(no subject)

[galadhir]

It's being a very weird Christmas this year.

Firstly, our daughter is at her in-laws for Christmas and is coming back up here on the 27th, so we're not celebrating until the 28th, when we can all be together. This made yesterday (the actual 25th) a very low-key affair of just eating nicer snacks and watching Christmas media (Knives Out and the Great Christmas Pottery Throw Down.) And only opening presents from Gran, so we could thank her on the phone. All other presents are being saved for Second Christmas.

Secondly, I must have slept on a mosquito, or something, because I have been bitten hundreds of times on my right cheekbone, brow and eyesocket. I don't deal well with bites in general, and my face has swollen up - my eye is swollen nearly shut. The bones of my face hurt and it's not really adding to my festive mood.

Still, today is the Boxing Day dance-out, when we will dance next to the river for about an hour and then go to the pub to play tunes, and that's always fun. People who are taking their post-Christmas 'oh God, if we don't get out for a bit we'll go mad' stroll are always pleased to see us.

Comments

[watervole]

I'm desperately hoping I'll be able to get back to morris and if/ when this wretched bursitis goes.

I did a very short two man dance with my granddaughter last week, but I've not been to practice in months.

[galadhir]

It is beginning to get too much for me, I must admit. I have bad feet and bad knees, and while the knees can be put in knee braces, I sympathize because there's not much you can do about the feet. I've compensated by learning an instrument so I can join the musicians instead, but it isn't the same.

[watervole]

I know where you're coming from...
I do a lot more melodeon playing than I used to.

For what it's worth, longsword is a lot easier on the knees, as it's mostly done at a brisk walk ratherthan a step hop.

I have lots of useful longsword dances for small teams..,

[galadhir]

Ooh, I wonder if I could persuade Sutton Masque to add a couple of longsword dances to the repertoire. We have several people whose knees/feet/other medical complaints make it hard for them to participate and it would be nice for them/us to be able to do a turn or two. We also have a couple of people who do rapper on the side, so they might be able to interpret and teach the dances for us, if you were willing to share?

We're trying to learn the melodeon as well (I normally play the whistle) but I'm finding it really complicated! The fact that you can play every tune in several different ways depending on the bases is doing my head in! I admire you for managing it :)

Happy New Year, btw :)

[watervole]

Visit http://southernstarlongsword.co.uk you'll find music and notation (and often a video too) of dances for three/four/five/six dancers.

If anyone is willing to put me up for the night and help with travel costs, I'm also willing to run a workshop.

You can buy wooden longswords from the Fed (I think) or the oneStopMorrisShop

Melodeon is easy if you cheat. Just miss out the bases...

[galadhir]

Oh thank you! I'll put the idea to our Squire and Foreman and see what they say. I think it would be grand to be able to get some of the less physically abled folk back out for a dance or two, but we'll have to see whether they think it would be too much of a departure for the side. I'm really keen though :)

[watervole]

I have a really good beginners dance that is carefully written to work with any number of dancers from 4 to 8.

I use it for teaching school children.

I could do that one first, and then move to a more difficult one later, depending on how long the session is.

(I also teach maypole dancing, but I can't drive at present, so bringing my maypole for added entertainment isn't an option at present)

[watervole]

We have two dancers in our sword group with limited flexibility. Plus me. I'm normally pretty limber, but I can do some longsword even with my current bursitis problems.