Books by Mats Melin
Dance Legacies of Scotland compiles a collage of references portraying percussive Scottish dancin... more Dance Legacies of Scotland compiles a collage of references portraying percussive Scottish dancing and explains what influenced a wide disappearance of hard-shoe steps from contemporary Scottish practices.
Mats Melin and Jennifer Schoonover explore the historical references describing percussive dancing to illustrate how widespread the practice was, giving some glimpses of what it looked and sounded like. The authors also explain what influenced a wide disappearance of hard-shoe steps from Scottish dancing practices. Their research draws together fieldwork, references from historical sources in English, Scots, and Scottish Gaelic, and insights drawn from the authors’ practical knowledge of dances. They portray the complex network of dance dialects that existed in parallel across Scotland, and share how remnants of this vibrant tradition have endured in Scotland and the Scottish diaspora to the present day.
This book will be of interest to scholars and students of Dance and Music and its relationship to the history and culture of Scotland.
This book describes steps from nine Hebridean solo step dances, from the legacy of nineteenth-cen... more This book describes steps from nine Hebridean solo step dances, from the legacy of nineteenth-century dancing master, storyteller, and catechist Ewen MacLachlan who lived and worked in South Uist and Barra. A dance devised by Fearchar MacNeil is also included.
The legacy of Ewen MacLachlan’s dance repertoire remained with the people who kept dancing and passing them on. The steps remembered by the late Fearchar MacNeil of Barra, and John ‘Iain Ruadh’ MacLeod and Donald ‘Roidean’ MacDonald, both of South Uist, are presented in these pages.
Each of the nine dances are contextualised with notes on their style, associated music, and folklore: Scotch Blue Bonnets, Scotch Measure, Miss Forbes’ Farewell to Banff, Mac Iain Ghasda (Highland Laddie), Over the Waters, Tulloch Gorm, First of August, Flowers of Edinburgh, and, in addition, the solo jig Aberdonian Lassie, and Fearchar MacNeil’s dance Caisteal Chiosamul.
This book also traces how the dances were kept alive through local Island traditions, local teachings, and the ways observers of this tradition have notated and published their findings since the 1950s. The social and economic conditions of nineteenth-century South Uist and Barra are outlined to help contextualise the circumstances under which Ewen MacLachlan operated. A biography detailing what we know about Ewen attempts to sort the few facts we have from the many myths persisting about him. Further biographies of some Islanders who recalled these dances in the 1950s and newspaper entries from the Uist and Barra Games in the 1920s are also featured.
An independent project presenting videos of these dances ties in with this publication. Links to these videos are provided within this book and here: Online video content is produced by Canadian dancer Sabra MacGillivray.
It is my sincere hope that this book helps keep these dances alive for future generations to enjoy.
A Story to Every Dance : The role of lore in enhancing the Scottish solo dance tradition, 2018
The Scottish solo dance tradition is peppered with stories attached to specific dances which appe... more The Scottish solo dance tradition is peppered with stories attached to specific dances which appear in Highland Games and performance programmes, and today commonly also on the internet, These, range in content from:
The sword dance appearing in the eleventh-century with Scottish King Malcolm Canmore dancing it;
Wilt thou go to the Barracks, Johnnie? being used as a dance to recruit soldiers for the Scottish regiments;
The Highland Fling as imitating the strength and agility of a leaping or ‘curvetting’ stag;
Various dances with connections with the 1745–1746 Jacobite Rising and its aftermath;
The Seann Triubhas being linked to 1746 Dress Act prohibiting the wearing of tartan; and
Flora MacDonald’s Fancy devised in honour of the Jacobite heroine Flora MacDonald.
Most of these stories suggest an origin for a dance anchored in a distant past, but they may also form some level of meaning-making. Are they even true? In many cases not at all. It could be that they were created to help dancers perform certain dances with particular images in mind.
