6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
reely quite good, 7 Feb 2009
To be honest, there's a limit to what a book about dancing can actually teach you: if you're a complete Scottish country dancing beginner, not even step-by-step diagrams are going to convey the intricacies of the moves and spins, even if, like this manual, tries its best with arrows and diagrams. You really need to see dancers in action, and hear the music, to get how the individual sections all fit together.
However, having said that, of all the guides I've read in a vain attempt to learn in a hurry, The Swinging Sporran is the most useful. It breaks down all the classic dances you would need to know for a formal Scottish reeling night into basic steps - Hamilton House, the Eightsome Reel, Reel of the 51st Division, Dashing White Sergeant, etc - and offers some tongue-in-cheek advice straight from 1973 about what to wear, and what to expect. Not much has changed; after all, a kilt is a kilt is a kilt. This is definitely an introductory guide to the traditional world of Scottish Country Dancing, however; you'll need a different book if you're heading for a more informal folk dance ceilidh, where Strip the Willow, the Gay Gordons, etc, are more usual.
But with a CD of appropriate tunes to put to the steps, this is a handy little book to keep in your sporran for reference, and a good starting place for anyone with an interest in Scottish country dance.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Freshen up before the Ball!, 30 Nov 2009
Highland Balls can be a bit daunting - unless you have boned up beforehand with this slim little confidence booster. Most scottish country dance manuals contain incomprehensible diagrams and arcane instructions which only the most knowledgable and experienced dancers can decipher. Enter "The Swinging Sporran". Light hearted and amusing it may be, but it has most of the dances commonly used at Highland Balls in a form that will refresh your memory with grace and ease. Just what is required in fact by people like me with dodgy memories who don't wish to spoil the fun by getting in a muddle at the crucial moment. You might even learn some new dances but its more likely that you will have tried most of these before unless you are a complete novice, in which case you should probably seek some basic instruction. Not for the keen expert, but you will know yourself if you belong in that hallowed group.
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