References

There are both Welsh Morris and Welsh Folk teams throughout Wales.

Traditional Dance and Customs in Wales, by Lois Blake (Gwynn Publishing Co.)

Much the content of these pages on Welsh Dancing have been sourced directly from this book. Alas, this book is no longer in print.

Foreword and Acknowledgements: In this small book, I have endeavoured to fill in the gaps that were left by my previous "Welsh Folk Dance and Costume". Our experience has greatly increased, since that was written and many people, throughout Wales have contributed to our knowledge. My thanks are due to W.S.Gwynn Williams who first interested me in Welsh folk dance and has allowed me to quote from his standard work, "Welsh National Music and Dance". We must acknowledge our debt to Mrs.Margretta Thomas and her daughter Ceinwen, not only for their contribution of recollected dances, but for their descriptions of Nantgarw in the 1890's. We thank Gwyn Williams for allowing us to publish his article on Clog dancing in the Appendix, and we thank Emrys Cleaver for all his help in reading my drafts and correcting my spelling and all other members of Cymdeithas Ddawns Werin for their help and encouragement.; Thanks must also be given to the Welsh Amateur Music Federation for financial assistance in the publication of the first edition of this book.; The Dance Manuals, published between 1650 and 1825, have proved another source of dance material (Welsh Folk Dance and Costume. Lois Blake). From them we have drawn many of our simpler dances, choosing them by their Welsh names or by tunes well known in Wales. We are aware that these have not necessarily any connection with Wales; it is what the dancers put into them that makes them our own. The same practice has been carried out by the Royal Scottish Country Dance Society. They have adopted a large number of dances from the later dancing masters, many of them in triple sets, and have knocked them into a uniform shape of dances for four couples.


References: The Welch Whim, Evan's Delight, St.David's Day and Dainty Davy, all from the same volume, 1719, are useful dances but nothing is known of their origin.; A number of dances from the later manuals, 1760-1813, have been unearthed by Pat Shaw, and published in leaflet form. As he says in his foreword to 'Chwe dawns hawdd': "Whether these dances are truly Welsh, is an open question. They are no less Welsh than 'My Lord Caernarvon's Jig' or many others". These include: The Welsh Jig, Corris Whim, Tom Edwards, Caernarvon Castle, The Bard and Lloyd's Whim, published together; and Welsh Marh, Welsh rabbit, Llanthony Abbey, and the great favourite, Powell's Fancy. Also from Pat Shaw we have an original Waltz, Dawns y Pistyll, Sawdi y Fuwch, based on the unused movements from the Llangadfan manuscript, and Ty Coch, Caedydd, which won the prize for a composed dance at the National Eisteddfod 1966. Also composed, by request, is my Pont Caeroder (Bristol Bridge). The name is taken from the tune and it contains a cross step which Hugh Mellor claims to have seen at Ffestiniog.; A book of dances, known as 'Creurwyrion', was discovered at the farm of that name, in Caernarvonshire, by Gwyn Williams of the BBC. This contains another version of the Bishop of Bangor and another quite different dance called 'Lumps of Pudding', to the same tune that occurs in the Llangadfan manuscript and Beggars Opera. Popular on the Twmpath are his original Blodau Olwen and Hela'r Seithfed as well as other arrangements suitable for these popular gatherings.; The Liverpool Book, as we call it, was brought to me some years ago by Joseph Hughes, the Harp mender of Aughton Green. He had picked it up in a Liverpool bookshop, and it contained 160 dances, dated between 1803 and 1807. It had no title page and the author has not been identified. The dances had evidently been issued in annual instalment and roughly bound up together. It contains: Ap Shenkin, a tune composed in 1803 by John Parry, Bardd Alaw, and played in Vauxhall Gardens. It attained immediate popularity and was soon used for a dance. Later, it was adopted as the March of the Welch Fusiliers.; Conway Races has the tune associated with the 'Llanover Reel', which appeared in 1780 as Jones's hornpipe in a collection by Edward Jones, Bardd y Brenin.; Princess Elizabeth's Fancy has no connection with Wales. She was the third daughter of George III, and Aunt of Queen Victoria. In 1807, the date of the dance, there was talk of her marriage to the Duke of Orleans, afterwards Louis Phillipe of France. She ultimately married the Langrave of Hesse Homburg. She was a clever artist and her books of drawings and woodcuts were widely acclaimed. Her etchings were printed as gifts of friends and the Ladies of Llangollen were among the delighted recipients. She interested herself in encouraging crafts, such as weaving, among her people. It is not surprising that it was Lady Llanover who edited her letters and papers. They had much in common. A bust of Princess Elizabeth was unveiled, in front of the English Church at Homburg, by her two great nephews, Edward VII and Kaiser William of Germany.

Welsh Folk Dances - An Inquiry 1935 (Novello and Company Ltd)

After building these pages, I came across this book by Hugh Mellor, Novello and Company, 1935. I have included this material in the more recent pages, quoting verbatim where appropriate.

Cymdeithas Ddawns Werin Cymru

Cymdeithas Ddawns Werin Cymru was founded in 1949; and it may be interesting to note how much our knowledge and sphere of action have increased since that time. Our whole attitude to Folk Dance as well as our dancing technique has undergone a change. The formation of the Society acted as a magnet to fresh material and our original nineteen dances are nearly trebled. Almost immediately two valuable dances came to us from Mrs. Margretta Thomas of Nantgarw; 'Dawns Blodau Nantgarw' and 'Dawns Gwyl Ifan'. With the knowledge that at last there was an active body deeply interested, Mrs.Thomas and her daughter put on paper what she could remember of seven other dances which she had seen in her childhood.

More dances from 18th and 19th Century dance manuals, with Welsh titles or recognisable Welsh tunes were brought to light. Our attitude towards composed dances became more elastic. We felt that if an original dance was accepted by the dancers, it should be allowed to become part of our tradition. The first example of this was 'Robin Ddiog'. During an Urdd New Year party at Pantyfedwen, we adapted two simple movements to fit the well known tune, of which incidentally, we had a gramophone record. This is invariably on the programme of public dances, and was even taught to an American group by some of our members touring the U.S.A. On the other hand, a dance composed for an experienced team competing at an Eisteddfod, may not become generally accepted, however much admired. Possibly the ultimate test is on the Twmpath.

Miss Maude Karpeles has said that the authenticity of Folk Song Tradition lies, not so much in origin, as in the amount of oral transmission to which a tune or song has been subjected. In the case of dance, it is a matter of participation. If the people themselves adopt a dance and, as it were, translate it into their own medium, it may, in the course of time, be considered part of their own tradition. The truth of this definition can be seen when tunes such as that of the 'Helston Furry dance' or 'Soldiers Joy' are found widespread over Europe.

Cymdeithas Ddawns Werin Cymru has extended its interest to include traditional dress. We are, I believe, the only Society in Wales that has taken any trouble to establish what is authentic among the various regional costumes and to discourage the use of commercial products, which are merely Fancy Dress. When our members were invited abroad, they realised that traditional dress was almost essential and very popular it has proved, especially the hat, many of which had been given away as souvenirs.

Maud Karpeles

Miss Karpeles is a noted collector of folk songs and dances, and accompanied Cecil Sharp on his journeys to the Appellation Mountains and elsewhere. Since 1948 she has been secretary of the International Folk Music Council and was awarded an honorary doctorate of music.

Lois Blake

Gwynn Williams

Gwynn Publishing Company

Nantgarw Dances by Cardiff Morris Men