Mark Evans Posted April 13, 2005 Share Posted April 13, 2005 (edited) I just have to know...who is the dancing concertinist? Me darlin' is at present in Madrid singing an opera and one of her colleagues is a Scottish soprano who also sings in Gaelic. Dominique told her that I would love that and things got around to C-Net. The soprano says she knows a member here from (I could be mistaken) Newcastle who dances while playing the concertina. I am fascinated, and not just a little jealous. Best I can manage is a tourtured fit while playing that alarms most people. Edited April 13, 2005 by Mark Evans Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimLucas Posted April 13, 2005 Share Posted April 13, 2005 I just have to know...who is the dancing concertinist? ... The soprano says she knows a member here from (I could be mistaken) Newcastle who dances while playing the concertina.<{POST_SNAPBACK}> Well, I've seen Alistair Anderson do a rant step while playing his concertina, but he's not precisely from Newcastle, and if he's a C.net member, he's hiding behind an alias. Have also seen fiddlers do dance steps while playing. Natalie McMasters comes to mind, and I've seen Jim Morrison (currently of Albemarle Morris) dance a Morris jig to his own fiddle playing. (I think that's something the late Jinky Wells was also known for.) Much easier, I think, is to walk the figures of a contradance while playing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helen Posted April 13, 2005 Share Posted April 13, 2005 Easy for you, Jim. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OLDNICKILBY Posted April 13, 2005 Share Posted April 13, 2005 Geoff Halford of Leicester Morris has been known to dance whilst playing either the tina or fiddle ,but not at the same time. Quite a feat for a 75 year old Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Evans Posted April 13, 2005 Author Share Posted April 13, 2005 Hum....Jim, you may have hit it right from the start. Alistair Anderson may be who our Scottish Soprano is refering to. She was sure I would know him. Dominique perhaps assumes all concertinists are C Net members. So tonight I shall persue it further. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bellowbelle Posted April 13, 2005 Share Posted April 13, 2005 Does 'skiing' on my edge-trainer count? I sometimes play myconcertina while using my Tony Little Gazelle gadget that I bought from Wal-Mart online. Have yet to fall over. Actually, Mark, now I feel challenged and shall have to see what I can do about dancing while I play. (Thank God I have a very big backyard.... ) Just this morning, I was thinking that, for me, the two really must go hand in hand -- if I'm going to play the concertina, I MUST workout a bit. I think that whenever I play my EC (or, crochet or do anything that mostly with the hands), it does something bad to the balances of my systems -- cardio, etc.. I want to play my concertina, so, that settles it. I have to keep up with the exercises! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiminca Posted April 13, 2005 Share Posted April 13, 2005 I have seen Bruce Balan do a solo morris jig while playing the concertina. I was equally impress that he did it barefooted. One of my musican mentors told me to dance while playing, or at lest step, to help my timing. But alas, I use the knee while playing. Kim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimLucas Posted April 13, 2005 Share Posted April 13, 2005 ...if I'm going to play the concertina, I MUST workout a bit.<{POST_SNAPBACK}> Maybe you should get a MIDI concertina, but instead of using batteries to power it, hook an electric generator up to a bicycle transmission. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helen Posted April 14, 2005 Share Posted April 14, 2005 Kim, I like the idea of dancing or stepping while playing to get the timing. Any other words of wisdom from you mentor? Helen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Barnert Posted April 14, 2005 Share Posted April 14, 2005 Maybe you should get a MIDI concertina, but instead of using batteries to power it, hook an electric generator up to a bicycle transmission. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> This reminds me of the day I was setting up my tent at Ashokan, sitting on the tailgate of my station wagon, pumping up my air mattress with a foot powered bellows mechanism. It took some time, and since I wasn't doing anything with my hands, I picked up my concertina and started to play. After a little while, it hit me that something funny was going on: I was operating a bellows at both ends. If only I could find a way to blow up my air mattress by just playing my concertina... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimLucas Posted April 14, 2005 Share Posted April 14, 2005 ...I was operating a bellows at both ends. If only I could find a way to blow up my air mattress by just playing my concertina... <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Beware of any soporific effects! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Madge Posted April 14, 2005 Share Posted April 14, 2005 I remember seeing Simon Blakeny-Edwards doing a solo jig Pricess Royal whilst playing 3 row melodeon, including 360 degree rotation jumps. I think he stopped when he formed K Passa as it probably didn't fit the image! Robin Madge Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henrik Müller Posted April 14, 2005 Share Posted April 14, 2005 I just have to know...who is the dancing concertinist? -- The soprano says she knows a member here from (I could be mistaken) Newcastle who dances while playing the concertina. -- <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Can't be anybody else but Alistair Anderson. Lived in Alnwick when I visited him in '79, but is probably in many people's mind associated with Newcastle - The High Level Ranters got their name from a bar close to The High Level Bridge in Newcastle. I have seen him do this twice, first time (1979 or -80) in a now defunct folk club in Copenhagen where he - if I may elaborate, Jim - not only did "a rant step" but actually danced off the stage, down along the long table (13-15 feet long) in the middle of the room, around the end, up along the other side, and back on stage - while playing "Da Tusker" (Shetland reel), if I remember correctly. Second time in a folk club in Inverness, in -81, maybe. Amazing! Henrik Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiminca Posted April 14, 2005 Share Posted April 14, 2005 Kim, I like the idea of dancing or stepping while playing to get the timing. Any other words of wisdom from you mentor? Helen <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Helen, Yeah, He said to get the on the beat or else the dancers will clobber me.... I'm trying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caterpillarwrestler Posted April 15, 2005 Share Posted April 15, 2005 On the subject of dancing and playing; I dance (Morris) and play Melodeon at the same time. This usually happens after I've imbibed of several 'Schooners' of Cider and the tune, the crowd, the energy from the Morris set all start working their magic on the moment. I haven’t tried playing the Concertina and dancing at the same time but my guess is that its easier than having a Melodeon slapping on your chest. Lee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Barnert Posted April 15, 2005 Share Posted April 15, 2005 ...I was operating a bellows at both ends. If only I could find a way to blow up my air mattress by just playing my concertina... <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Beware of any soporific effects! <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Don't worry. I had the nitrous turned off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bellowbelle Posted April 15, 2005 Share Posted April 15, 2005 Maybe you should get a MIDI concertina, but instead of using batteries to power it, hook an electric generator up to a bicycle transmission. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Huh, I hadn't realized that 1) there are MIDI concertinas, or that 2) they use batteries. Well, Jim that's not such a bad idea, in view of what our electric bill was, recently! Yikes. I have actually heard of that being done, for electric power for a computer, somewhere...um, unless I fell for a really good joke, that is. ( That can happen.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimLucas Posted April 15, 2005 Share Posted April 15, 2005 Maybe you should get a MIDI concertina, but instead of using batteries to power it, hook an electric generator up to a bicycle transmission. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Huh, I hadn't realized that 1) there are MIDI concertinas, or that 2) they use batteries. Then you haven't been paying attention to this Topic. I'm not sure about batteries as the power source, but it will have to get it's power from somewhere. I have actually heard of that being done, for electric power for a computer, somewhere...<{POST_SNAPBACK}> The idea isn't original with me. Some decades ago I read stories (with accompanying pictures) of people who hooked their TV's up to bicycle-powered generators, to insure that the watchers also got exercise. In some cases they were supposedly doing it for themselves; in other cases they were imposing it on their children. Now we have the "couch potato" as a cultural icon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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