Capering & Kickery

Highland Reel (country dance figure)

    •    Era: 1840s-1890s

While researching nineteenth-century Scottish reels, I was surprised to come across a dance labeled “Highland Reel” that was not the usual sort of Highland Reel, a simple mix of setting and heying for three or four dancers, but rather two slightly different versions of a progressive longways dance for trios of one lady between two gentlemen, formed as in the illustration at left (click to enlarge), taken from Elias Howe’s American Dancing Master and Ball-Room Prompter (Boston, 1862). 

Ironically, I have only one, very late, Scottish source for the dance; most of the sources I’ve found it in are actually American!  One version made its way all the way to Australia and is found in an 1875 manual from that country.  That version, with the dancers’ genders reversed to one gentleman between two ladies, is still extant in the modern Scottish Country Dance community, where it may be found in the Royal Scottish Country Dance Society's Book 13.

Regency, Victorian, and Modern Waltz Workshops, NYC (Sunday, August 28, 2011)

*** UPDATE 8/26/11: THESE WORKSHOPS HAVE BEEN CANCELLED DUE TO HURRICANE IRENE! ***

I will be teaching a trio of workshops sponsored by The Vintage Dance Society and Specialty Productions in New York City this Sunday, August 28th, covering a trio of dance forms ranging from the set dances of the Napoleonic era through the lively dances of Victoria's reign up to the latest variations for the modern social waltzer.

The workshops will be held at the DANY Studios, Studio 5 (note that this is not the usual studio!), on West 38th Street between 8th and 9th, from 12:00 noon to 6:00 pm.  No partner is required, but lead/follow balance is not guaranteed.  Experience level needed varies somewhat by workshop -- see the details below.

The cost is $14 per workshop, two for $24, or -- a special deal -- take all three for only a dollar more, $25.  No pre-registration needed -- just show up!

Here's the official announcement:

Specialty Productions and The Vintage Dance Society present: a day of historical dancing from the Jane Austen era to the present day!

Join dance historian/teacher Susan de Guardiola for a smorgasbord of dance classes including the quadrilles of the early nineteenth century, the bouncy mazurka waltz of the Civil War era, and beautiful variations for the modern rotary waltz.


12:00-1:45    Regency Quadrilles
Steps and footwork for the Caledonian Quadrilles, a fun and sociable set of square dances from around 1820, and more (time permitting).  BEGINNER/INTERMEDIATE: most of the class will be accessible, but some of the step sequences will be challenging without previous Regency, Scottish, or similar dance experience.

2:00-3:45    Victorian Mazurka Waltz
The so-called “Cellarius” of the 1840s and 1850s, a way to turn the challenging Polish mazurka into a couple dance.  Very bouncy with significant amounts of hopping.  Will also cover basic mazurka steps for promenading and quadrilles.  BEGINNER/INTERMEDIATE: not complex, but must have very good balance and be able to hop a LOT!

4:00-5:45    Modern Rotary Waltz Variations
Spice up your modern rotary waltz with underarm turns, free spins, swingouts, and more!  Review of basics then new moves for the modern social dance floor.  BEGINNER/INTERMEDIATE: will need a solid rotary waltz to continue with the more complicated variations.

Flat or (for ladies) low-heeled shoes with smooth soles (leather, not rubber) are recommended -- no spike heels, please!  Flat shoes are strongly preferred for the Regency and Victorian classes; low heels work fine for rotary waltz.

A workshop flyer in PDF form may be downloaded here.

And for those interested in pure social waltz of any kind: join us this Friday night for the second Big Apple Waltz -- friendly social waltzing and other couple dances in downtown Manhattan!  Details on the Big Apple Waltz website!

For more information about either workshop see the flyer first, then post questions here or email me.  You may also call Marc Casslar at 860-286-9191.