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Another thing we do for fun is Bush Dances. They don't happen much (if at all) in the city, but in the Outback, the Bush, the Country, and the Hills (I'm in the Hills) they happen with decreasing frequency (Outback most, Hills only once a year).
At Bush Dances, there can be any number of musicians (if there are a lot, they take turns for each song so everyone gets to dance), mostly violins, guitars, recorder or bagpipes (or the pipes of bagpipes without the bag, if you know what I mean), as well as the Lager Stick (lots of beer bottle lids nailed onto a broom handle or reasonably straigh stick, you tap it on the floor and it rattles like a tamborine). They play country dance music - quite similar to Scottish or Irish folk dance music (the dances are similar, too).
The dances are things like the Heel and Toe Polka, the Queensland Backstep, the Flying Pieman, and the Drongo. They're all really easy to learn and very fun! There's a Caller, who tells you what to do and then calls out the steps in time to the music.
Everyone dresses up for the Bush Dance (apparently), although in some cases Bush Dance clothes and normal clothes are pretty much the same thing. The idea is to wear what people wear in the Bush (strangely enough) which basically means a long, bright, 'twirly', skirt & white shirt or dress for girls, and jeans, a checked shirt, and an Akubra for boys.
There was a Hills Homeschooling Group quite recently. I played tenor recorder (harmony) for the Heel & Toe Polka and the Queensland Backstep. My violin teacher (my friend Phoebe, a girl from the Homeschooling Group) says that she wants me to play violin in the Bush Dance next year. Anyway I think the Bush Dance was the best fun I've had in a long time! My homeschooling group has one each year in Spring.
Oh, also we had 3 sections of about 4 dances. Between the first and second bracket, we had supper (everyone had to bring along a platter of finger food), and between the second and third bracket, there were a couple of musical performances (Bush music), and we sang some Bush Songs (there's more than 'Waltzing Matilda'...).
Although the night was hosted by the Hills group, I found out later that there were over 100 homeschooled children from all over South Australia there!
Rachel.
At Bush Dances, there can be any number of musicians (if there are a lot, they take turns for each song so everyone gets to dance), mostly violins, guitars, recorder or bagpipes (or the pipes of bagpipes without the bag, if you know what I mean), as well as the Lager Stick (lots of beer bottle lids nailed onto a broom handle or reasonably straigh stick, you tap it on the floor and it rattles like a tamborine). They play country dance music - quite similar to Scottish or Irish folk dance music (the dances are similar, too).
The dances are things like the Heel and Toe Polka, the Queensland Backstep, the Flying Pieman, and the Drongo. They're all really easy to learn and very fun! There's a Caller, who tells you what to do and then calls out the steps in time to the music.
Everyone dresses up for the Bush Dance (apparently), although in some cases Bush Dance clothes and normal clothes are pretty much the same thing. The idea is to wear what people wear in the Bush (strangely enough) which basically means a long, bright, 'twirly', skirt & white shirt or dress for girls, and jeans, a checked shirt, and an Akubra for boys.
There was a Hills Homeschooling Group quite recently. I played tenor recorder (harmony) for the Heel & Toe Polka and the Queensland Backstep. My violin teacher (my friend Phoebe, a girl from the Homeschooling Group) says that she wants me to play violin in the Bush Dance next year. Anyway I think the Bush Dance was the best fun I've had in a long time! My homeschooling group has one each year in Spring.
Oh, also we had 3 sections of about 4 dances. Between the first and second bracket, we had supper (everyone had to bring along a platter of finger food), and between the second and third bracket, there were a couple of musical performances (Bush music), and we sang some Bush Songs (there's more than 'Waltzing Matilda'...).
Although the night was hosted by the Hills group, I found out later that there were over 100 homeschooled children from all over South Australia there!
Rachel.