This work questions whether there is any actual truth to the stories by taking some of the facts apart. The main questions are: What function did the story have for dance teachers and dancers in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries? Why was it necessary to validate the dances by setting them in antiquity? Are there still purposes served by these stories if and when they are applied today? Also, is it now, or even, was it ever, necessary for dancers to have a certain image, or story, in mind to help them perform these dances in character? By outlining and deliberating on historical references on some of the best-known Scottish solo dances, this overview places these associated stories against a contextual and historical framework. The analysis set out equally to investigate what was, and is currently, the meaning-making behind these stories.
We first take a detailed look at several stories of suggested meaning-making related to the three main dances of the Highland dancing repertoire of today—Highland Fling, the Seann Triubhas and the Sword dance. Each of these has at least one story, that on some level, has lived on into common knowledge among practitioners of Highland dancing today. Three dances with stories relating to the Jacobite rising of 1745–1746 are discussed next, where we ask if they have any real connection with this historical event. After that, I explore ten ‘miscellaneous’ dances (including Blue Bonnets, Highland Laddie and Wilt thou go to the Barracks, Johnnie?) each of which have stories unrelated to each other, but which are in some way used to explain the purpose of the dance or the step pattern or style in which the dances are thought to have been danced. Next, I discuss two Character Dances found in the Scottish solo dance repertoire, the Irish Jig and the Sailors’ Hornpipe, which, both have particular sets of storylines associated with them. Lastly, it is also worth examining one group dance, the Reel of Tulloch, closely associated with the competitive solo dance scene in the last 100 years or so. The Highland Reel, in its many manifestations[i], was at one time the most common dance of Scots and does not seem to have any stories attached to it at all, with the exception of the later and specifically named form, the Reel of Tulloch, mentioned above.
One With the Music is informed, in part, by Melin’s PhD research on transmission practices—how th... more One With the Music is informed, in part, by Melin’s PhD research on transmission practices—how the tradition and steps of generations of dancers in Cape Breton get passed on to subsequent generations. His research gives us insight not only into the processes of transmission, but also into the complex ways dance and music in Cape Breton are deeply ingrained in the island’s culture. In this book, the home, classroom and square-dance contexts—and, to some extent, concerts—are examined and analyzed following years of interviews and participation.
This is a collection of dances that specifically identify with the Hebrides and the West Coast of... more This is a collection of dances that specifically identify with the Hebrides and the West Coast of Scotland. They were made up to promote or commemorate special incidents or occasions in the community to keep the traditions alive in this unique manner. It is hoped to expand this collection in the future.
This book has English and Gaelic text and describes movements, dress and dances.
No longer in print. May be found second hand.
Welcome to A Sutherland Dance. This book is designed to aid dance groups and individuals involved... more Welcome to A Sutherland Dance. This book is designed to aid dance groups and individuals involved in traditional dance, and is intended as a reference to help keep alive the traditions of Sutherland Dance.
The book describes some 20 dances that were, or are still danced in Sutherland. The dances were selected to give a taste of the rich variety of traditional dances found within Sutherland, and the local variations of these. Old favourites such as the Lancers and Quadrilles and the Scotch Reels are included, side by side with current favourites.
The format is set out as an old fashioned dance programme, starting with the introductory Grand March leading into either a Scotch Reel or an Eightsome Reel and concluding with the Circassian Circle, as it would have been at many dances in village
halls throughout Sutherland.
As with any dance manual, the descriptions of the dances may appear somewhat technical, however, the author has tried to make the descriptions as clear as possible.
The written word can never substitute for passing on the skill of dancing from person to person, but it is hoped that schools, dance groups, community groups as well as individuals will find this book a stimulating and helpful resource.
Detailed descriptions of the technical terms used in the book are given in the glossary.
This book is part of the Traditional Dance Project which has taken place in
Sutherland during early 1997. The Project was intended to encourage and develop traditional dance throughout Sutherland, and it is hoped that this reference work will help maintain the momentum achieved by the classes.
The Traditional Dance Project was funded by The Highland Council and the Scottish Arts Council. Mats Melin was the tutor and has also produced this book.
