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A Record of Words Spoken and Memories
Shared at Morley College, London, Sunday
14th May 2006 |
"FOLLOWING IN THE FOOTSTEPS"
I had seen the small, humble notice on the notice board at the Laban Centre. Its black ink had invited one to "Step Back in Time with NONSUCH" offering an opportunity to "Try out a Galliard as danced by Henry VIII… Get carried away in La Volta like Elizabeth I… Find out why Charles II enjoyed Cuckolds All Awry…" and did I know if Jane Austen's Emma would have danced Teasing Made Easy? I did not know the answer, but I knew that I wanted to know about these "styles of movement" and learn the "secret codes of courtly behaviour." Actually, I suppose what really appealed to me was the drama of the whole thing! As a student of English Literature, I had read about the situations where dance could be interwoven in the story, and I had even considered the part dance played in the history of theatre and in Shakespeare's plays, but no one had ever shown me these dances. Until then, I'd been using my training in musical theatre dance as a way to choreograph actors in plays, but I thought: "maybe it would be worth knowing the historical reasons behind my choice of dance steps?" I telephoned the name at the bottom of the page: Peggy Dixon.
I can't remember the phone conversation, but I still have a letter in my files sent to me from Peggy. She dated it the 5th November 1996 - but it was October 6th when it arrived. The letter gave me all the details of where these classes would be held, but also she invited me to watch the company rehearse after the class, to come to the Early Dance Circle Festival on the Saturday and to even consider enrolling for a full week at the Summer School. Whatever I had said during our first phone conversation must have told her I was keen to learn (or maybe she was always as hopeful with every enquiry she received?)
I did as the letter had asked and rang the bell of the hall door of the community centre on Frederick Crescent. Someone must have let me in and told me I had arrived at the right place, but I don't remember who exactly. I sat on one of the wooden Sunday school chairs at the side, and waited.
What did one wear for historical dance? Should I be warming up, rolling on the floor as we used to do while waiting for class at the Laban Centre? I did have tights in my bag, but where would I go to put on my jockstrap?
She came from the kitchen, carrying a cup of tea, heading straight for the music system. She didn't really say anything, but she turned her head towards me, where I sat in the corner of the room and her eyes smiled. Yes, her eyes smiled. I am sure that her face always had a demeanour of radiance, but it was her eyes that gave an extra energetic surge as she saw that I had arrived according to her instruction.
Should I stand and step towards her? What were the other students doing? Oh, they were just carrying on with their little chats, chirping and chortling as they tied their shoelaces. Ah - jazz shoes! I had those in my bag. On they went. All set. What next?
Music started to come from the music system of entangled cables and extension cords. The music had a pulse and a melody, but the pattern wasn't obvious. I needed to concentrate to work out how it was structured. I looked up from my shoe tying. Peggy was walking towards me. In fact, her movement had a gliding quality about it. Again, she smiled. And then she stretched out her hand. She signalled for me to give her my left hand: as a mother would take a child across the road. A sort of hello, I suppose. But this was no greeting, this was the dance, and as my hand held hers she brought me to the floor of the hall and I could feel the pulse with the music. We walked, or rather stepped, and as I tried to understand what was happening, the others joined the line, taking my right hand, and forming a long line of individuals all moving to the same music, and enjoying ourselves. I had been initiated into historical social dance!
When I saw Peggy for the last time, she wasn't able to dance then. But she took my hand once more. I reminded her of the first time that we had held hands. I spoke about how much power was contained in those hands: to communicate the dance, to lead and to follow, to change the quality of the dance, to guide the flow. I praised her ability to lead a complete beginner, as well as the way that experienced dancers on the dance floor could adapt to the situation and use signals through the hands to combat the dreaded curse of momentary memory loss on the dance floor. I had discovered all these things during the many times I was privileged to dance, holding hands, with Peggy.
I believe she taught us so that we could pass on what we had learnt. Quite simply, by dancing of course. So, as we continue to step into the future, I hope that our hands will stay linked to the past, and to the history that created us.
DARREN ROYSTON
14 May 2006
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