Originality

About the Book

The previous three booklets were produced in order to assist the beginner and reduce the time spent taking notes during workshops. This book replaces and expands those booklets, drawing attention to some of the many aspects of dance which are very often ignored in the modern day workshop. The use of a simple tabulation enables the taps and rhythms to be analysed and the building blocks to be recognised, abbreviated, and assembled into traditional music patterns and phrasing. All of the tap schedules are shown as musical rhythms at the end of each chapter when required.

The book contains chapters detailing two solo's; one is a pedestal clog dance and the other a simple step dance into which clog steps may be put and everyone is encouraged to develop a stage further. More importantly, the book details the entire repertoire of Samuel Bell, a past champion clog dancer, together with a short history of his life and details of the North Country competitions in the thirties. Finally, there is a more recent record of a simple duet which is suitable for all ages that does not require great athletic ability. The book is not presented as a complete work on clog dancing, but is an attempt to show in detail some of the steps and rhythms in music and tabulation format, with a few points above their performance.

The main emphasis is to improve performance, in particular the understanding of timings and the rapport that is required between the dancer, audience, and the musician. It is essentially a guide to be used by dancers, if so inspired to try the dances and impose their own personalitites upon them.

About the Author

In 1952, aged nineteen and never meeting any girls, the author decided that learning to dance may go some way to solving the problem. He walked alone in to a square dance to be greeted by a friend who was accompanied by six heavenly ladies. Following his involvement with North American Square Dance, English Social Dance and the Morris, he was invited in 1964 to join a dance team on a visit to Denmark. It was for this event that he acquired a pair of clogs. This eventually led to him leading a small team to a festival in Christchurch on behalf of the Reading Traditional and Step Dance Group. Having rehearsed the team for a few weeks, he was asked to continue with his basic instruction and has done so ever since. Now as the twilight years become a reality he is still dancing but just a little more sedately. Recently, he again walked alone into a social dance, there were 16 heavenly ladies and himself. Over all those long years nothing much has changed.