Graham Nichols
Cultural and Leisure Services Manager
Sutherland, 1997
Instructional book of Shetland Dances by Mats Melin and Maria Leask with accompanying CD (out of ... more Instructional book of Shetland Dances by Mats Melin and Maria Leask with accompanying CD (out of print)
Request a digital copy for research purposes.
Journal Articles by Mats Melin
Canadian Folk Music, 2015
MUSICultures 40:1, Nov 1, 2013
Abstract: This article briefly outlines the migration of percussive step dancing to Cape Breton I... more Abstract: This article briefly outlines the migration of percussive step dancing to Cape Breton Island from the Scottish Highlands in the 19th century and the introduction of this dance genre to Scotland from Cape Breton in the 1990s. I reflect on the changes to the dance genre in Cape Breton and to the understanding of step dancing in Scotland, particularly on a visual and kinaesthetic level, as the reference points and the guiding support of a step dance community do not exist in Scotland as they do in Cape Breton.
Résumé : Cet article décrit brièvement la migration de la danse à claquettes faisant percussion depuis les Highlands d’Écosse à l’Île du Cap-Breton au 19e siècle, puis le retour de ce genre de danse en Écosse depuis le Cap-Breton dans les années 1990. Je réfléchis aux changements qu’a connus cette danse au Cap-Breton et à la manière dont on conçoit la danse à claquettes en Écosse, plus particulièrement aux niveaux visuel et kinesthésique, car il n’existe pas en Écosse, contrairement à l’Île du Cap-Breton, de points de référence et de lignes directrices pouvant soutenir une communauté de danse à claquettes.
Canadian Folk Music 46(4), pages 1-6, 2013
Papers by Mats Melin
Ethnomusicology Forum, 2016
Dance Research, 2016
Dance Research, Volume 34 Issue 2, Page 262-264, ISSN 0264-2875 Available Online Nov 2016 (https:... more Dance Research, Volume 34 Issue 2, Page 262-264, ISSN 0264-2875 Available Online Nov 2016 (https://doi.org/10.3366/drs.2016.0170)
Scottish style round-the-room dance Time: 6/8 March (4 counts = 2 bars of music). Music: A good T... more Scottish style round-the-room dance Time: 6/8 March (4 counts = 2 bars of music). Music: A good Two Step or a 6/8 Pipe March such the Heights of Casino. Formation: Round the Room. Starting position: In couples, standing side by side, with woman on man's right and with right hands joined, facing the line of dance (LOD) anticlockwise round the room. Start with the outside foot, i.e. man's left foot and woman's right foot. Description is for the man, while the woman dances the opposite.
Every dance form has its own stylistic traits ascribed to it by its community of performers, and ... more Every dance form has its own stylistic traits ascribed to it by its community of performers, and Cape Breton step-dancing is no exception. Even though this vernacular percussive dance style shares many traits with other Canadian and North American step dance forms, it has certain markers that are singled out by its practitioners as aesthetic key points. In my book One with the Music: Cape Breton Step Dancing Tradition and Transmission (2015), I discuss many aspects of this traditional dance style, but here I would like to single out a few reflections and comments on some aesthetic keywords. American dance scholar Adrienne Kaeppler (2001) posits that the notion of “dance” is understood as its “form” (or perhaps better thought of as the content entity), and that form is a combination of structure and style. The structure is the different combinations of all those little movements (referred to, for example, as elements and motifs – or steps – by dance analysts) that are conceptually un...
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Books by Mats Melin
Mats Melin and Jennifer Schoonover explore the historical references describing percussive dancing to illustrate how widespread the practice was, giving some glimpses of what it looked and sounded like. The authors also explain what influenced a wide disappearance of hard-shoe steps from Scottish dancing practices. Their research draws together fieldwork, references from historical sources in English, Scots, and Scottish Gaelic, and insights drawn from the authors’ practical knowledge of dances. They portray the complex network of dance dialects that existed in parallel across Scotland, and share how remnants of this vibrant tradition have endured in Scotland and the Scottish diaspora to the present day.
This book will be of interest to scholars and students of Dance and Music and its relationship to the history and culture of Scotland.
