Scottish Step Dancing - Jig, Strathspey and Reel

Gergel School. St Andrew's Night in Kiev 2012
Step dancing is indeed the tune is about. The fiddle is the preferred instrument for step-dancing as it allows the dancers and the audience to appreciate the percussive sound of feet on the floor. The subject of traditional dance is one which, to date, has been under-researched in Scotland and, while the paper can only touch upon it, perhaps it can appeal to serious researchers to take it up. For most of this century, not only the nation but the world has been influenced by modern ideas
of dance as presented by the Royal Scottish Country Dance Society. Because the R.S.C.D.S.'s more famous co-founder, Miss Jean Milligan, was principal dance teacher at Jordanhill College of Education in Glasgow, she was in a position of great influence in Scottish Education. All teachers who trained at Jordanhill and at Scotland's other Teacher Training Colleges were subsequently taught dance according to a new and strictly imposed Schools' Curriculum, where dance still holds a time-honoured place. It is relatively easy to see, therefore, how an entire nation was converted to "correct" dancing practices while the old styles were set aside and labelled "wrong". All the more reason, then, to study the dance styles of areas which were outwith the influence of the RSCDS. (Margaret Bennett, School of Scottish Studies. Edinburgh University, U.K.)
Анжела Гергель
#scottishdancing #angelagergel #анжелагергель

[@AngelaGergel]

We call it Scottish Step Dancing since it was brought to Cape Breton from Scotland and then came back again. We learn to stepdance at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig (Isle of Skye) and Ceòlas (South Usit) with teachers both from Scotland and Cape Breton. Sometimes we invite them to Kiev to teach the young step dancers.

[@danielshane6487]

Very pretty!!

[@xWHITExEAGLEx]

'S math sin! Very good! Thank you Kiev, from Scotland.

[@AngelaGergel]

Móran taing. 'S toil leam seo.

[@Onbehaard]

A precursor of Line Dancing....? Very exciting to watch, although I worried what it might do to their ankles.. I agree with Violaannie. I enjoy RSCDS Scottish Country Dancing but I never consider other ways of Scottish dancing as "wrong". There is room for ALL types of dance. You just need someone to promote it and getting people to be interested. A bit like Michael Flatley and Irish dance.

[@chriscreation79]

Luv it💖 Everything

[@Morgana888]

Thank you for uploading this and explaining which is which. Is there anytime wheel the couple dances together in the reel?

[@robertgalloway3771]

Step dancing to puirt a bheil MouthMusi

[@Morgana888]

Thank you! I'm still in attempt to distinguish the Jig, Strathspey and reel. Did you do a reel in this video? ¬ Janet

[@AngelaGergel]

Jig is first, next comes Strathspey, and Reel in the end. Jig is usually 6/8, Strathspey 4/4, and Reel 4/4 as well - but much faster

[@razzberry1262]

The strathspey starts at around 40 seconds.

[@violaannie9]

Fiddler Ronan Martin and I'm pretty sure that's John Sikorski dancing in the middle. I can't agree with this idea that Miss Milligan's teaching of SCD was any kind of attempt to set aside set dancing or label it as 'wrong' though. Her own personal interest was in retaining and to some extent standardising country dances (although I tend to think that much more of the standardisation has happened in recent years). Country dancing is a completely separate entity from step dancing, just as it is a separate entity from highland dancing, and the existence and teaching of one does not rule out the existence of any of the others, nor make them any less valid. They just need(ed) their own Miss Milligan to step up and champion their cause, that's all.

[@violaannie9]

Angela Lol I think you've completely misunderstood, because I didn't suggest a championship! "To champion a cause" just means to support it! All I am saying is that there is room in Scottish dancing for everything - SCD, ceilidh, step, ladies' step, highland, sword... it's all completely valid and Miss Milligan never tried to stop any of it. I really enjoy playing for all kinds of Scottish dancing.

[@macdonaldnathan]

How did you learn Cape Breton step dancing in Kiev?!

[@AngelaGergel]

We travel to Scottish Highlands often and learn songs and dances there..

[@scotteckert3892]

Hey Angela. Love the step dancing! What are the tunes used in this set? And, could you recommend other tune and set lists for this type of scottish step dancing? i am particularly interested in old archaic pipe and fiddle based tunes.

[@AngelaGergel]

Honestly. I don't remember the names of any of the three tunes played her, but you can use any Scottish jig, strathspey or reel. The thing is that you have to feel the music& I learnt lots of Gaidhlig songs before I started to do stepdancing. You can see some other videos on my channel where I sing and dance - AND many of them have the names of the tunes)))

[@Nicoleclog]

What is the name of the last tune ?

[@traceygrey4548]

101st like! Me. I am.

[@JimmyWest186]

Cripping, the c walk ain't nothin but a deaf Anglican.

[@SusanDelgado1177]

kinda like Irish dancin

[@AngelaGergel]

+Susan Delgado kinda, though strathspey makes difference

[@glasgowbrian1469]

All old time step dancing, whether Ottawa Valley, Irish (Sean Nós), Scottish, Cape Breton, French-Canadian, English hard shoe, or whatever, will be similar. It’s only modern competitions and dance schools that have created un-natural styles like the Irish having to dance with stiff arms. As far as I’m concerned - Old Time Rules!

[@AngelaGergel]

Exactly. Anyway, the tradition has to move on. The tradition is not keeping the ashes, but passing the burning fire.

[@glasgowbrian1469]

I agree. Thank heavens the traditional fire is alive and well, because we are less restricted by rules. Well done Moscow (I assume) on spreading Scottish/Cape Breton to your area. It’s great to see.

[@AngelaGergel]

This is Kiev. Ukraine. The dancera are from Ukraine - Vera Gergel (the girl on the left, my daughter) and from Scotland - John Sikorsky and Caroline Reagh