Aly Grogan and Roaring Hornpipe for many years in both practises and at performances, and quite often Lumps would be done as well at practises, just to keep it up. Aly Grogan was performed for the Cymdeithas Ddawns Werin Cymru video produced in 1995 using the second edition of the Gwynn Williams’ publication which is very close the PDAA interpretation from the manuscript (it does contain a minor error in the Sidings part). Lumps of Pudding has been practised to a much lesser extent mainly because of the length of performance (approximately 8-9 minutes excluding any Round Os!!). This interpretation of Lumps was also taught by Ian at the Cymdeithas Easter course in 1987 at St Athan. Practising Lumps certainly exercises the mind and body and William Jones when he said "being too fatiguing for the Bodies & Minds of the present Generation & requiring much Skill & Activity in the performance" must have had Lumps of Pudding particularly in mind. Where Ian’s interpretation of Lumps varies from the LB version is in the music. The LB version uses ABBC music whereas the manuscript is clear in stating that the music should be AABBCC. Aelwyd Caernarfon under Idwal Williams also has interpreted the dance with the same measures and similar patterns. Robin Huw Bowen suggested that in the tradition of Llangadfan dances that as it was normal for teams to name the tune to perform a dance. Some bright wag may have named "Lumps of Pudding" as their tune as it was a popular folk tune in those days, being a feature of "The Beggar’s Opera" (1723). Its length and deviousness may well be explained by this. Many "versions" of the Llangadfan dances have and will be devised, including some where it was decided that the dance was "unbalanced" or unequal in who did what to whom. Couple one would lead the dance, most probably calling the different figures as they went along. This is certainly what PDAA does in practises and (more quietly) in performances. William Jones left us with the basic notation of theses dances and that there were variations to the sequence of movements and tunes used. Interpret the dances as you wish but keep to the same structure of patterns and music, especially in Aly Grogan and the Roaring Hornpipe as these were described in detail (albeit with minor errors). It is sad that despite having a fairly detailed manuscript, teams still use the early publications of the dances or adapt or devise their own versions rather than trying to keep to the original manuscripted detail. The Welsh Folk Dance Society should, once and for all, publish both the dances and music as a set standard that closely follows the manuscript and teams should adhere to and use in any performance or Eisteddfod competition. These notes have been specifically put to print to help to achieve that goal, whether as a standard or as an impetus for progress by the Society. There is absolutely no need for any team to have its own "version" of these dances. If different versions are used that differ substantially from the original manuscript, it should not be called Aly Grogan or Roaring Hornpipe. Teams should be able to intermix and perform these dances together, all working to the same, common principle of the dances. Ffarwel Ned Puw and Y Fedle Fawr were interpretations by Dr Ian Hughes using the basic theory and patterns suggested by William Jones in the manuscript - "They formerly here had Dances to Ffarwel Ned Puw, Y Fedle Fawr, Neithiwr ac Echnos, Crimson Velvet & such like, but these were left off before my Time" and that "They may appear at first very perplexing, but when the theory is once understood they will soon become familiar to persons of tollerable skill & activity & the Dances may be diversified & suited to various sorts of tunes. Ian tried Ffarwel Ned Puw at PDAA for one or two practises back in 1992 and again in 1997, but, at present, it still needs more work. After the dance, I sat out and jotted down the basics of the dance for posterity, so treat the dance as an unfinished/unpolished version. Ian and Robin also produced the Fedle Fawr, again using the standard principle of setting the basic logic of the dances to a different tune and measure. This was published to coincide with PDAAs annual pilgrimage to the Cann Office Hotel at Llangadfan and also to celebrate the bicentennial of William Jones death in 1995. Its first public performance was for Cymdeithas yr Aelwyd in December 1995 at the Aelwyd. Many thanks to Dr Ian Hughes and Robin Huw Bowen for their superb research and work on the dances as for getting PDAA to dance them as close as possible to the manuscript descriptions of the dances, and for the immense pleasure the dances have given us and, hopefully, any audience who has seen PDAA perform. Let’s hope that in another 200 years time, some group will still be dancing the Llangadfan dances, and be able to compare how late 20th century teams interpreted and danced the dances. Dafydd Thomas Arweinydd Parti Dawns Aelwyd Aberystwyth Ebrill/April 1998