The legacy of Ewen MacLachlan’s dance repertoire remained with the people who kept dancing and passing them on. The steps remembered by the late Fearchar MacNeil of Barra, and John ‘Iain Ruadh’ MacLeod and Donald ‘Roidean’ MacDonald, both of South Uist, are presented in these pages.
Each of the nine dances are contextualised with notes on their style, associated music, and folklore: Scotch Blue Bonnets, Scotch Measure, Miss Forbes’ Farewell to Banff, Mac Iain Ghasda (Highland Laddie), Over the Waters, Tulloch Gorm, First of August, Flowers of Edinburgh, and, in addition, the solo jig Aberdonian Lassie, and Fearchar MacNeil’s dance Caisteal Chiosamul.
This book also traces how the dances were kept alive through local Island traditions, local teachings, and the ways observers of this tradition have notated and published their findings since the 1950s. The social and economic conditions of nineteenth-century South Uist and Barra are outlined to help contextualise the circumstances under which Ewen MacLachlan operated. A biography detailing what we know about Ewen attempts to sort the few facts we have from the many myths persisting about him. Further biographies of some Islanders who recalled these dances in the 1950s and newspaper entries from the Uist and Barra Games in the 1920s are also featured.
An independent project presenting videos of these dances ties in with this publication. Links to these videos are provided within this book and here: Online video content is produced by Canadian dancer Sabra MacGillivray.
It is my sincere hope that this book helps keep these dances alive for future generations to enjoy.
The sword dance appearing in the eleventh-century with Scottish King Malcolm Canmore dancing it;
Wilt thou go to the Barracks, Johnnie? being used as a dance to recruit soldiers for the Scottish regiments;
The Highland Fling as imitating the strength and agility of a leaping or ‘curvetting’ stag;
Various dances with connections with the 1745–1746 Jacobite Rising and its aftermath;
The Seann Triubhas being linked to 1746 Dress Act prohibiting the wearing of tartan; and
Flora MacDonald’s Fancy devised in honour of the Jacobite heroine Flora MacDonald.
Most of these stories suggest an origin for a dance anchored in a distant past, but they may also form some level of meaning-making. Are they even true? In many cases not at all. It could be that they were created to help dancers perform certain dances with particular images in mind.
This work questions whether there is any actual truth to the stories by taking some of the facts apart. The main questions are: What function did the story have for dance teachers and dancers in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries? Why was it necessary to validate the dances by setting them in antiquity? Are there still purposes served by these stories if and when they are applied today? Also, is it now, or even, was it ever, necessary for dancers to have a certain image, or story, in mind to help them perform these dances in character? By outlining and deliberating on historical references on some of the best-known Scottish solo dances, this overview places these associated stories against a contextual and historical framework. The analysis set out equally to investigate what was, and is currently, the meaning-making behind these stories.
We first take a detailed look at several stories of suggested meaning-making related to the three main dances of the Highland dancing repertoire of today—Highland Fling, the Seann Triubhas and the Sword dance. Each of these has at least one story, that on some level, has lived on into common knowledge among practitioners of Highland dancing today. Three dances with stories relating to the Jacobite rising of 1745–1746 are discussed next, where we ask if they have any real connection with this historical event. After that, I explore ten ‘miscellaneous’ dances (including Blue Bonnets, Highland Laddie and Wilt thou go to the Barracks, Johnnie?) each of which have stories unrelated to each other, but which are in some way used to explain the purpose of the dance or the step pattern or style in which the dances are thought to have been danced. Next, I discuss two Character Dances found in the Scottish solo dance repertoire, the Irish Jig and the Sailors’ Hornpipe, which, both have particular sets of storylines associated with them. Lastly, it is also worth examining one group dance, the Reel of Tulloch, closely associated with the competitive solo dance scene in the last 100 years or so. The Highland Reel, in its many manifestations[i], was at one time the most common dance of Scots and does not seem to have any stories attached to it at all, with the exception of the later and specifically named form, the Reel of Tulloch, mentioned above.
