Hobbit Ceili Dances (The Barrow-Downs Springle Ring)

[mark12_30]

Hobbit Ceili Dance Thread

This thread is mainly about music and dance. The reason I chose to call it the "Hobbit Ceili thread" is as follows: A ceili is an informal, folksy celtic party, often held in a small crowded house. At a traditional Scottish ceili, everyone brings something to entertain others: a song, a dance, a tune, a poem, a story. On the Walk to Rivendell thread, we were thinking about celebrations, hobbit dancing parties, the Springle Ring, what the Springle Ring might be like, and wondering what we would do to come up with one.

We have dancers of varying ilk. So far we have (at least) Scottish, Irish, and French Canadian. We are looking for folksy, simple (or fairly simple), energetic, fun dance steps to incorporate into the "Barrow-Downs Walk To Rivendell Springle Ring". Since the Shire is patterned after England, one would expect a heavy English influence, and so English Country, Contra, or folk dancing would be an obvious place to start if anyone out there knows these forms.

The idea is to clearly and simply describe dance steps that could be incorporated into The Springle Ring. Keep in mind that the reader may not know your vocabulary at all! Careful descriptions, and (links to) diagrams, photos or video clips should be clear and carefully presented. Please be open to clarifying your input if you recieve such a request!

We are also interested in folksy tunes that sound hobbity. While it is acceptable to list tunes by name, names of tunes are only so much help-- see if you can't find an MP3 or WAV file online, to link to.

Anything besides text should be linked to, and not actually posted on the Downs. Have mercy on the BW's bandwidth budget.

I expect this thread to grow slowly, because the descriptions should be clearly thought through and carefully described or otherwise documented. This project should take some time... but then, we have until the release of ROTK!

So: Dancers, post your descriptions. If I cannot understand them, or someone else with a basic level of dance experience states that they cannot understand them, I will PM you with a request to edit or clarify. But don't be intimidated by that-- the clarification will probably be a team effort, and I am willing to work with dancers on this to produce a quality result. We may end up developing a dancers' glossary: what's a cut, what's a rise and grind, what's a treble, what's a pas de basque, etc.

Let's get those hobbit-feet hopping!

[ June 11, 2003: Message edited by: mark12_30 ]

[Horse-Maiden of the Shire]

Ok. Here is one song that sounds hobbitish to me--by Great Big Sea. I was so upset because one of their songs, Fortune, sounds like SUCH a hobbit song! Anyways, here is the link:

Goin Up

Enjoy!

[ June 11, 2003: Message edited by: Horse-Maiden of the Shire ]

[Nurumaiel]

Great idea, Helen! Maybe we can get together our Springle Ring with this. I can just see myself looking at my instructor with a haughty and saying, "I know a dance you've never even heard of before," and then demonstrating. [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

Well, let's start at a simple leap23. I will try to make this as clear as possible, but will definitely explain further if requested. Just please be specific on what was not clear.

A leap23 is really quite simple, once you get the hang of it. You can start with your left or right foot, but let's just start with our right foot for this teaching. I'll be using different keyboard symbols for this since I haven't got any pictures at hand.

To begin with, extend your right leg out in front of you so your knee is straight, and your toe pointed. From a side view, it would look a little like this: /| , those being your two legs. The next step is to lift your right leg up, in that same position, so it is a few inches above the ground. From there, you leap from your left foot, which is on the ground, to your right foot, which was still suspended in the air. You should now be standing on your right foot (on your toes), and your left foot should be way up behind you.

What I mean by your left foot being way up behind you is this: Stand on your right foot and put your left foot behind you, catching it with your left hand, pulling it towards you so your heel is touching your bottom. Does that make sense?

Now bring your left foot forward and put it down in front of your right leg. As soon as your left foot is on the ground lift your right leg up behind you just a little ways, then put it back down again, lifting up your left leg a little. Your left leg is then free to start another leap23 on the left side.

By the way, you should always be on your toes while doing this step, and your feet should always be turned out, meaning that your right heel should be pointing left, and your left heel right.

EDIT: In my description, I forgot that those learning this were beginners! Helen reminded me of that, so thank you, Helen. For now, I wouldn't concern myself with staying on my toes, keeping my feet turned out, and getting my foot way up to my bottom if I were you. Right now only concern yourself with getting the step right, and those are things that you should concentrate on afterwards. Just do the best you can!

I can explain further if necessary, just let me know. Don't try to go fast all at once! Start slow, and when you feel that you have it speed up a little. You can practice this step to this Reel. Try to keep in time with the music, if you can.

[ June 11, 2003: Message edited by: Nurumaiel ]

[mark12_30]

Nuru, that WAS thorough! Thanks! I'll try it at home.

And Horse-Maiden of the Shire, I liked that tune. Fun! Thanks.

