OneTouch Theatre, Eden Court, Inverness, 11 November 2009

Beolach

A DEFINITE ‘meeting of minds’ was the by-line for this dual presentation profiling the links between the Scots Hebridean and the Cape Breton dance and music traditions, featuring Dannsa from Scotland and Beòlach from Cape Breton, brought together in a collaboration for Highland Homecoming.

Dannsa are well known in the Highlands as exponents of new and traditional Highland dance traditions, and this performance showcased both traditional steps and more contemporary step dance figures. Opening with their own version of the traditional sword dance, with fiddle bows substituting for the swords, the dance was no less exciting with wood instead of metal, and becomes one of those performances which endure repeated viewings, without losing impact.

Dancers Sandra Robertson, Caroline Reagh and John Sikorski were joined by piper Fin Moore to complete the traditional ‘4s’ of square dance sets as required. Fiddler Gabe McVarish and guitarist Ewan McPherson, of the band Fribo, provided an extra foil of bright and sympathetic texture to the often deliberately sparse and striking solo lines.

Gaelic singer Gillebride Macmillan delivered the necessary sets of puirt a beul (or mouth music) for the solo and ensemble step dance sets. From experience this writer knows the pitfallsand difficulties of singing solo puirt for step dancers, and some of the puirt used here is amongst the most difficult to sing – ‘Meal do bhrògan’ and ‘Faca sibh Mairi’, for instance.

One of Dannsa’s trademark sets is a set of dances sung to waulking songs, which again provide a wealth of potential problems for singers but are intriguing to watch. Songs including ‘Ho ro mo Chuachag’ and ‘Gaol ise’ provided perfect rhythmic regularityfor the percussive footwork.

One of Dannsa’s other specialities is the ‘Latha Lùnasdal’ or ‘First Of August’, sung to the Uist tune ‘Tàilleir Mor’, and is always a highlight of a Dannsa performance.

Beòlach’s more upbeat style of performance was a perfect contrast to Dannsa’s more introspective style, but retained that echo of the intrinsic ‘Highland’ culture, taken over to Cape Breton by the emigrants over the Centuries. Lively sets, more stately waltz sets and emotive instrumental ballads were also still recognisably of a ‘Scottish’ connection.

Fiery footwork from all the performers, including fiddlers Wendy MacIsaac and Mairi Rankin, was complemented by great traditional Cape Breton piano from Mac Morin. All had the audience wanting more. Theirs may have been a more relaxed and informal style of performance, but each group had its ownidentifiable style and each its own distinctive elements.

To this writer, this gig was what Highland Homecoming was – or should have been – all about, celebrating those who left Scotland, with their language and culture and how it has returned home. An inspired pairing of artistic showmanship, and nowhere more evident than in the final set when both groups came together and performed a set of tunes and Gaelic songs, with step dance from all – including the lovely Gaelic emigrant pìobaireachd air “Fraoch a Ronàigh”.

‘S math rinn thu Dannsa for bringing this show to the Highlands – a true representation of Scottish and Cape Breton Highland Culture at its best.

© Fiona Mackenzie, 2009

Links

• Beòlach
• Dannsa