This book has English and Gaelic text and describes movements, dress and dances.
No longer in print. May be found second hand.
The book describes some 20 dances that were, or are still danced in Sutherland. The dances were selected to give a taste of the rich variety of traditional dances found within Sutherland, and the local variations of these. Old favourites such as the Lancers and Quadrilles and the Scotch Reels are included, side by side with current favourites.
The format is set out as an old fashioned dance programme, starting with the introductory Grand March leading into either a Scotch Reel or an Eightsome Reel and concluding with the Circassian Circle, as it would have been at many dances in village
halls throughout Sutherland.
As with any dance manual, the descriptions of the dances may appear somewhat technical, however, the author has tried to make the descriptions as clear as possible.
The written word can never substitute for passing on the skill of dancing from person to person, but it is hoped that schools, dance groups, community groups as well as individuals will find this book a stimulating and helpful resource.
Detailed descriptions of the technical terms used in the book are given in the glossary.
This book is part of the Traditional Dance Project which has taken place in
Sutherland during early 1997. The Project was intended to encourage and develop traditional dance throughout Sutherland, and it is hoped that this reference work will help maintain the momentum achieved by the classes.
The Traditional Dance Project was funded by The Highland Council and the Scottish Arts Council. Mats Melin was the tutor and has also produced this book.
Graham Nichols
Cultural and Leisure Services Manager
Sutherland, 1997
Request a digital copy for research purposes.
Journal Articles by Mats Melin
http://www.canfolkmusic.ca/index.php/cfmb/issue/view/59/showToc
Résumé : Cet article décrit brièvement la migration de la danse à claquettes faisant percussion depuis les Highlands d’Écosse à l’Île du Cap-Breton au 19e siècle, puis le retour de ce genre de danse en Écosse depuis le Cap-Breton dans les années 1990. Je réfléchis aux changements qu’a connus cette danse au Cap-Breton et à la manière dont on conçoit la danse à claquettes en Écosse, plus particulièrement aux niveaux visuel et kinesthésique, car il n’existe pas en Écosse, contrairement à l’Île du Cap-Breton, de points de référence et de lignes directrices pouvant soutenir une communauté de danse à claquettes.
Papers by Mats Melin
Mats Melin and Jennifer Schoonover explore the historical references describing percussive dancing to illustrate how widespread the practice was, giving some glimpses of what it looked and sounded like. The authors also explain what influenced a wide disappearance of hard-shoe steps from Scottish dancing practices. Their research draws together fieldwork, references from historical sources in English, Scots, and Scottish Gaelic, and insights drawn from the authors’ practical knowledge of dances. They portray the complex network of dance dialects that existed in parallel across Scotland, and share how remnants of this vibrant tradition have endured in Scotland and the Scottish diaspora to the present day.
This book will be of interest to scholars and students of Dance and Music and its relationship to the history and culture of Scotland.
The legacy of Ewen MacLachlan’s dance repertoire remained with the people who kept dancing and passing them on. The steps remembered by the late Fearchar MacNeil of Barra, and John ‘Iain Ruadh’ MacLeod and Donald ‘Roidean’ MacDonald, both of South Uist, are presented in these pages.
Each of the nine dances are contextualised with notes on their style, associated music, and folklore: Scotch Blue Bonnets, Scotch Measure, Miss Forbes’ Farewell to Banff, Mac Iain Ghasda (Highland Laddie), Over the Waters, Tulloch Gorm, First of August, Flowers of Edinburgh, and, in addition, the solo jig Aberdonian Lassie, and Fearchar MacNeil’s dance Caisteal Chiosamul.
This book also traces how the dances were kept alive through local Island traditions, local teachings, and the ways observers of this tradition have notated and published their findings since the 1950s. The social and economic conditions of nineteenth-century South Uist and Barra are outlined to help contextualise the circumstances under which Ewen MacLachlan operated. A biography detailing what we know about Ewen attempts to sort the few facts we have from the many myths persisting about him. Further biographies of some Islanders who recalled these dances in the 1950s and newspaper entries from the Uist and Barra Games in the 1920s are also featured.