A leap23 is really very similar to a scottish Pas De Basque; I can easily imagine hobbits doing either one (and having a clear preference as to their favorite, no doubt!)So as a follow-on to Nuru's Leap23 (pronounced "leap-two-three"), I'll try my typing at a Pas De Basque...

This would be a basic "setting" step, which means it's used when one is dancing in place. (Generally speaking, there are "setting" steps done in place, "traveling" steps, and sometimes "Swinging" steps, like a contra swing, two partners spinning together.)

But first, for eager hobbits, I'll outline a few generalities that will make learning The Barrow Downs Springle Ring a little easier.

OK: General hints for Springle Ring dancing: Try to be light on the toes... a good rule for ceili dancing in general.

Everything is easier if you stretch nice and tall while you are dancing. It helps you balance, helps keep your feet underneath you when you need them to be there, helps you to be light on your feet, and helps to maintain an overall grace and poise. Once you master the dancing, THEN you can get rowdy and wild.

The springiness of your stride is more important than the height of the steps, and will result in a more graceful, enjoyable dance. If you stretch very tall and are springy and light on your feet, it can almost feel like flying.

Nuru mentioned turnout. As I understand it, Irish dancing is done with the feet turned out when your weight is on them, but the leg (and knee) motions are all straight forward and back. (Nuru, is that right?)

Scottish is properly done with a 45 degree turnout for ceili dancing. (Ballet students, rejoice!) If you're not used to it, turn out to whatever degree is comfortable, and then forget it for now. **Don't ever force turnout**; no injuries, please!

Next, I'll post a description of pas De Basque.

[ June 11, 2003: Message edited by: mark12_30 ]

[ June 11, 2003: Message edited by: mark12_30 ]

[mark12_30]

Here is the promised description of a hobbity Pas De Basque for incorporation into the Barrow Downs Springle Ring:

Starting with the right foot: On the count of "and", or "&", reach diagonally forward to your right. (As in, 45 degrees to your right.) This is a reaching motion, so that your foot stretches out as you get ready to spring onto it. (The French and Scottish both call this a "jete".) Be sure that your foot is no higher than the bottom of your knee; ankle-height is practical and comfortable.

Then spring softly onto your right foot (that's "1").

Then place your left foot ("2") lifting your right foot. Your whole body should come up, as it did for the spring on the count of "and".

Then place your right foot again ("3").

Your left leg extends on the "and", springing onto your left foot is "1",
placing the right foot is "2",
placing the left foot is "3", (ready to extend the right foot again.)

This is a lilting step, relaxed and comfortable. You can let your arms remain quiet by your sides; or you can put your fists on your hip bones; or for a highland look, you can snap your fingers straight above your shoulders... I bet hobbits would do all three depending on their mood, the mood of the music, and perhaps how much of the Gaffer's home brew they had had.

You can also see how similar it is to a leap23. (Very!)

Next time I'll describe the "Rocking Horse", or balance. Very fun, very easy, very lilting and graceful...

This really would be much easier to describe with pictures.... I may put some thumbnails together, and post them. In the meantime, please feel free to PM me with specific questions as that will help me to improve the descriptions.

[Lindril Arvilya]

I'm sure that hobbits would have kitchen parties, so I'm going to describe to you a Kitchen Swing.

Stand with your partner, right shoulder to right shoulder. Link right arms at the elbows. Underneath your linked arms, hold on to your partner's left hand with yours. So you have your right arms linked and you're holding left hands underneath.
Now you swing gently (or not so gently, for added fun) around in a tight circle. Make sure you keep shoulder to shoulder or it will turn into just running around in a circle. It's my favourite swing, and I think it's pretty exhilerating.

I think I'll watch Bilbo's party scene in FotR and see if I can pick out any specific steps the hobbits use.

Lindril (of the Celtic Connections troupe) Arvilya

And I just thought of a good hobbit band. Likely only Canadians would have heard of them, but the music of Tanglefoot is awesome for stepdancing. Most of their songs are about episodes of Canadian history, but there are a few that strike me as hobbity "joke-songs". Here, make sure you check outAwkward Donald!

[ June 11, 2003: Message edited by: Lindril Arvilya ]

[mark12_30]

Hey, that sounds like fun! Nothing like a good tight swing-- with hobbit-curls flying... and I'm sure you're right about dancing in the kitchen.

Checking out the movie is a good idea; there were some fun moments, certainly. Espacially Rosie's setting step while she flirted with Sam.

*cough* there's always Frodo's chicken dance... [img]smilies/tongue.gif[/img] *cough* Okay, it was cute when he did it.
[img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

[The Barrow-Wight]

As much as we are trying to make this Middle-earthish, it's really just a topic about dancing. The walk was one thing. Dancing is another. I have to draw the line somewhere.

CLOSING