The Argyll Broadsword dance ( Argyll Broadswords ), appeared around the nineteenth century in Scottish highland regiments as a variation of the sword dance .
Content
Description
Unlike dancing with swords , four dancers took part in Argyll's Broadswords and four Scottish broadswords were used . Participants to the sounds of the march solemnly went to the site on which the dance was planned, circled it, then laid Scottish broadswords in the shape of the cross of St. George. Each of the Scottish regiments had its own version of the dance, but the dance itself was traditionally divided into two parts, slow and fast. The number of steps for a slow and fast dance part can vary. At the moment there are the following versions of the execution according to the number of steps:
- 3 & 1 - three slow and one fast [1] , [2] ;
- 3 & 2 - three slow and two fast [3] .
Unlike most other dances such as Highland , the “Broadsword Argyle” dance is not competitive and is more suitable as an entertainment for the public. This dance is very colorful shown in the film Sergei Bondarchuk's “Waterloo” (1970) in the scene of the Allied Ball in Brussels, where it is performed by the lower ranks of the Scottish 92nd Gordon Highlanders regiment to the accompaniment of the Piper Regiment Orchestra.
Musical accompaniment
Dancers perform a dance to a traditional Scottish bagpipe. Musicians perform three melodies:
- marsh - for the solemn exit and departure of dancers;
- strassei - for the slow part;
- rile - for the quick part.
Notes
- ↑ An Argyll Broadswords (A5 / 12b) - Janet Cook - 1997
- ↑ The Argyll Broadswords (A4 / 4Ss) - SNDC (Colin Robertson) - 1971
- ↑ The Argyll Broadswords (A4 / 12b) - Bill Clement - 1977