An independent project presenting videos of these dances ties in with this publication. Links to these videos are provided within this book and here: Online video content is produced by Canadian dancer Sabra MacGillivray.
It is my sincere hope that this book helps keep these dances alive for future generations to enjoy.
The sword dance appearing in the eleventh-century with Scottish King Malcolm Canmore dancing it;
Wilt thou go to the Barracks, Johnnie? being used as a dance to recruit soldiers for the Scottish regiments;
The Highland Fling as imitating the strength and agility of a leaping or ‘curvetting’ stag;
Various dances with connections with the 1745–1746 Jacobite Rising and its aftermath;
The Seann Triubhas being linked to 1746 Dress Act prohibiting the wearing of tartan; and
Flora MacDonald’s Fancy devised in honour of the Jacobite heroine Flora MacDonald.
Most of these stories suggest an origin for a dance anchored in a distant past, but they may also form some level of meaning-making. Are they even true? In many cases not at all. It could be that they were created to help dancers perform certain dances with particular images in mind.
This work questions whether there is any actual truth to the stories by taking some of the facts apart. The main questions are: What function did the story have for dance teachers and dancers in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries? Why was it necessary to validate the dances by setting them in antiquity? Are there still purposes served by these stories if and when they are applied today? Also, is it now, or even, was it ever, necessary for dancers to have a certain image, or story, in mind to help them perform these dances in character? By outlining and deliberating on historical references on some of the best-known Scottish solo dances, this overview places these associated stories against a contextual and historical framework. The analysis set out equally to investigate what was, and is currently, the meaning-making behind these stories.
We first take a detailed look at several stories of suggested meaning-making related to the three main dances of the Highland dancing repertoire of today—Highland Fling, the Seann Triubhas and the Sword dance. Each of these has at least one story, that on some level, has lived on into common knowledge among practitioners of Highland dancing today. Three dances with stories relating to the Jacobite rising of 1745–1746 are discussed next, where we ask if they have any real connection with this historical event. After that, I explore ten ‘miscellaneous’ dances (including Blue Bonnets, Highland Laddie and Wilt thou go to the Barracks, Johnnie?) each of which have stories unrelated to each other, but which are in some way used to explain the purpose of the dance or the step pattern or style in which the dances are thought to have been danced. Next, I discuss two Character Dances found in the Scottish solo dance repertoire, the Irish Jig and the Sailors’ Hornpipe, which, both have particular sets of storylines associated with them. Lastly, it is also worth examining one group dance, the Reel of Tulloch, closely associated with the competitive solo dance scene in the last 100 years or so. The Highland Reel, in its many manifestations[i], was at one time the most common dance of Scots and does not seem to have any stories attached to it at all, with the exception of the later and specifically named form, the Reel of Tulloch, mentioned above.
This book has English and Gaelic text and describes movements, dress and dances.
No longer in print. May be found second hand.
The book describes some 20 dances that were, or are still danced in Sutherland. The dances were selected to give a taste of the rich variety of traditional dances found within Sutherland, and the local variations of these. Old favourites such as the Lancers and Quadrilles and the Scotch Reels are included, side by side with current favourites.
The format is set out as an old fashioned dance programme, starting with the introductory Grand March leading into either a Scotch Reel or an Eightsome Reel and concluding with the Circassian Circle, as it would have been at many dances in village
halls throughout Sutherland.
As with any dance manual, the descriptions of the dances may appear somewhat technical, however, the author has tried to make the descriptions as clear as possible.
The written word can never substitute for passing on the skill of dancing from person to person, but it is hoped that schools, dance groups, community groups as well as individuals will find this book a stimulating and helpful resource.
Detailed descriptions of the technical terms used in the book are given in the glossary.
This book is part of the Traditional Dance Project which has taken place in
Sutherland during early 1997. The Project was intended to encourage and develop traditional dance throughout Sutherland, and it is hoped that this reference work will help maintain the momentum achieved by the classes.
