Since this weekend is jam-packed with the Roaring Kelly Band playing the Scottish Ceilidh this Friday evening at Lakeside Presbyterian Church starting at 6:30pm, and then another fun, foot-stomping happy hour performance Saturday at O’Connor’s in Delray Beach on Saturday from 4-6pm, it’s time we learned a bit about one of the tunes and the accompanying dance that’s on the ticket.
It just so happens that it’s especially appropriate for Veteran’s Day. Both the tune and the dance are titled ‘The Dashing White Sergeant’. The music, composed by Sir Henry Rowley Bishop in 1826, is a reel and sometimes referred to as a march. It has been adapted as a military march as the official regimental march of the Royal Berkshire Regiment of the United Kingdom and is also played in the USA at West Point as graduates march in parade. Despite what some musicians may call it (The Dashing White Sturgeon, or The Dazzling White Detergent), it’s a very fun tune and a great dance!
The dance is a traditional folk circle dance where six dancers form a circle with ladies and gents standing alternately and all begin by circling right (clockwise) then left (counterclockwise). Then the steps are up to the caller. Some callers have the dancers form to sets of three couples than make arches to step through over & under but sometimes the couples turn and dance about until all couples have had a turn. The set always closes after a pass-through where three dancers pass through the upheld clasped hands of the opposite three to face a new set before joining hands with the new set of six dancers and circling again.
The Roaring Kelly Band thanks our veterans, those who currently serve, those who have served, and those who made the greatest sacrifice to secure our freedom and safety. There is nothing that we might say or do that can compare to the contributions of our veterans. Our heartfelt thanks is the best we can offer so Thank YOU!
Friday – November 14 ~ dance starts at 6:30pm
Fall Scottish Ceilidh with caller Rinthy Aman
Lakeside Presbyterian Church
4601 South FlaglerDrive, West Palm Beach,FL
$5 admission at the door
Map: https://goo.gl/maps/hVooG
Saturday – November 15 – O’Connor’s Pub ~ Happy Hour 4-6pm
210 NE 2nd Street, Delray Beach
Roaring Kelly Band 