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NOTES AND QUERIES
"I am deeply interested in
the culture of the Breton-Cornish-Welsh peoples. I would like to know
what dance forms may be considered specifically Brythonic---The
Country Dance seems to have originated in the West of Britain.
Could this dance form beconsidered Celtic ? "
(IVAN M. WAY, Denver, Colorado).
We used to say that the Celts
were at the bottom of it all but recent comparative research seems to
point to a pre-celtic origin. While the processional Morris has
survived in Lancashire, Derbyshire, Wales, Cornwall and Brittany, the
Country Dance, which may have derived from it, has not only spread
its influence, but has been subjected to many influences. One has
only to watch an International festival to see how dangerous such a
generalisation may be.
"Could you tell me the
first elate at which the term "Reel" was applied to Welsh
dance? Has it any exact meaning; and is it possible to give a
definition of Reel in Welsh usage" ?
(H. A, THURSTON, Bristol University)
'The earliest date I can trace
at the moment is 1828 ; but the Welsh were reeling and weaving long
before that. Perhaps some Celtic scholar can trace the origin of the word.
"A dance known as early as
the 12th century was done on the coiled horns of a ram : the feet
inserted down the centre, padded with wool. As the horn has a tapered
spiral, this gives either a sideways rocking motion or a front to
back tilt ; or with the foot on point, it is possible to spinon the
tip of the polished horn."
(D. HARTLEY, Fron, Wrexham).
We have heard of Welsh
shepherds spinning on one horn, but we have not risked our bones in a
front to back tilt!
( 7 )
NOTES AND QUERIES--continued.
"A young college student
has asked me for information about Welsh traditional dances. It seems
she has to write an essay on them. Could you put together a few notes ?"
(W. A. WILLIAMS, Llwyngwril).
We could, and write an ssay,
but we think the College authorities ought to award us the Diploma !
"Can you recommend one or
two dances which are non-progressive ? I don't like progressive
dances, especially Triple minor sets, for display at a Gwyl
Werin. The repetition can be more tedious than entertaining for the
audience ?"
(ENID WILLIAMS, Girard, Ohio).
The Triple minor set was
devised in. the 18th century to suit the taste of the ballroom of the
period. They were based on the older form of dance for three couples
and it is therefore permissible to let them revert to type. They may
be taken as a whole set for three couples, or, in some cases, as in
Miss Griffin's arrangement of the Rhif Wyth, the third, inactive
couple may be eliminated, so that the dance becomes a duple minor set.
"The teachers in my family
tell me that Welsh people were not taken to dancing. We love to sing
and since our ancestors were more or less religious, dancing was not
a part of their life.
There'll be dancing in our
Mountains, when you come back to Wales !
"An old lady told me that
they used to dance Y Ddafad Gorniog in their farm kitchen (Bala
district). She thought the dance ended in a kind of prance, with the
males making a rush to butt their female partners with their beads
and the females trying to escape the male clutches."
(A.G. BOWEN JONES, Ruthin).
Men please note !
LOIS BLAKE
( 8 )
  
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