The Traditional Dance Project was funded by The Highland Council and the Scottish Arts Council. Mats Melin was the tutor and has also produced this book.
Graham Nichols
Cultural and Leisure Services Manager
Sutherland, 1997
Request a digital copy for research purposes.
http://www.canfolkmusic.ca/index.php/cfmb/issue/view/59/showToc
Résumé : Cet article décrit brièvement la migration de la danse à claquettes faisant percussion depuis les Highlands d’Écosse à l’Île du Cap-Breton au 19e siècle, puis le retour de ce genre de danse en Écosse depuis le Cap-Breton dans les années 1990. Je réfléchis aux changements qu’a connus cette danse au Cap-Breton et à la manière dont on conçoit la danse à claquettes en Écosse, plus particulièrement aux niveaux visuel et kinesthésique, car il n’existe pas en Écosse, contrairement à l’Île du Cap-Breton, de points de référence et de lignes directrices pouvant soutenir une communauté de danse à claquettes.
Cape Breton Step Dancing
Mats H. Melin
PhD Abstract
Cape Breton step dancing is the regional label, given to the vernacular form of percussive step dance found in Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, Canada. Whether improvised or choreographed into a routine, this dance genre has, alongside the local fiddle tradition become emblematic for the Cape Breton community identity. Exploring the Percussive Routes and Shared Commonalities in Cape Breton Step Dancing is the first academic study where the investigation is focused on visual, aural and kinaesthetic transmission processes at work in the Cape Breton dance community. Observing, participating and sensing by utilizing phenomenological hermeneutics as a research method are the three transmission processes which are analysed individually and symbiotically. The study observes how Cape Breton step dance movements are embodied and also how they migrate from body to body by means of the three sensoria.
Observations on visual transmission, for example, draw on recent research in the cognitive sciences, and what aspects of the dance tradition that are acquired by direct observation in different community contexts are explored. Aural, or ear, learning probes the interconnected transmission environment of the home as one example, and furthermore looks at the particular local soundscape that informs dancers of sound and rhythm preferences in the Cape Breton music and song tradition and its relationship to dance movement. As a means of transmitting cultural knowledge, kinaesthetic transfer, alongside visual and aural processes, could be seen as a key component for shaping the aesthetic, stylistic and movement preferences of step dancing in Cape Breton. Kinaesthetic transfer is the bringing out of somatic, or felt, dimensions of movement; in other words, the proprioceptive or kinaesthetic awareness of movement’s kinetic vitality. The combination of these three transmission processes at work in different dance contexts enables and informs the individual dancer of the Cape Breton community’s preferred style and aesthetic criteria for step dancing. Equally, these processes enable the same individual to improvise their dancing round a commonly shared repertoire of motifs, or ‘steps’ that form part of the flexible boundaries surrounding the shared commonalities of this dance genre. This study aims to illustrate the aforementioned transmission processes at work in the contexts of the home, the dance class, the concert, and at the local square dances. The analysis of these processes aims to elicit what common movement material and aesthetic and stylistic criteria the local community considers to be essential components of Cape Breton step dance.
A concluding picture which emerges, based on the particular sources of this study, is one of a holistic transmission environment, where the processes of sights, sounds, and kinaesthetic awareness, all often subconsciously, work harmoniously together to inform each actor in this cultural context. Transmission occurs over long periods of time and develops into an on-going process that forms an integral part of daily life for those involved. Even though the home context is no longer the primary environment for transmission of dance, the informality of transmission at concerts and at square dances deepens the understanding, provided in the class teaching context. The dance genre is changing, with a growing motif repertoire being one result. This study, however, shows that most of the essential elements with regard to movement repertoire, aesthetic and stylistic criteria are maintained. These essential elements make up the shared commonalities that define Cape Breton step dance and which are passed on through the transmission processes described.
""
Reference:
Melin, Mats. (2012). Exploring the Percussive Routes and Shared Commonalities in Cape Breton Step Dancing. (Doctor of Philosophy Thesis), University of Limerick, Limerick.
(https://doi.org/10.3366/drs.2016.0170)